Farm to School

Nationwide, farm to school programs connect schools with local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing health and nutrition education opportunities that will last a lifetime, and supporting local small farmers.

Online Resources:

Minnesota Farm-to-School Toolkit. This website has an array of resources to help a school food service launch a farm-to-school lunch program. Find information about regulations on buying food from local farmers, tips on the purchasing process and training staff to prepare local foods, and suggestions on how to promote a local food program in your school. Also, for 20 different food items, there are ready-to-use recipes and sample menus with nutrition information; ready-to-use posters, announcements, and newsletter articles; and lists of Minnesota farmers who supply the foods.

Farm2School. This website serves as an entry point, networking tool, and news service for those interested in farm-to-school in Minnesota. A map of the state shows all the schools that currently have farm-to-school programs. You can sign up for an electronic newsletter, read stories about farm-to-school programs in Minnesota schools, and find links to other resources.

National Farm to School Program. Farm-to-School is a nationwide movement, with programs running in 46 states. Find out all about what is happening nationally, and find links to some great resources from other states.

Newsletter

Sign up for the biweekly Farm2School electronic newsletter!

Publications

The Economic Impact of Farm-to-School Lunch Programs: A Central Minnesota Example
(PDF, 179 kB)

Summary of Report (PDF, 696 kB)

Minnesota Contact People:

Stephanie Heim MPH, RD, LD
Farm to School Coordinator
University of Minnesota Extension
Health and Nutrition Programs
email: heim0106@umn.edu
Phone: 507-319-0263

JoAnne Berkenkamp
Local Food Program Director
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
and Minnesota Co-Director, Farm to School Network
2105 First Avenue South
Minneapolis MN 55404
email: jberkenkamp@iatp.org
Phone: 612-870-3410

Lynn Mader
Senior Program Associate
Local Food Program
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
2105 First Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55404
email: lmader@iatp.org
Phone: 612-708-8635