The Gyeonggi Provincial Government will invest 75.8 billion won this year (including both provincial and municipal budgets) to provide eco-friendly school meals to approximately 1,398,000 students attending 3,359 elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as affiliated kindergartens in the province.
The program supporting school meals with eco-friendly and high-quality agricultural and livestock products is one of Gyeonggi Province’s flagship public meal policies. It aims to bridge the price gap between eco-friendly agricultural products and high-quality agricultural and livestock products. This policy is expected to ease the financial burden of school meals and secure stable sales channels for eco-friendly farms, thereby creating a virtuous cycle in the local economy.
Gyeonggi Province systematically manages the entire process from production to distribution and supply of eco-friendly agricultural products, G-Mark certified high-quality livestock products, and eco-friendly or high-quality Gyeonggi rice, focusing on a Gyeonggi-style public procurement system that stably connects producers and schools.
Particular emphasis is placed on safety and price stability, establishing a trustworthy meal system for both schools and farms through contract cultivation and a stable supply structure.
Supply prices are reasonably determined through a price determination council that includes producers, consumers, and experts. The council comprehensively considers production costs by item, distribution conditions, and feedback from schools to set prices that do not burden the meal sites while ensuring the sustainability of farms.
This year, Gyeonggi Province plans to manage budget execution and the supply structure more systematically, reflecting changes in meal service conditions such as rising agricultural production costs and price fluctuations. The province will regularly monitor the budget execution status by city and county, and work with relevant organizations to enhance both budget efficiency and the sustainability of the program.
Safety management will also be continuously strengthened. For eco-friendly agricultural products, residue pesticide testing and traceability management linked to the integrated school meal computer system will be expanded. In cases of non-compliance, strict measures such as prompt recalls and shipment restrictions will be enforced. For livestock products, the operation of a school meal safety management team will further enhance reliability throughout the supply process by conducting hygiene inspections at processing plants, collection tests, and genetic testing.
Additionally, field tours and communication programs for nutritionists will be conducted. These initiatives aim to enhance mutual understanding between producers and schools and ensure that on-site feedback is reflected in policy decisions.
Paek Jongmin, Director of the Agricultural, Fisheries, and Life Sciences Bureau of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "Eco-friendly school meals are not merely a support program for meals but a core public policy that simultaneously promotes the health of future generations, responds to the climate crisis, and ensures the sustainability of local agriculture. In 2026, we will achieve tangible results that both schools and farms can experience through more stable and responsible program management."
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