USDA awards over $70M in Farm to School grants

The USDA has announced it is awarding more than $10 million in Farm to School Grants to 123 projects in the U.S.

In addition, for the first time, the USDA is giving states $60 million in noncompetitive grants to develop stronger and sustainable Farm to School programs over the next four years, according to a news release.

“The expansion of Farm to School is more important than ever for our kids,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the release. “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.” 

Vilsack said in the release that the program is an “investment in the next generation.”

The 123 projects funded by the fiscal year 2022 competitive grants will serve more than 3 million children at more than 5,000 schools in 44 states and the District of Columbia, according to the release.

The projects selected by the department reflect its commitment to transforming food systems to be more equitable through Farm to School:

• An estimated 62% of students served by these projects are eligible for free and reduced-priced school meals;
• 40% of projects serve rural areas or economically disadvantaged areas;
• Nearly 30% of organizations are led by Black, Indigenous and people of color, with projects serving those same communities; and
• Seven projects are tribal nations serving Native American communities.

Since the USDA Farm to School Program’s inception in 2013, the department has awarded nearly $75 million in Farm to School grants, funding more than 1,000 projects across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico. These projects have reached over 25 million students in nearly 60,000 schools, the release said. 

In addition, the department's $60 million noncompetitive grants for states will allow them to better assist program operators in purchasing and using more local foods in meals for kids between fiscal years 2023 and 2026, the release said.

The resources will also expand agricultural education for children, the USDA said.

“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,”  Stacy Dean, deputy under secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, said in the release. “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.”