FERRUM -- Offerings at the Panther's Den cafeteria on Ferrum College's campus Tuesday included milk and ice cream from local dairy Homestead Creamery, ground beef from a Floyd farm and lettuce from the college's own 80-acre farm.

The local menu, an everyday occurrence at the college, was on display Tuesday for U.S. Sen. Mark Warner D-Va., and U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Albemarle County, as students and school officials touted their efforts to "go green."

The school's local food procurement and farm-to-cafeteria programs make up about 30 percent of the food used in the cafeteria, said Michael Martin, director of dining services. It's his goal to partner with more local farms and businesses to increase the amount of local foods and services used to 50 percent in the fall.

Partnerships are the key to most of the school's sustainability success, said school President Jennifer Braaten.

Working with Breakell Inc. of Roanoke, school officials are monitoring energy consumption in many of Ferrum's buildings.

So far, the monitoring has revealed that stuck valves, dirty filters and "vampire devices" -- electronics that are plugged in and turned off but continue to use energy -- increase usage, said professor Glen Stevens.

In the fall, students will be given power strips for their electronic devices and energy-efficient light bulbs to help keep usage down.

All of the monitoring is leading up to the installation of a biomass boiler plant to provide heating and electricity for the campus.

School officials are applying for grant money and assembling a group of farmers to develop switch grass that would be used to fuel the boiler, said Bobby Thompson, executive vice president at the college and a member of the Franklin County Board of Supervisors. In the meantime, wood chips -- remnants from the local logging industry -- could be used.

A side benefit to all of the projects is their educational value.

Students are participating in all aspects of the sustainability projects, including monitoring energy usage and planting and harvesting on the farm.

"The whole campus is a learning lab," Thompson said.

Warner and Perriello applauded the school's efforts.

"This is a cool mix you have going on here," said Warner, adding that Ferrum's projects are a piece of his goal of reinvigorating rural America, which "has to become a bigger priority."

The college's efforts aren't "just about going green," Perriello said. "It's about sending our money overseas or investing it here."

It's important that America develops technology to end its dependence on other countries for things such as fuel, he said, adding that he is interested in helping the school build support for its projects.

"Ferrum is a small school with a huge impact," Perriello said.

The midday visit was one of many local stops in each congressman's busy schedule.

On Tuesday morning, each was in Roanoke -- Perriello at the Veteran Affairs Regional Office at the Poff Federal Building in downtown Roanoke, and Warner at William Fleming High School meeting with educators and business owners.

Those present made their case to Warner for additional state and federal funding for work force development programs. Many of these programs are aimed at helping students who are not necessarily bound for four-year colleges but want a career in a technical field.

Warner's message to the group: for each new idea, consider a program to eliminate.

"We're looking at tight resources," he told the audience of 50. Finding funding for new programs likely will be challenging for a while because of increased cuts to state and federal budgets.

Warner suggested that schools and businesses consider funding through private educational foundations.

Staff writer Jenny Kincaid Boone contributed to this story.