By Nourish Colorado and National Farm to School Network
Three years ago, Colorado voters did something no other state had ever done and came together across party lines to pass Proposition FF, guaranteeing healthy school meals for all Colorado students. That victory made Colorado the only state to secure both school meals for all and farm to school procurement incentives through a ballot initiative, sending a clear signal: Feeding kids while supporting local farmers and ranchers is a Colorado value.
Now, many across the country are watching as Coloradans face another historic choice. On November 4, voters will decide on Propositions LL and MM, two measures that will keep the popular Healthy School Meals for All going after 2025. Without them, many Colorado students will lose this essential program, jeopardizing children’s nutrition and learning, and small family farms' access to sell to our schools. With an ever-shifting federal landscape, the stakes couldn’t be higher. What happens here shapes not only Colorado’s future, but also the national conversation about school meals, local food, and community health.
LL and MM mean more fresh, local food on kids’ plates. A few years ago, proposition FF earmarked a continuation of funds for schools to purchase fresh, nutritious foods directly from small family farmers and ranchers in Colorado by supporting the Colorado Local Food Program pilot. Since the inception of the pilot in 2019, 37 school districts have purchased $2.47 million in local food from 136 different local farmers and food hubs, and schools have received over $750,000 worth of culinary training and technical assistance, helping to bring local food in school meals. Passing LL and MM will allow this local food program to expand across the state, investing in local farmers, circulating food dollars in communities, and strengthening rural economies.
LL and MM also invest in the school nutrition professionals who show up before the sun rises to prepare meals for students. These measures will provide training and support for cafeterias to shift from processed, packaged food to more fresh, from-scratch cooking using locally grown and raised Colorado ingredients. They’ll also increase compensation for the frontline workers who make it all possible. As one district participant in the pilot put it, “Being part of this has changed the dynamic in our community and school. We have a closer connection with one another, and the community is very invested in helping our program out.” Passing both LL and MM will expand this pilot program statewide, increase these partnerships between our schools and with our farming communities, and support school nutrition professionals. If this pilot were a TV show, it's obvious that the first season was a hit, and it’s clear that the show must go on!
To be sure, Colorado voters weigh spending choices very carefully. But the reality is clear: making intentional investments in kids and farmers is not wasteful, it’s essential. Propositions LL and MM are a chance to make sure that Colorado kids, farmers and ranchers, and schools all win. These measures will make sure kids don’t go hungry in school while incentivizing schools to purchase locally sourced food from Colorado farmers and ranchers. That’s not just a good return on investment, it’s common sense.
Colorado is the only state in the nation where voters themselves passed Healthy School Meals for All by ballot initiative. It was the first and now just one of two school meals for all states in the U.S. that bundles dedicated funds to support small farmers through local purchasing. These are incredibly popular and impactful programs in America, and now, all eyes are once again on Colorado.
On November 4, vote Yes on Propositions LL and MM so every child in Colorado can continue to get a healthy, farm fresh meal at school. It’s a chance to make sure kids win, farmers win, and Colorado and the country win, together.