The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services’ announced it is awarding more than $10 million in Farm to School Grants to 123 projects across the country. Additionally, the department is empowering states with $60 million in non-competitive grants to develop stronger and more sustainable Farm to School programs over the next four years.
In Arizona, The STAR School in Flagstaff, Arizona, received $47,016 for edible gardens. They plan to employ two part-time employees who will work directly with students: a gardening teacher and a culinary teacher. The gardening teacher will work with the gardener to engage students in hands-on lessons focused on growing edible foods for the school, and the culinary teacher will work directly with students to prepare meals using the produce the students helped grow.
The USDA Farm to School grant helps child nutrition program operators incorporate local foods in the National School Lunch Program and its associated programs, as well as the Summer Food Service Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program. This is accomplished through training, technical assistance, and research.
“The expansion of Farm to School is more important than ever for our kids,” stated Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “When schools and local producers work together, children benefit from higher-quality foods on their plates, and program operators have stable sources for the products they need.”
“States and school districts with strong Farm to School programs have been more resilient in the face of recent supply chain disruptions, compared to operators lacking relationships with local producers,” commented Stacy Dean, deputy undersecretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. “The Farm to School program deserves to be at the forefront of long-term solutions that operators can lean on to ensure nutritious, local products are always within reach.”
