The USDA Farm to School Team is comprised of both Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) staff members, and was created to support local and regional food systems by facilitating alliances between schools and their local food producers.

Working with local and state authorities, school districts, farmers, and community partners, the Farm to School Team provides guidance to and develops mechanisms for

• Assisting schools in accessing local markets
• Enabling food producers to effectively service their local schools
• Facilitating communication between interested stakeholders

Long-term goals of the Farm to School Team include

• Providing access to resources and information on beginning and maintaining Farm to School activities for schools, farmers, and local community members
• Providing technical assistance to assist schools and farmers in the development, progression, and/or sustainability of Farm to School activities
• Identifying obstacles faced by schools and farmers in implementing and/or sustaining Farm to School activities and suggesting solutions

Farm to School Site Visits

During the months of May, June, and September of 2010, the USDA Farm to School Team visited 15 school districts in nine areas around the country, which represented various demographics and implementation stages of a school’s Farm to School efforts. During the visits, the Team met with school district administrators, local farmers, distributors, local and state authorities, students, teachers, parents, and community partners to analyze and assess variables that support or deter Farm to School activities, both from the school and farmer perspectives, and the effects the activities have had on the school and the community.

The identified sites provided several variables the Team considered throughout the selection process. Those variable included, but were not limited to: regional representation of the Nation; rural, urban, suburban, and tribal schools; districts size; food service operations; distribution models; various stages of Farm to School implementation; and innovative ideas for incorporating Farm to School activities.

The information gathered during these site visits is being used to develop and/or reissue appropriate resource materials, guidance, and technical assistance for both schools and farmers.

To view a short description of each site visit, choose from the list of links below.

• Independence Community School District, Independence, IA

• Burlington School District, Burlington, VT

• Bethel School District, Eugene, OR

• Eugene School District 4J, Eugene, OR

• Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, KY

• Montgomery County Public Schools, Mount Sterling, KY

• Harrisonburg City Schools, Harrisonburg, VA

• Boston Public Schools, Boston, MA

• Jamestown School District, Jamestown, RI

• Ventura Unified School District, Ventura, CA

• Riverside Unified School District, Riverside, CA

• Union Public Schools, Tulsa, OK

• Morrison Public Schools, Morrison, OK

• Chilton Public Schools, Chilton, WI

• Hilbert School District, Hilbert, WI

Thank you again to all school districts who expressed interest in a visit from the Farm to School Team.  We look forward to learning and sharing information about Farm to School efforts and activities across the country, as we work toward a common goal of creating and maintaining opportunities for schools to connect with local farms in order to serve healthy meals.

To receive the latest information on USDA’s Farm to School activities, sign up for Email Updates and choose “Farm to School” under the main categories of “Current Initiatives” and “School Meals”.

If you have a question for the team, please send us an email: farmtoschool@fns.usda.gov.