USDA Helps Schools Connect with Local Farmers

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $4.8 million in grants for 74 projects spanning 39 states that support the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) efforts to connect child nutrition programs with local farmers and ranchers through its Farm to School Program.

“Farm to school programs work – for schools, for producers, and for communities,” said Secretary Vilsack. “By serving nutritious and locally grown foods, engaging students in hands-on lessons, and involving parents and community members, these programs provide children with a holistic experience that sets them up for a lifetime of healthy eating. With early results from our Farm to School Census indicating schools across the nation invested nearly $600 million in local products, farm to school also provides a significant and reliable market for local farmers and ranchers.”

USDA’s Farm to School Grants fund school districts, state and local agencies, tribal nations, agricultural producers, and nonprofit organizations in their efforts to increase local foods served through child nutrition programs, teach children about food and agriculture through garden and classroom education, and develop schools’ and farmers’ capacities to participate in farm to school. Awards ranging from $20,000 to $100,000 are distributed in four different grant categories: Planning, Implementation, Support Service, and Training.

For the 2016 school year, grants will serve more than 5,211 schools and 2.9 million students, nearly 40 percent of whom are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Funded Wisconsin projects include:

• Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP), Madison.

Grant Type: $19,490 for training.

DATCP will host farm to school trainings in each of the seven regions of Wisconsin. Participants will include food service professionals, farm to school advocates, producers, distributors, food hubs, and processors. Training will include targeted technical assistance around priority procurement topics and a facilitated buyer-supplier networking session.

• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Madison.

Grant Type: $97,100 for support service.

DPI will increase the amount of traditional and local foods served through child nutrition programs by providing targeted technical assistance. Trainings at each of the Bureau of Indian Education schools in the state will include topics such as recipe development and analysis using traditional foods, how to maximize USDA Foods purchases and the DoD Fresh Program, establishing and maintaining school gardens, and competitive procurement of local foods.