USDA helps build bridges between students and farmers

Nov 18, 2015

Nearly $5 million in grants will benefit farmers in 39 states

With parents trying to being more cognisant about what their children eat, the USDA is investing almost $5 million in grants through the Farm to School Program to ensure children are receiving healthy foods at school while building relationships with the local farmers and ranchers who produce it.

Grants

"Farm to school programs work—for schools, for producers, and for communities," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "By serving nutritious and locally grown foods, engaging students in hands-on lessons, and involving parents and community members, these programs provide children with a holistic experience that sets them up for a lifetime of healthy eating. With early results from our Farm to School Census indicating schools across the nation invested nearly $600 million in local products, farm to school also provides a significant and reliable market for local farmers and ranchers."

In 2016, 74 projects spread across 39 states will be funded, including:

$45,000 for California’s Konocti Unified School District to use for increasing the amount of locally-grown food in school meals and embedding farm to school methods in the school environment.
$42,300 for the Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons, Nebraska. Missouri and Iowa will work together with Nebraska to host a Tri-State Farm to School Conference. The event will bring together farmers, community members, food processors and more for training, networking and brainstorming.
$74,938 for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture to use towards expanding the capacity that farmers can provide locally grown items to additional school districts and expand a Poultry Pilot Program.

During the 2016 school year, the grants will help serve more than 5,000 schools and nearly 3 million students.

Join the discussion and tell us your thoughts about the USDA investing in locally-grown agriculture in American school cafeterias. Are there any other areas in schools that could benefit from education about where food comes from?

Video: Early Fall Colors | Scenic Ontario Road Trip!

All adventures must come to an end, but not without one more journey! Join The Wandering Shepherds as we say farewell to our cozy Calabogie cottage and take the scenic road trip home to Ewetopia Farms. Our first stop was a breathtaking hydroelectric generating station, framed by cliffs, rushing water, and brilliant fall leaves that seemed to have changed overnight. From there, we meandered along winding backroads through lakes and hills, soaking in the spectacular autumn scenery. This year, the colors seemed to arrive earlier than usual—perhaps due to the summer’s drought? Whatever the reason, it was an unforgettable display of Ontario’s fall beauty. Finally, our holiday drew to a close as we pulled back into Ewetopia Farms, ready to return to the sheep and our daily vlogs. But this trip reminded us how important it is to pause, explore, and appreciate the simple beauty around us.