Taiwan's Changhua County is spending big to upgrade free school lunches before the new term starts, good news for parents and local farmers.

• Changhua County Magistrate Wang Hui-mei inspected the central kitchen at Heren Elementary School ahead of the school year.
• The county has put more than NT$1 billion into school meals, with free lunches treated as just the starting point.
• Meal subsidies were raised twice, adding at least NT$10 per meal, plus organic vegetables once a week, bringing the cost per meal to NT$60-65.
• Another NT$100 million-plus goes to fresh milk, and health and farm agencies run surprise joint inspections of the food.
• Schools are pushed to buy Taiwanese and local ingredients, which shortens the trip from farm to table and props up nearby growers.

Outlook: Expect the county to keep expanding meal budgets and local sourcing as food prices rise.