USDA
Food and Nutrition Service
Farm To School
USDA
Food and Nutrition Service
Farm To School
What is USDA's Involvement in Farm to School?
USDA recognizes the growing interest among school districts and communities to
incorporate regionally and locally produced farm foods into the school nutrition
programs. USDA is supporting Farm to School efforts through a number of initiatives,
and continues to look for ways to help facilitate this important connection.
Recently, USDA established "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food," an initiative which
focuses on the importance of understanding where our food comes from and how it
gets to our plate. In response to the growing demand for Farm to School activities,
the "USDA Farm to School Team" was developed out of the "Know Your Farmer, Know
Your Food" Initiative.
USDA
Food and Nutrition Service
Farm To School
What is the Farm to School Initiative?
The Farm to School initiative is an effort to connect schools (K - 12) with regional or
local farms in order to serve healthy meals using locally produced foods. Farm to
School activities may vary from community to community depending upon
demographics; however, the basic goals remain the same:
•To meet the diverse needs of school nutrition programs in an efficient manner.
•To support regional and local farmers and thereby strengthen local food systems.
•To provide support for health and nutrition education.
USDA
Food and Nutrition Service
Farm To School
Who is the FNS Farm to School Team?
The USDA Farm to School Team is comprised of both Food and
Nutrition Service (FNS) and Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)
staff members, and was created to support local and regional food
systems by facilitating alliances between schools and their local
food producers.
Working with local and state authorities, school districts, farmers,
and community partners, the Farm to School Team provides
guidance to and develops mechanisms for:
•Assisting schools in accessing local markets.
•Enabling food producers to effectively service their local schools.
•Facilitating communication between interested stakeholders.
USDA
Food and Nutrition Service
Farm To School
Long-term goals of the Farm to School Team include:
•Providing access to resources and information for beginning
and maintaining Farm to School activities for schools, farmers,
and local community members.
•Providing technical assistance to assist schools and farmers in
the development, progression, and/or sustainability of Farm to
School activities.
•Identifying obstacles faced by schools and farmers in
implementing and/or sustaining Farm to School activities
and suggesting solutions.
USDA
Food and Nutrition Service
Farm To School
Farm to School Site Visits
The Farm to School Team conducted visits in 2010 to 15 schools in nine areas that
represent varied demographics and characteristics. During these site visits, the team
sought to learn about a school district's Farm to School efforts including, but not
limited to:
• How the activities first began, the relationship between growers/distributors
and the school district;
• What obstacles exist or were faced along the way, and
• the effects the activities have had on the school and the community.
USDA
Food and Nutrition Service
Farm To School
The Team plans to visit nine sites that offer the following:
•Regional representation of the Nation.
•Rural, urban, suburban, tribal schools.
•Large and small school districts.
•Operating as: self-operated, vended or contract with a Food Service
Management Company.
•Various distribution models (e.g., direct purchasing from farmers, purchasing
from farmer cooperatives or farmers' markets, purchasing through buying
cooperatives or food service management companies).
•Representing different stages of Farm to School implementation.
•Practice new or innovative ideas of incorporating Farm to School activities.
USDA
Food and Nutrition Service
Farm To School
Challenges faced by schools:
•Funding
•Most School Food Service operations receive no
County tax $’s.
•Procurement Rules
•Free and Open Competition.
•Ensure Federal funds, when used to purchase
products or services, result in the best and
most responsive product at the lowest possible
price.
•Informal and Formal procurement procedures.
•Geographic Preference.
USDA
Food and Nutrition Service
Farm To School
Challenges faced by schools:
(Con’t)
•Volume of product
•Average # Meals service in GA = 1,208,857 per day.
•Average # Meals served in GA Counties = 7603 per day.
(August 2010)
•Logistics of receiving/storing product.
•Channels for school to purchase local foods.
•Direct from Farmer
•Farmer Cooperative
•Farmers’ Market
•Wholesaler
•SFA Buying Cooperative
USDA
Food and Nutrition Service
Farm To School
How to connect with schools
• Familiarize yourself with the potential customer.
• Call the GA Department of Education, Office of
School and Community Nutrition.
• Contact schools within your deliverable area.
• Contact local extension office.
• Contact the National Farm to School Network.
USDA
Food and Nutrition Service
Farm To School
When selling to schools…
• Consider pooling resources with other farmers to increase
delivery and efficiency.
• Be cognizant of different packing specifications that schools
are used to.
• Be aware of size requirements for schools.
• Be aware of “language” barrier:
Crates /Bushels/Baskets/Pecks
vs
Servings/Meals/Cases
USDA
Food and Nutrition Service
Websites of Interest:
Farm To School
USDA, FNS Website:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/
FNS, Farm to School Website:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/F2S/Default.ht
m
FNS, Farm to School Team website:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/F2S/f2stacticalt
eam.htm
USDA, Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food
Website:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/knowyourfar
mer?navid=KNOWYOURFARMER
USDA Food and Nutrition Service
Southeast Region
61 Forsyth Street, Southwest
RM 8T36
Atlanta, GA 30303
Kirk Farquharson, SERO Farm to School Coordinator
(404) 562-7084
Kirk.Farquharson@fns.usda.gov