The price of some fruits and vegetables in school lunches has doubled since the U.S. Department of Defense outsourced the work.

Produce distributor Foster-Caviness Foodservice of Colfax has added a $4.30 surcharge on each case. That's in addition to a 5.9 percent charge Defense Department purchasing agents have already added.

The food is distributed under a decade old federal program called "farm-to-school."

The program subsidizes the purchase of home-grown produce by more than 60 North Carolina school districts, including Wake, Johnston and Chatham. (N&O)