The farm-to-fork trend now sweeping California and the nation seeks to shorten and strengthen the connection between the places where food is grown and the people who eat the food. In recent decades, that connection has been stretched so thin many people have lost sight of it all together.

The combination of programs that encompass University of California Cooperative Extension allow the organization to be at the forefront of the movement, said Terry Spezzano, UCCE nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor in Stanislaus and Merced counties.

“We have farm advisors, nutrition advisors, Master Gardeners and Master Food Producers,” Spezzano said. “We have...

UC researchers studied farm-to-hospital initiatives in the Bay Area, and they found a growing movement to put locally produced food on patient trays and cafeteria menus. They say that buying from local farmers and ranchers is part of a trend toward better quality and flavor in hospital meals, both to satisfy consumer demand and to address concerns about dietary contributions to chronic disease.

"Just replacing food-service cans with locally grown vegetables won't curb high rates of obesity and heart disease, but it may encourage patients and cafe customers to increase their daily intake of vegetables," said study co-author Gail Feenstra. "And if there's one...