Farm to School

Farm to School

 

Fresh Corn in School Kitchen

Farm to School (F2S) aims to connect local farms with schools to serve more healthful, locally produced foods to students; provide unique nutrition education opportunities; and improve Wisconsin's economy by developing new markets for farmers. Currently, over 70 districts in Wisconsin are participating in F2S  activities. These activities include everything from procuring one or more local items to school gardens to local food tastings and more!

 

Farm to School Food Service Director Toolkit - This toolkit is designed to assist directors interested in F2S start a program or expand an existing program. It will help you evaluate your current needs and abilities, locate and purchase products direct from producers, incorporate local foods in your menu, promote your program, and much more.

 

newWI Farm to School Summit - June 26 & 27 in La Crosse

The Wisconsin Farm to School Summit showcases current farm to school efforts across the state; new resources for farm to school practitioners and advocates; and future opportunities for farm to school programs and policy. This event is designed to support the work of school nutrition staff, educators, farmers, school administrators, school board members, parents, students and school wellness team members. The Summit will also be of interest to local food advocates, state and local health departments, local coalitions and more! This year “local farm to school teams” are encouraged to attend the Summit together. Continuing education credits for educators and school nutrition staff will be available for the Summit.

    Farm to School Food Service Director Survey

    The Department of Public Instruction and Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems are collecting data on Farm to School in Wisconsin. We have developed an online survey specifically to get feedback from all Food Service Directors and Managers at schools participating in the National School Lunch Program. Please help us gather state-wide data on your farm to school efforts and barriers. The survey is now closed.

    newUSDA Announces Request for Applications for FY 2014 Farm to School Grants

    • This year, three different kinds of grants will be available. Planning grants are intended for schools just getting started on farm to school activities, while implementation grants are available for schools seeking to augment or expand existing efforts. Additionally, eligible non-profit entities, Indian tribal organizations, state and local agencies, and agriculture producers or groups of producers may apply for support service grants in order to conduct trainings, create complementary curriculum, or further develop supply chains, among other activities. Proposals are due at midnight EST, April 24, 2013.
    •  Farm to School Grant Website

    Getting Started

    1. Connect with key players (i.e. school administration, teachers, parents, school nutrition professionals, farmers, existing distributers, etc).
    2. Once you have interest, form a F2S team to assess what is feasible at each school and start small. Starting small could be a taste testing, farm tour, one product etc.
    3. Plan ahead; know how you will incorporate F2S into your programs. Keep in mind seasonal availability and storage.
    4. As your F2S program continues to grow, ongoing marketing will help increase the excitement surrounding it and keep participation up.
    5. There are several resources available to assist you listed at the bottom of this webpage.

    What You Need to Know

    What Schools are Doing

    Legislation

    Wisconsin is experiencing much excitement surrounding the "growth" of Farm to School programming both nationally and in Wisconsin as demonstrated by the 2009 Wisconsin Act 293 and Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" federal campaign.

    Grant Opportunities

    Resources

    Webinars

     

    For questions about this information, contact Angela Farris (608) 267-9206