Alfred University is launching an effort to buy and serve locally grown or locally processed food to its students.

AVI Fresh, a division of AVI Foodsystems, Inc., which provides dining services on the AU campus, wants to purchase as much produce, meat, eggs, cheese and milk as it can from local growers, producers and suppliers.

John Dietrich, director of dining services at AU, knows it may be several years before he can offer a substantial percentage of locally or even regionally grown or produced foodstuffs on the AU campus. He will be looking for everything from fruits and vegetables to meat, poultry and cheese.

“It will take some time before local farmers and producers can meet our demand,” acknowledges Dietrich, whose buying habits to meet student needs give a new meaning to “buying in bulk.”

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An article in Sunday’s (April 20) New York Times reports on Alfred University’s “trayless” initiative. See Link.