(Nebraska Radio Network)-- The first-ever Midwest Farm to School Conference is planned for next week in Nebraska City, drawing hundreds of participants from Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas.

Sarah Smith, at the Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons, says the goal is two-fold: to improve economic opportunities for farmers and to improve the health of students by bringing locally-grown food into school cafeterias. 

The conference will focus on building students’ knowledge about local, healthy foods, as well as hands-on farm to school practices, like school gardens, while boosting the amount of local foods served to students in schools.

Smith says the one-day event will bring together those interested in building farm to school initiatives across the region.

The conference will be held March 2nd at the Lied Lodge and Conference Center in Nebraska City. The event is being hosted by the Lyons-based Center for Rural Affairs, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and the University of Missouri Extension.