Ohio Department of Agriculture Farm to School Program

Farm to school initiatives involve connecting schools with local farms by bringing fresh, nutritious foods from local farms into school cafeterias and by offering students experiential learning opportunities through farm visits, food and nutrition educational activities, and an incorporated nutrition education curriculum. Such initiatives serve both to help support local farmers and keep food dollars in local economies, and to help create a generation of informed food consumers ― informed of the nutritional significance of their food choices, but also the economic, environmental, and social impact.

Such initiatives take many forms. Some ways schools implement programs include:

Farm fresh salad bar offered as part of the National School Lunch Program

One or more local food items featured in the cafeteria

One or more local food items featured at a fundraiser or special event

Local food items used in the hot lunch offering, or integrated into the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program

There are also several different ways that farmers can sell to schools:

Directly through the food service staff

One or more local food items featured in the cafeteria

Through a farmers' market

Through a farmers' cooperative or other organized structure that allows multiple farmers to share transportation and administrative costs

Through wholesale distributors

Through the Department of Defense's fresh fruit and vegetable program, which delivers local food to schools

The Department of Agriculture and Ohio Food Policy Council have developed a resource guide for Farm-to-School. This resource provides background information on farm-to-school programs, the benefits they offer, key principles, how to begin and sustain a program, potential obstacles and solutions, national and Ohio based resources and much more.

Farm to School in Ohio: An introductory guide for school staff, teachers and farmers to starting farm-to-school programs in your schools.

Farm to School Resource Guide (click to view)