Farm to School Grant Reviewer Training - Farm to School 101
An introduction to farm to school and the Farm to School Program at USDA (intended for USDA Farm to School Grant volunteer reviewers).
Farm to School Census
The Farm to School Census is a national survey conducted by USDA FNS of farm to school activities .
Farm to School Resources
Find resources to implement, sustain and maintain your farm to school program.
Farm to School to Future!
Making varsity, attending prom, getting into college or finding a job upon graduation … all things that many high school students spend time thinking about. We'd wager that very few of them also spend time thinking about where their food comes from, how nutritious it is, or how it got to their plate. Unless, that is, they happen to be a student at William Penn High School in New Castle, Delaware.
We joined Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester at the school to celebrate National Nutrition Month, and learn about its innovative farm-to-school program developed with support from two USDA Farm to School grants. Program curriculum is integrated into many of the school's 24 different tracks that students can take to build and enhance their future careers - from agriculture to culinary arts to finance.
During our tour we visited greenhouses with lettuce and herbs to be used in school meals and saw their koi fish production setup. The farm manager and several teachers also expressed their pride in and dedication to the program. A few agricultural program students shared their experiences with us. One student, Mikayla, spoke passionately about how the program is helping prepare her for a future as a veterinarian. Culinary arts students, who helped prepare a delicious lunch for us, spoke about the value of hands-on learning they are receiving.
The school also leases a section of adjacent Penn Farm. While the fields were still empty (it was March after all), we learned about the upcoming planting and harvesting plans, as well as the community outreach activities conducted by William Penn students from across the academic spectrum. Farm produce and other plants will be sold at the school's farm stands, which participate in FNS's Farmers Market Nutrition Program and Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.
Our visit showed us the willingness and ability of students and their teachers to take on activities and topics beyond the typical teen subjects and, with the help of the USDA, embrace nutrition and agriculture as an integral part of their high school experience.
Farm to School Grant Program
On an annual basis, USDA awards competitive Farm to School grants that support planning, developing, and implementing farm to school programs. The grants are an important way to help state, regional, and local organizations as they initiate, expand, and institutionalize farm to school efforts.
Louisiana Farm to School
NIFA and farm to school
Jill Auburn, a National Program Leader at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, provides a broad overview of NIFA programs that relate to farm to school. Among others, Auburn reviewed the Community Food Project program, the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
Farm to School Fact Sheets
Factsheets are available under the following topics: Farm to School Grant Program, Farm to School Program Resources, Local Food Resources, School Gardens, Farm to School in Tribal Communities, Food Safety, Producers, Farm to Preschool. Farm to Summer, State Agencies and Cooperative Extensions, En Español.
Farm to School - Menu Planning for Your Farm to School Program
This webinar reviews the menu planning cycle, making room for local foods, incorporating local foods into schools meals, menu planning tips, and concludes with a question and answer session.