School markets may offer growers the opportunity to diversify their sales, build new community relationships, and help children access fresh, locally grown, and culturally relevant foods. At the same time, selling to schools can feel unfamiliar. Many growers have questions about how schools purchase food, who makes buying decisions, whether they can meet volume expectations, how delivery works, what food-safety requirements apply, and whether the price will work for their farm.

National Farm to School Network has been listening to BIPOC growers about their interests, experiences, and needs related to school and institutional markets. This guide reflects what growers shared. It is designed to help growers understand the pathways available, identify the support they may need, and connect them with people and resources that can help them take the next step.

This guide helps BIPOC growers answer four initial questions: 

• Where am I in this process? 
• What might be getting in my way? 
• Who can help me? 
• What should I do next? 

Download and access the full guide below.

This project was made possible with support from Farm Credit and CoBank.