Beef/Bison/Pork in Schools Program Improves Meals at Sterling School

At a recent Sterling School Board meeting, mention was made of the Beef/Bison/Pork in Schools program, which allows for the local donation of beef, bison, or pork for school meals. The animal must be processed at a USDA approved facility, the closest of which is Den’s Country Meats in Table Rock.
“They donate the animal and the school pays for the processing,” explained Nicole Hollman, who is in her fourth year as the director of nutrition at Sterling Public Schools. “Locally grown meat is healthier and cheaper.”
The program was started in 2014 by the Nebraska Cattlemen. Hollman said the Crete Public School system has been using this program for about five years. Sterling is in its first year of using this program.
“I heard about this through my father-in-law, who is an Angus breeder in Hallam and he donates to Crete, which is his school district. I did research, contacted the state and got everything in order, and I have the administration on board with making things healthier for our students.”
To kick off the project, the school purchased beef from a USDA processing facility and Hollman’s father-in-law came to Sterling and grilled burgers outside on August 22nd.
“We got our first pork donated by the Saathoff family,” Hollman continued. “We do have a couple cattle donors lined up and another pork. Several people have asked if they can donate money. We use that for the processing fees.”
Hollman estimated that she uses 25 – 40 pounds of meat a day, depending on the menu, and when she uses locally grown meat, the kids notice the difference.
“It’s healthier. It’s naturally raised, no coloring added, and the smell is completely different, partly due to the freshness. I’m very passionate that our students get the healthiest meal we can give them.”
Before moving to Sterling, Hollman was a ranch foreman in Kansas. “I’ve always enjoyed the nutrition side of it, whether it’s nutrition of the animal or nutrition of the human.”
Hollman has five children in the school system, from seventh grade down to second grade and she says they can always tell if she has used fresh meat.
“My menus are not recycled,” she said. “I try two to three new recipes every month and the kids tell me if they like it. Since I’ve started here, I did our first one-act dinner theater before Thanksgiving with 70 – 80 people. It seems the better the food quality, I do more of the cooking for certain events.”
Hollman is always looking for more ways to support the school. She considers cooking for more events, perhaps having a BBQ in the spring to support the Teammates program and other possibilities.
Anyone who would like to support the Beef/Bison/Pork in Schools program at Sterling Public Schools by donating an animal or money may contact Hollman or Superintendent Riley Armes.