To better understand the role and impact of farm to school coordinators, National Farm to School Network partnered with Colorado State University’s Institute for Research in the Social Sciences. Researchers conducted interviews, focus groups, and a nationwide survey of over 150 individuals responsible for farm to school coordination, providing both qualitative and quantitative insight into current practices and outcomes. This summary highlights the key findings from that study: who these coordinators are, what they do, and how they drive results.

The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program is one of the only dedicated federal sources for hands-on learning and local food purchasing. As FY26 appropriations conversations ramp up, now is the time to advocate for robust funding. Share this two-page brief—which outlines the program’s history, impact, and our $14M budget ask—with your Senators today.

In March 2025, USDA announced two alarming cuts that mark a significant step backward for farm to school: the Local Food for Schools and Child Care Program (LFSCC) and the 2025 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program Awards. This 2-page resource outlines the history and impact of USDA’s Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant and the Local Food for Schools and Child Care programs, details the consequences of the cuts, and shares NFSN’s recommendations for action.

This position description template is designed to support schools, districts, and community-based organizations in creating a Farm to School Coordinator role that fits their unique needs. Follow through the steps in the resource and use the linked Google Document to easily copy & paste content that you need.

This tool outlines the benefits of having a dedicated farm to school coordinator position at a school district and summarizes data from our research with the Institute for Research in the Social Sciences at Colorado State University on the impact of farm to school coordinators. This guide is designed to be used to advocate for a farm to school coordinator position in school districts.

The State Farm to School Policy Handbook: 2002-2023 is a tool for those working to advance the farm to school movement. This newest 2025 edition summarizes and analyzes every farm to school and early care and education (ECE) bills and resolutions introduced from January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2023, across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and US territories.

State laws and regulations can provide permission for schools to integrate school garden produce into their cafeterias. In 2016, Arizona farm to school supporters worked together to pass H.B. 2518 and developed a statewide food safety certification program for produce from school gardens. This case study delves into Arizona's approach to passing this bill, implementation strategies, and key takeaways.

Este recurso proporciona una serie de estrategias para involucrar a los jóvenes en el apoyo de la SMFA y del programa de la granja a la escuela, además de recomendaciones para hacerlo de una manera mutuamente beneficiosa y empoderadora.

School Meals for All (SMFA), also known as Universal School Meals, is a policy tool to permanently provide no-cost school meals to all students regardless of income. This resource provides a series of strategies to engage youth in SMFA and farm to school advocacy as well as recommendations to do so in a mutually beneficial and empowering way.

This resource highlights the impact of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program, celebrating over a decade of implementation. Since 2013, the program has awarded $100 million for a total of 1,275 projects. This analysis takes a broad view of the awards over time and describes how much was awarded, as well as awards by grantee type, project type, and location.

This resource presents an analysis of meal participation in four states — California, Maine,Massachusetts, and Vermont — that have implemented two full school years (SYs) of permanent Healthy School Meals for All policies.

This resource highlights how California and Oregon have developed farm to school grant tracks specifically for local producers. These grants help producers scale operations to meet school demand by funding critical infrastructure, such as refrigeration and greenhouses. Both state programs reflect a commitment to equity, supporting values-aligned farmer groups and/or growing practices.

Make a copy of this Google Slides template and customize it for any upcoming Farm to School Month presentations! 

Celebrate Farm to School Month with the National Farm to School Network! Find below downloadable sticker templates for use during National Farm to School Month. These designs fit a 2.5 inch circular sticker.

This toolkit contains tips and free resources to help you celebrate and spread the word about Farm to School Month!

Program designs for LFPIs vary greatly and can support education, nutritional quality, equity, and environmental sustainability. For some stakeholders, the economic impact of LFPIs is a top priority. This resource combines both a theoretical and evidence-based approach to answer the question: "How do different LFPI models affect participant spending on local food?"

This Google Doc link contains a compilation of National Farm to School Network's existing work and resources to promote values-aligned universal school meals.

The National Farm to School Network issued a Call to Action that 100% of communities will hold power in a racially just food system. Incorporating a racial equity lens into programs, policies, and other farm to school activities is essential for addressing the fundamental causes of racial and social inequalities. It serves as an upstream method to transform food systems. This resource presents ways to integrate an equity focus into your work.

This resource positions farm to school and ECE as a strategy for change and outlines how racial and social disparities can be addressed through farm to school. ‍

Download this resource below, which contains a roundup of National Farm to School Network's Farm to ECE Resources, along with QR codes. This resource has been created to be used as a print-out for in-person ECE events.

Values-aligned purchasing, also referred to as values-based purchasing, looks into the attributes related to the foods that are purchased and the people producing them. Institutions should consider values-based purchasing not only for the immediate benefits it brings to local communities but also for its broader societal and environmental impact. This resource is intended to provide an overview of values-aligned purchasing and a framework for categorizing values.

The National Farm to School Network’s influential fact sheet, “The Benefits of Farm to School" showcases program benefits to: Economic Development, Public Health, Education, Environment, and Equity and Community Engagement. This resource focuses on aggregating insights specific to the benefits of LFPI programs to date.

Local Food Purchasing Incentives (LFPIs) are programs that provide additional funding to child nutrition program (CNP) operators to directly offset or incentivize local food purchases. Typically funded and operated at the state level, these programs intend to increase purchasing of local foods in school and early care and education (ECE) settings. Learn more about state-level policies that support farm to school local food purchasing in this resource.

State-level local food purchasing incentives (LFPIs) programs typically provide funding to schools to purchase local foods from local producers — but what if this narrative was flipped to create “farmer-focused” incentives? This resource considers alternative ways that policymakers can directly subsidize local farmers, food hubs, and other producers to increase their sales to K–12 schools and early care and educational (ECE) settings.

Local food purchasing incentives (LFPIs) are programs that provide additional funding to child nutrition program operators to directly offset or incentivize local food purchases. As interest continues to rise in local food purchasing incentive (LFPI) policies, the conversations around them are expanding beyond prioritizing purchases based simply on whether they are “local” foods. This resources shares examples of values-aligned purchasing in LFPI programs. This concept paper aims to inspire further conversation and future action.

Local food purchasing incentives (LFPIs) are programs that provide additional funding to child nutrition program (CNP) operators to directly offset or incentivize local food purchases. As interest continues to rise in local food purchasing incentive (LFPI) policies, the conversations around them are expanding beyond prioritizing purchases based simply on whether they are “local” foods. This resource provides an overview of expanded LFPI designs and offers benefits of administering an expanded LFPI.

Local Food Purchasing Incentives (LFPIs) are programs that provide additional funding to child nutrition program (CNP) operators to directly offset or incentivize local food purchases. Typically funded and operated at the state level, these programs intend to increase purchasing of local foods in school and early care and education (ECE) settings. The purpose of this resource is to provide LFPI program designers and stakeholders with essential questions to create programs, or modify elements of existing programs.

Local Food Purchasing Incentives (LFPIs) are programs that provide additional funding to child nutrition program (CNP) operators to directly offset or incentivize local food purchases. Typically funded and operated at the state level, these programs intend to increase purchasing of local foods in school and early care and education (ECE) settings. This resource aims to illustrate important aspects of LFPI administration, show examples of collaboration, and address common challenges faced by administrators.

Local Food Purchasing Incentives (LFPIs) are programs that provide additional funding to child nutrition program (CNP) operators to directly offset or incentivize local food purchases. This document provides an introduction to LFPIs.

Despite the momentum for School Meals for All, many people still express skepticism about the need or value of SM4A. In this resource, we list arguments often raised as roadblocks to SM4A policies, and compile responses that others have used to address these roadblocks throughout their advocacy.

All of National Farm to School Network's current fact sheets and outreach materials are gathered here. Download these PDFs, print and distribute.

Farm to school, values-aligned purchasing, and School Meals for All policies (a.k.a. universal meals) work together to transform school food. Notably, all states with permanent School Meals for All also have strong farm to school policies, with 88% implementing local food purchasing incentive policies. This resource explains the immediate and long-term benefits of School Meals for All that results in improved overall meal quality.

In 2023, the Farm to School Act has been reintroduced. On behalf of the Network, NFSN staff worked with policymakers in the House and Senate to increase both the mandatory funding and grant cap to the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program grants at USDA. Learn more about the Farm to School Act of 2023 and its importance in this fact sheet.

This study aims to better understand how Wisconsin’s historically underserved producers are participating in farm to school procurement, with a focus on understanding how to make their participation in school food supply chains easier and more profitable. To examine trends, a statewide survey was launched in February of 2023 and six focus groups were held between February and April 2023. In total, 38 survey responses were gathered and 21 producers participated in focus groups.

Vermont FEED's Farm to School Institute is a proven model for developing robust and sustainable farm to school programs nationwide. The model's success lies in its ability to engage whole-school teams in building shared leadership and capacity to implement farm to school initiatives by connecting the dots between what happens in classrooms, cafeterias, and communities. The Farm to School Institute is designed to be adaptable, and the model is being replicated in states across the country, with a growing interest in adapting the institute to serve Farm to Early Childhood audiences. This guide provides recommended approaches, strategies, and considerations for states when planning and implementing a Farm to Early Childhood Institute.

An investigation was undertaken to gather information and perspectives about LFPI programs from various stakeholders both in states that have existing programs and within Pennsylvania. Information collected is intended to inform possible future decisions and efforts related to the potential establishment of a program in Pennsylvania.

This study explores how state governments are using LFPA and LFS funding to develop or advance local food purchasing programs that target socially disadvantaged producers. Tribal governments were also eligible to apply for these programs, however none were engaged for this project, therefore further research is needed to understand program design by Tribal cooperators. Based on findings from a survey and interviews with state agencies, we share examples of how these programs are operationalizing equity in program design, measurement, outreach, and implementation. We discuss how learnings and outcomes can advance equity in state and federal programs.

This toolkit contains tips and free resources to help you celebrate and spread the word about Farm to School Month. Download this free toolkit to get started!

October is National Farm to School Month! This fact sheet offers an overview of National Farm to School Month and ideas for celebrating in your community.

One way that many states and regions come together each year is by hosting “crunch” events. This infographic outlines a step-by-step guide to hosting a crunch event. By encouraging schools throughout a state and region to crunch into a local food on a specific day, at a specified time, or even simply anytime during the month of October, crunch events create a unifying experience and a sense of camaraderie amongst National Farm to School Month celebrators.

Resolutions and proclamations recognizing Farm to School Month are a great way to build awareness and support amongst state and local policymakers, particularly in areas where passing more comprehensive financial support for farm to school/ECE programs is challenging.

"Save the Date" postcard to share information about National Farm to School Month. This postcard is formatted for a 5x7 print.

Farm to school month posters, newly redesigned in collaboration with artist Rachel Yumi Chung! Get inspired with our downloadable poster, available in two sizes below. Perfect for printing out for classrooms, cafeterias, and even as an eye-catching poster for your presentations.

Downloadable and customizable bookmarks to celebrate National Farm to School Month. Three download options are available. Use a PDF editor (several free versions are available online) to open the files and add information about local Farm to School Month events to the backside of the bookmarks.

Encourage creativity and artistic expression during National Farm to School Month with these coloring page templates.

As part of National Farm to School Network’s Who’s At the Table? School Meals Campaign, we are releasing four spotlights of states that have successfully implemented universal meals. This fourth case study presents a deep dive into California's Assembly Bill 130 and how the state made history by becoming the first in the nation to permanently provide free school meals to all K–12 public school students. View the full report below to find a detailed bill overview, top tips that helped the coalition succeed, as well as the practical wins and challenges that advocates experienced during implementation.‍‍

As part of National Farm to School Network’s Who’s At the Table? School Meals Campaign, we are releasing four spotlights of states that have successfully implemented universal meals. This third case study presents a deep dive into Colorado's Proposition FF and how the campaign effectively built community power through an explicit intention to bring together a diverse, equitable coalition.

This policy brief provides detailed information about the projects supported by USDA's LFS and LFPA programs and the involvement of NFSN partners at the state level. Our objectives are to identify the main project models across the country, understand the challenges associated with these programs, and determine actions to support implementation and advocacy efforts.

Showcasing your farm to school program in person is one of the most impactful ways to advocate for farm to school. Some officials may have never heard of farm to school before, and site visits are a great opportunity for them to learn more. Giving decision makers at any level or branch of government the opportunity to experience your farm to school program firsthand will not only make them familiar with farm to school, but also allow them to interact with those who benefit the most.

This report surveys state-wide Farm to Early Childhood Education (ECE) positions and the nature and scope of their work, outlining partnerships, funding sources, and their impact on the Farm to ECE movement. This report was offered in partnership between National Farm to School Network and the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) with the goal of presenting potential state position models for the field.

This report provides an overview of Hawai'i's farm to school policy and shares how the legislation and advocacy strategies have been guided by traditional Hawaiian culture and values. Learn about culturally relevant and Indigenous foodways as well as concepts such as aloha, ʻāina, and kuleana in the context of policymaking. 

Having an in-person meeting or hosting legislators at site visits can be a crucial tool for advocating for the Farm Bill or other policy priorities. It provides a tangible and firsthand experience for lawmakers to witness the positive impact of farm-to-school programs and builds relationships that can drive meaningful policy change. This resource contains a message template to reach out to your legislator and best practices for preparing for your in-person visit.

This fact sheet provides basic information about farm to school and the role the National Farm to School Network plays in the farm to school movement.

The Farm Bill, a package of federal legislation renewed by Congress every five years, sets agriculture and food assistance policies that touch every aspect of farm to school and farm to early care and education (ECE) activity. This platform reflects NFSN’s support for policy changes within our core sphere of expertise, and wider spheres where we can stand in solidarity with calls to shift the economic, cultural, and decision-making power governing our food system.

As part of National Farm to School Network’s Who’s At the Table? School Meals Campaign, we are releasing four spotlights of states that have successfully implemented universal meals. This second case study presents a deep dive into Maine’s LD 1679, and how the state’s small, nimble coalition has leveraged their state’s deep commitment to farm to school to pass universal school meals.

This illustrated and interactive overview of the farm to early childhood space across the six New England states was designed to help regional interest holders better understand the early childhood sector and to identify the key opportunities for expanding farm to early childhood activity across the six New England states.

As part of National Farm to School Network’s Who’s At the Table? School Meals Campaign, we are releasing four spotlights of states that have successfully implemented universal meals. This first case study presents a deep dive into Vermont’s Act 151, and how the state’s coalition has created a “virtuous cycle” by connecting farm to school and universal meals in their advocacy.

Advocacy Toolkit for the Community Eligibility Provision Rule Change Proposals 2023. Submit a comment by May 8, 2023 to help expand access to school meals for up to 9 million more kids across the country!

Advocacy Toolkit for the Child Nutrition Program Rule Change Proposals 2023. Submit a comment by May 10, 2023 for a chance to shape the future of school meals.

At the National Farm to School Network, we believe that we need a system of school meals that serves all kids and values the people who get it to the table. But what are the best ways to communicate how our shared values can create healthy school meals for all kids and advocate for the policies to do that? We answered these questions by conducting a series of message and narrative testing with various audiences—download and read the brief below for a summary and key takeaways from the results.

This webinar reviews the findings and recommendations from the 2021 National Farm to ECE Survey.

Are you an advocate of universal school meals for all children? The National Farm to School Network has released a new resource as part of our “Who’s At the Table?” campaign, created to support the work of NFSN Partners, food system researchers, advocates, and policymakers.

This comprehensive directory lists state level farm to ECE resources developed by partners across the country. Find resources categorized by coalition development, curricula, incentive programs, local procurement, success stories, and more.

This year's Movement Meeting focused on how communities have built power in their farm to school and ECE food systems work, and how we can build power together. We discussed what it means to hold power and the mechanisms at our disposal to shift power, heard from farm to school and ECE partners who have built power within their own communities, and took time to reflect on what it means to build power within our own communities.

Check out this webinar for a review of different designs of statewide incentive programs explored in a recent report released on the subject, and learn about support available for policy advocacy and education. Results from a national survey were also shared, highlighting the educational needs and values of stakeholders interested in learning more about procurement incentives.

This handy toolkit will provide you with step-by-step instructions, talking points, and further resources for you to reach out to your local candidates. Take 5 minutes TODAY to reach out to your local candidates and let them know that you care about school meals. 

In 2021, the National Farm to School Network and Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems surveyed early care and education (ECE) providers across the country to better understand current initiatives, motivations and challenges in applying farm to ECE activities in early care and education settings.

This fact sheet explores strategies states can take to integrate farm to early care and education (ECE) into their Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) standards, including case studies and sample language. 

The Farm to Early Care and Education Shared Metrics resource is intended for farm to ECE practitioners and evaluators to guide planning, implementation, research, evaluation, and reporting efforts. The resource consists of a resource guide, a library of metrics specific to farm to ECE, and an orientation video.