Dartmouth College has undertaken an initiative with a local non-profit group in order to change their dining hall menus, outfitting them with more food from local producers, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. This is the most recent and large-scale example of farm-to-college programs, which have been heavily encouraged by federal self-sustaining agriculture grants.

Dartmouth contracted Vital Communities, a not-for-profit organization based in White River Junction, Vt., to look into local food production opportunities, according to The Chronicle. The initiative committee will be financed by a $51,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The committee, consisting of students, faculty, Vital Communities employees and dining-services personnel, has been researching farms and dairies, hoping to select 10 with which they can form a permanent partnership, according to The Chronicle. The committee will announce which farms and dairies will be participating in the partnership no later than November.

Dartmouth already owns an organic farm, which supplies food to the campus' 13 dining halls, according to The Chronicle. Initiative committee members believe that they will be able to implement dairy products and maple syrup into their menus as early as December.

According to The Chronicle, many other colleges have created successful local produce programs. Up to 10 percent of food products in the dining halls at schools with established produce programs come from partnerships with local vendors. Many of these programs started due to university interest in stimulating local economies. Other schools hope that by having successful vendor partnerships, they will have greater control over the quality of their food products.