PLS Reports Record Lithium Output as EV Demand Fuels Market Growth 
Rising Jet Fuel Costs from Iran Conflict Push Airfare Higher Across Europe 
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell Earns $85.8M as IPO Buzz Grows 
Florida Investigates OpenAI and ChatGPT Over Alleged Role in FSU Shooting 
Brazil Blocks Prediction Market Platforms, Tightens Derivatives Trading Rules 
Microsoft Commits $18 Billion to Expand AI and Cloud Infrastructure in Australia 
Samsung Boosts DRAM Supply to Tesla as AI-Driven Memory Demand Surges 
European Car Sales Surge in March as EV and Hybrid Demand Accelerates 
Meta Expands AI Training With Employee Activity Tracking Tools 
Daiichi Sankyo Stock Drops After Earnings Delay and Oncology Review 
Kakaku.com Stock Surges on EQT Takeover Interest Amid Rising Japan Deal Activity 
SK Hynix Reports Record Q1 Profit Surge Driven by AI Memory Chip Demand 
Nvidia Pushes 800V Data Center Power Systems to Boost Efficiency and Cut Costs 
SpaceX Eyes $60B Cursor Deal to Boost AI Power Ahead of IPO 
$16B Michigan Data Center Project Boosts U.S. AI Infrastructure Expansion 
Intel Stock Surges as AI Chip Demand Drives Strong Q2 Forecast 
Judge Dismisses Elon Musk’s Fraud Claims Against OpenAI, Trial to Proceed on Remaining Allegations 
Modesto, CA, March 29, 2017 -- March 29, 2017 (Modesto, CA) – School Food Focus and Health Care Without Harm today announced ProCureWorks, a collaboration between two of the largest institutional food service sectors – public school districts and health care systems.
“ProCureWorks leverages the combined purchasing power of over 530 schools and 55 hospitals across three California communities to create healthier food choices for the well-being of children, patients, staff and families,” said School Food Focus Executive Director Toni Liquori. “This innovative cross-sector collaboration catalyzes meaningful change in our food system, as we demonstrate how the power of procurement can transform supply chains across California and nationwide.”
Hospitals and school districts are major purchasers of healthy food and serve as anchor institutions in the community. Rooted in place, both hold significant investments in social capital and are oriented toward community health goals. ProCureWorks wields nearly $100 million in purchasing power. The initiative has identified three product categories to start with: beef, grains and poultry. All ProCureWorks products will be raised and/or grown in California and meet the nutritional standards of the 2010 Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act as well as the School Food Focus Ingredient Guide for Better School Food Purchasing and Health Care Without Harm’s sustainable purchasing guidelines.
“By leveraging collective purchasing power, ProCureWorks is strengthening and clearly articulating the increased institutional demand for healthy food that is locally produced and supports a sustainable food system,” said Lucia Sayre, Western U.S. Regional Director, Healthy Food in Health Care for Health Care Without Harm. “We are excited to see the impact this initiative will have on our food economy across the state.”
This powerful network of food service leaders across two institutions is already bringing transparency and accountability that was previously absent from sustainable food procurement. Because of the collective pressure from ProCureWorks and others, 22% of Foster Farms’ total poultry production is now USDA process-verified and NAE certified. Foster Farms, the largest poultry producer is California, has recently announced a line of No Antibiotics Ever poultry products, further demonstrating their commitment to the ProCureWorks Guidelines for Food Products.
"We are proud to be one of the first companies to begin collaborating with ProCureWorks," said Jeff Jarchow Senior Marketing Manager for Foodservice at Foster Farms. "It demonstrates our deep commitment to working with our institutional customers to provide products that support the health of communities throughout California."
In addition to sourcing healthier poultry products, ProCureWorks is aggregating the demand for grass fed organic ground beef and sourcing verified small batch whole grains, all produced in California. The initiative is expected to expand to 25 school districts and 16 hospital systems over the next three years.
The participating school districts of ProCureWorks include: Davis Joint Unified School District, Elk Grove Unified School District, Oakland Unified School District, Oxnard Elementary School District and San Diego Unified School District
The eight participating health systems, representing 55 facilities, include: John Muir Health, Kaiser Permanente, Palomar Health System, San Francisco Veteran's Affairs, Stanford Medical Center, Sutter Health, UC Medical Centers, and Washington Hospital Health System.
School Food Focus is a national collaborative that works to catalyze change in the food system by transforming the way school food is produced and purchased so that every child in the U.S. -- regardless of income or race -- has access to healthy school meals.
Health Care Without Harm works to transform health care worldwide so that it reduces its environmental footprint, becomes a community anchor for sustainability and a leader in the global movement for environmental health and justice.
More information on ProCureWorks is available at www.procureworks.org
###
Benn Grover, Health Care Without Harm [email protected] 888-461-0112 Christiane Baker, School Food Focus [email protected] 917 596 1659
