Farm to School is a program in the United States through which schools buy and feature locally produced, farm-fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, meat, and beans on their menus. Schools also incorporate nutrition-based curriculum and provide students with experiential learning opportunities such as farm visits, gardening, and recycling programs. As a result of Farm to School, students have access to fresh, local foods, and farmers have access to new markets through school sales. Farmers are also able to participate in programs designed to educate kids about local food and agriculture.
Farm to School provides a model for positively influencing children’s eating habits through school cafeteria improvements, hands-on nutrition education, and community involvement and support. The last decade has witnessed a tremendous spike in nutrition- and health-related diseases in the country, especially those affecting children. In response, there have been numerous initiatives undertaken to combat the growing rates of childhood obesity targeted at changes at the school, community and individual levels. Farm to School is one such initiative, and it also has the added benefits of supporting small farmers, local agriculture, and local economies.
The National Farm to School Network sprouted from the desire to support community-based food systems, strengthen family farms, and improve student health by reducing childhood obesity. The Network is a collaborative of the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute, Occidental College and the Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC). The Network coordinates, promotes and expands Farm to School at the state, regional and national levels. Eight regional lead agencies and national staff provide free training and technical assistance, information services, networking, and support for policy, media and marketing activities. The Farm to School approach helps children understand where their food comes from and how their food choices impact their bodies, the environment and their communities at large.
The Network’s Regional Lead Agencies: • West: Ecotrust, Portland, OR • Southwest: Farm to Table and Southwest Marketing Network, Santa Fe, NM • Midwest: National Center for Appropriate Technology, Des Moines, IA • Great Lakes: Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, Madison, WI • Northeast: Vermont FEED, Shelburne, VT and Focus on Agriculture in Rural Maine Schools (FARMS), Wiscasset, ME • Mid-Atlantic: The Food Trust, Philadelphia, PA • Southeast: Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, Asheville, NC • South: New North Florida Cooperative Association, Inc., Marianna, FL