Farm to School

The goal of Farm to School is to get more locally grown product into the school cafeterias.  Farm to school programs can be as big as serving up locally grown fruit, vegetable or other item once a day or as little as once a school year.  Large or small, each program is important and supports the health and well being of students and farmers.

Research carried out by the National Farm to School Network shows that Farm to School programs can result in:

• Students consuming more fruits and vegetables and having greater knowledge of agriculture and healthy eating;
• School food service operations increasing both the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables served and increasing their revenues from adult and student participation in school meal programs;
• Farmers diversifying their markets, securing contracts for their products and establishing grower collaborative's and cooperatives.

USDA Resources

USDA Farm to School Site

USDA Farm to School Grant Program Update

2015 USDA Farm to School Census Results

Produce Safety Materials

• Best Practices for Handling Fresh Produce in Schools
• Handling Fresh Produce in Classrooms
• Handling Fresh Produce on Salad Bars
• Verifying On-Farm Food Safety
• Ensuring Traceability of Fresh Produce
• Food Safety Tips for School Gardens
• Storing Fresh Produce

USDA Memos

Additional Resources

• National Food Service Management Institute - Produce Safety
• Missouri Extension Farm to School
• National Farm to School Network
• Procuring Local Foods for Child Nutrition Programs 
• Selling Local Food to Schools: A Resource for Producers
• USDA Foods: A Resource for Buying Local