Massachusetts Partners

Massachusetts Farm to School seeks to increase access to healthy, locally grown food in schools and other institutions for the good of our children, our farms and our communities. We facilitate sustainable purchasing relationships between local institutions and local farms, promote local food and agriculture education for students, and support state, regional and national networking of farm to school practitioners. This mission is supported through the following activities:

  • Offering procurement assistance, professional development, and farm-to-institution “matchmaking” to farms, institutional food services and food distributors.
  • Directing the Massachusetts Harvest of the Month program to promote the purchase, consumption, and celebration of a different locally-grown food in Mass. schools each month.
  • Operating the Massachusetts Farm to School Network to foster sharing of best practices amongst farm to school practitioners.
  • Engaging in regional food systems work to support farm to institution projects throughout New England.
  • Conducting research on the status of farm to institution-related sales and providing data to educators, community advocates, organizations and government officials.
  • Advising on the integration of farm to school best practices and goals into municipal and school district practices, policies, contracts, bids, and resolutions.