Gongju-Grown Produce Dominates School Meals... Official Launch of the Public and School Meal Shipment Association

Achieving 200 Million Won in Budget Savings and 47% Usage of Gongju-Grown Produce
Pursuing Both Increased Farmer Income and Enhanced Food Welfare

The "Public and School Meal Shipment Association," which is responsible for supplying agricultural products from Gongju, South Chungcheong Province to students' tables, has been officially launched. By operating the association directly, the city has not only reduced its budget but also increased the usage rate of Gongju-grown agricultural products to 47%, thereby strengthening its foundation for mutual growth with local farmers.

On September 9, the city announced that it held a launch ceremony for the Public and School Meal Shipment Association at the main auditorium of the Agricultural Center, and that full-scale operations would begin.

Over 100 farmers who have signed shipment agreements with Gongju City attended the event, pledging to establish a stable supply system for local agricultural products.

This year, for the first time, the Public and School Meal Supply Center has been operated directly by the city. The center recruited 67 farmers cultivating eco-friendly agricultural products and 58 farmers growing conventional produce to form the shipment association.

The association, in cooperation with Gongju City, plans to adjust and manage cultivation areas and cropping systems, thereby laying the groundwork for the stable supply of a wide variety of products to school meal programs.

During the launch ceremony, appointment letters were presented to executives elected directly by the association members. The event also included a report on operational achievements for the first half of the year, education on the safe use of pesticides, and a discussion session with association members.

On-site, various proposals were made, including: support for the repair and renovation of greenhouse facilities (An Hunjin, Association President); the introduction of a price stabilization system for eco-friendly agricultural products (Park Chunsu, Division Chair); and the need for nutritionists to better understand changes in fruit sugar content (Ye Hyangsuk, Farmer).

The city also released its achievements for the first half of the year. Through direct management, the city was able to optimize its budget, reducing the original budget of 1.1 billion won to approximately 900 million won by the end of the year, resulting in savings of about 200 million won.

In addition, the proportion of Gongju-grown agricultural products used in school meals increased significantly from 31% last year to 47.2% in the first half of this year. The certification rate for both national and Gongju City certifications among local farmers also rose from 78.7% to 91.2%, further enhancing food safety.

Mayor Choi Woncheol stated, "We will reinvest the savings into projects that association members need," adding, "Gongju City and the association will work together to achieve both increased farmer income and improved food welfare for citizens."