Source: USDA, 12/2/14

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced more than $5 million in grants for 82 projects spanning 42 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands that support the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) efforts to connect school cafeterias with local farmers and ranchers through its Farm to School Program. The program helps schools purchase more food from local farmers and ranchers in their communities, expanding access to healthy local food for school children and supporting local economies. According to USDA's first-ever Farm to School Census released earlier this year, school districts participating in farm to school programs purchased and served over $385 million in local food in school year 2011-2012, with more than half of participating schools planning to increase their purchases of local food in the future.

"USDA is proud to support communities across the country as they plan and implement innovative farm to school projects," said Vilsack. "These inspiring collaborations provide students with healthy, fresh food, while supporting healthy local economies. Through farm to school projects, community partners are coming together to ensure a bright future for students, and for local farmers and ranchers."
Secretary Vilsack made this announcement at Common Market, a pioneering food hub in Philadelphia that connects wholesale customers to farmers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Common Market is receiving a grant to support their "An Apple a Day" Program. The facility will act as a bridge between Pennsylvania Family Farms, a small Pennsylvania value-added processor, and public charter schools to provide food safety, product development, packaging, educational, marketing, planning, ordering and delivery support to farm and school food service partners.

Together, Common Market and the other selected projects will serve more than 4,800 schools and 2.8 million students, nearly 51 percent of whom live in rural communities.

NORTH CAROLINA  

North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services  Raleigh, North Carolina  

Grant Type: Conference and Event – State; $24,978  

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will partner with the North  Carolina Department of Instruction in an effort to increase the purchase of local foods. A series of eight  “Procuring Local Foods” workshops will be held across the state, reaching public, private and charter schools. Participants in these workshops will learn how to successfully procure local foods (including  meat, dairy and produce) following USDA guidelines.      

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians  Cherokee, North Carolina  

Grant Type: Support Service; $99,000  

The proposed project will span two years and enable the Cherokee Choices, in conjunction with the  Cherokee Central School (CCS) system and other partners, to procure and serve more local food through  the CCS Child Nutrition Program; create infrastructure for local food procurement and sustainable food  production on campus; continue and expand educational and learning opportunities for K‐12 students,  teachers, and school staff associated with healthy food systems; and strengthen the local and regional  food system to better serve institutions such as schools.    

Working Landscapes  Warrenton, North Carolina  

Grant Type: Support Service; $100,000  

Working Landscapes’ Chopped Produce Initiative will make locally‐grown vegetables available to  students throughout our predominantly rural, economically‐distressed region. Through this project,  small‐scale, local farmers—including minority farmers—will be able to sell to area schools. Produce that  they raise, such as collard greens and cabbage, will be chopped and bagged at Working Landscapes’  newly developed processing facility. When the produce is delivered to schools, it will be accompanied by  hands‐on educational programming aimed at boosting student interest in, and consumption of, healthy  local foods.    
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For a complete list of FY15 Farm to School grant recipients, please visit: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/f2s/FY_2015_Grant_Award_Summaries.pdf

USDA's Farm to School Grants help schools respond to the growing demand for locally sourced foods and increase market opportunities for producers and food businesses, including food processors, manufacturers, and distributors. Grants will also be used to support agriculture and nutrition education efforts such as school gardens, field trips to local farms, and cooking classes. USDA Farm to School Conference and Event Grants support regional, state, and national conferences, events and/or trainings that have a specific emphasis on developing supply chain relationships by connecting local producers to school food buyers, along with events and trainings that provide technical assistance or other programming in the area of local procurement, food safety, culinary education and integration of agriculture-based curriculum.