| This Week in Farm to School - September 10, 2025 Welcome to National Farm to School Network's weekly Farm to School Newsletter, sharing a roundup of resources, webinars, funding opportunities, policy news and media relevant to the farm to school and farm to ECE community. If you have resources to contribute to future newsletters, please email us at communications@farmtoschool.org. You can update your subscriber preferences at any point using the "Preferences" link at the bottom of this email. 1. The 10th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference
December 1-4, 2025| Albuquerque, New Mexico
You're invited—register now for the 10th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference and join us in New Mexico this winter! This conference is designed to be a powerful space for learning, networking, and collective action in the farm to institution movement. We will be bringing together food systems leaders across the country to advance a more resilient and equitable food future. Whether you're involved in school nutrition, local food procurement, early care education, or community food access, we invite you to join us in Albuquerque this December! Current registration promotions:
🌱 Register to table as an exhibitor and get complimentary conference admission for 2+ staff! Exhibitor registration here.
🌱 Group registration discount: groups of 7+ can register for just $389 per person. Take advantage of this special pricing and bring your whole team to the conference! The momentum for farm to institution work has never been more critical. Get your tickets, spread the word, and get ready for a transformative experience. REGISTER NOW. 2. USDA to Provide Office Hours for Prospective Farm to School Grant Applicants
Just today, USDA opened the FY 2026 Farm to School Grant Program (scroll down to grants section to learn more). The USDA Farm to School Team will host office hours to provide applicants with an opportunity to ask questions about the grant program. Sessions will be held from 2:00-3:00 PM Eastern Time on:
· October 8, 2025 (Click Here to Join)
· October 21, 2025 (Click Here to Join)
· November 5, 2025 (Click Here to Join)
· November 18, 2025 (Click Here to Join)
· December 2, 2025 (Click Here to Join) 3. Let's Talk About MAHA and Farm to School – Join NFSN's Next State Policy Roundtable
Date: September 17, 2025 | Time: 11am PT / 2pm ET
With over 85 bills related to ultra-processed food and food dye in school meals, Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) narratives have taken state policy in 2025 by storm. How can farm to school advocates seize this window of opportunity to advance our priorities? NFSN's September State Policy Roundtable will focus on this question. Come prepared to share your experiences, ask questions, and brainstorm solutions. We'll be joined by Jessie Gruner from Pinnacle Prevention (AZ) who will share their lessons learned, MAHA-related advocacy examples, and tips moving forward. Policy Roundtables are only open to NFSN partners. Register here. 4. SGSO Network Open House
Date: September 17, 2025 | Time: 11:00 AM PT / 2:00 PM ET | Hosted by: SGSO Network
Join SGSO Network Staff for the SGSO Network Open House! Learn how the SGSO Network can help you engage your students, schools, and communities in impactful school garden programming. In this Open House, participants can expect: -
An overview of SGSO Network programs, resources, and how to get involved -
Time to brainstorm and provide feedback for future programming -
Opportunities to network with attendees by region and role type This webinar will be recorded and archived in the Recording Library section of their Webinars page. Register Here 5. Youth as Food Justice Leaders
Date: September 24, 2025 | Time: 11:00 AM PT / 2:00 PM ET | Hosted by: SGSO Network
Learn about Growing Hope's Teen Leadership Program in Ypsilanti, Michigan! Each year, Growing Hope employs teens to train as leaders within the local food movement through year-round summer and after-school programs. Teen Crew Members work on the Growing Hope Urban Farm, gaining skills in farming and gardening while also participating in weekly workshops on social identity, community organizing, food justice, and cooking. Through this program, high school–aged youth are given the opportunity to: -
Learn about local and national food systems -
Lead food justice projects -
Build personal development skills This webinar is part of the 2025 SGSO Leadership Institute Webinar Series, highlighting participants of the 2025 SGSO Leadership Institute. The series is hosted by Life Lab in partnership with Whole Kids, a project of the Whole Foods Market Foundation, and the SGSO Network.
Register Here
6. Movement Meeting | National Farm to School Network
Date: October 23, 2025 | Time: 3:00 PM EST | Virtual
What is the Movement Meeting? National Farm to School Network hosts this annual Movement Meeting as a celebration of the collective wisdom, practices, and partnerships that are shaping the future of farm to school. This vibrant gathering brings together practitioners and community members from across the country to connect, reflect, and plant seeds of intentional growth for the movement ahead.
Who is it for? The Movement Meeting is open to everyone, regardless of your role or level of experience with farm to school and early care education!
Featured speaker: This year's event will kick off with a welcome from Zachariah Ben, owner of BidiiBaby Foods — a Navajo-owned baby food company created by farmers and new parents to reconnect early childhood with traditional, Indigenous foods.
Register Here 7. Cultivating Futures: Green Careers Begin with School Gardens
Date: October 30, 2025 | Time: 11:00 AM CST | Hosted by: Green Umbrella Regional Climate Collaborative & National Farm to School Network
Join for an interactive session exploring pathways that connect garden-based learning to green careers. Attendees will walk through a K-12 framework for engaging students in food and agricultural systems both to meet the growing demand for a trained green workforce and to provide viable, rewarding career options for students. Register here 1. Extended Deadline - September 30! Comment on USDA Reorganization Plan
On July 24, USDA announced its plan to consolidate numerous Department functions, reduce staffing in specific divisions, and relocate approximately 2,600 Washington-based employees to five newly-created regional hubs. After a contentious Senate hearing that did little to allay concerns, USDA has announced a 20-day comment period (now extended again to September 30) to hear from interested parties. Please use our action alert to learn more about the plan's specifics and create your own comment. 2. SNAP-Ed Termination Added to NFSN's Media Tracker
The grassroots energy and action in response to the LFSCC and Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant termination have been powerful. Now due to the historic cuts to SNAP and SNAP-Ed through the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA), we are tracking press on the termination of SNAP-Ed and its effect on the farm to school movement. These issues combined have made 288+ news headlines across the country, and NFSN has compiled all these media hits in one place. Use National Farm to School Network's tracker to view the headlines in your state or nationally, and share relevant articles with your elected officials to demonstrate bipartisan, public concern. Amplify these stories on social media to keep the conversation going! 3. Second Make America Healthy Again Report Just Released
The highly anticipated second installment of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) report has been released this week. The first report, released in May, outlined what the Trump Administration sees are the issues impacting American health and wellbeing. This second report shares what policies and actions the Administration will take to fit their vision. National Farm to School Network will share a detailed response to the report in the coming days. Check out the report here. 4. New Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Provide Grants for High School Agriculture Education
U.S. Representatives Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-PA), Mark Alford (R-MO), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) today introduced the Growing Opportunities in Agriculture (GO Ag) Act to improve agriculture education opportunities in our schools. The GO Ag Act would create a $5 million grant program to help high schools cover the startup costs associated with agriculture education programs. Schools could apply for competitive grants to cover classroom and laboratory instruction, teacher salaries, and curriculum development. Read the press release here. 5. ICYMI: Read NFSN's New Blog About Recent Federal Local Food Purchasing Bills
Two new bipartisan bills in Congress could create a permanent program for states, territories, and Tribes to buy local food for schools and community programs. Their goal is to strengthen markets for farmers and improve access to fresh, nutrient-dense foods. NFSN is proud to endorse both bills, and now's the time to help build momentum by adding more cosponsors. Read our blog to learn what's in each bill, how they compare, and how you can take action.  1. Maximizing the Impact of Nutrition Interventions with Local Food Procurement
The Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation (CHLPI) of Harvard Law School has released a new report that explores how state governments can use procurement to harness the power of local food systems to strengthen Food is Medicine interventions and extend their impact beyond improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs to revitalize local economies and food systems. Drawing on real-world examples and state policy strategies – including farm to school – the report provides a framework for using Medicaid and other government funding streams to connect the dots between nutrition, healthcare, and agriculture. Read the full report here. 2. Statewide Universal School Meal Policies and Food Insecurity in Households with Children.
A new article in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that households in states with school meals for all policies (universal meals) had a 12% lower prevalence of food insecurity than those without school meals for all. These policies are associated with lower household food insecurity, particularly among those with low or near-low income, which supports school meals for all as a strategy to reduce food insecurity. Read the full article here. 3. Free Hands-On Food Education Resources + Vitamix Giveaway
Small Bites Adventure Club is offering PreK–2nd grade teachers free digital resources to teach students how to make Rainbow Wraps with Peppers this October. Educators will receive a start-to-finish PDF guide, a how-to video with Chef Asata, family engagement activities, printables, and extension activities designed to make food education fun and engaging. Teachers who register will also be entered into a Vitamix giveaway. The prize includes a Vitamix blender plus two bonus kid-friendly, hands-on recipes. Deadline to Enter: September 25, 2025
Apply here 4. SNA Releases Impact of HR. 1 on School Meal Programs
The School Nutrition Association released a new resource that breaks down the key provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill (HR. 1) and the impact it may have on school meal programs. Changes to SNAP and Medicaid will reduce enrollment and direct certification for free or reduced-priced school meals, creating a domino effect, impacting the number of schools enrolled in the Community Eligibility Program (CEP). Additionally, increased financial pressure on states from the new SNAP state cost share would force potential cuts in current state level school meal investments. Read the full resource here. 5. FRAC Releases New Guide to Build a State Healthy School Meals for All Campaign
Nine states have already shown the country what's possible by passing Healthy School Meals for All policies. Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)'s new Healthy School Meals for All State Advocacy Guide: Reducing Childhood Hunger Through Innovative Policy, is a comprehensive resource designed to support advocates in launching and advancing campaigns in their own states. Explore key strategies, tools, and lessons learned from successful efforts across the country in this step-by-step guide. 1. Announced Today! USDA Opens FY 2026 Farm to School Grant Program Grant Cycle
Deadline: December 5, 2026
Exciting news! Today, USDA posted the Request for Applications (RFA) for the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program. Projects can range from $100,000 to $500,000 and USDA will award up to $18 million for this grant cycle. This grant is designed to increase the availability of local foods in Child Nutrition Program (CNP) operations and connect students to the sources of their food through education, taste tests, school gardens, field trips, and local food sourcing for CNP meals. Grants can be used to launch new farm to CNP programs or expand existing efforts. Earlier this year, USDA cancelled its FY 2025 grant cycle and this new FY 2026 RFA differs significantly in several important ways from past Farm to School Grant Program solicitations, including eligibility, funding amounts available, and project scope. Please read the RFA thoroughly for complete information. Learn more here. 2. The New England Food Vision Prize by Henry P. Kendall Foundation
Deadline: September 12, 2025
Launched by the Henry P. Kendall Foundation in 2018, the New England Food Vision Prize Program aims to increase the amount of local and regional food prepared and served on New England college and university campuses and within K-12 public school districts, helping to strengthen the region's food system. Prizes are awarded to projects that build resilience, relationships, and capacity within New England's academic institutional food supply chain, resulting in increased preparation, sourcing, serving, or use and consumption of local and regional food at K-12 schools and higher education institutions. Learn more and submit an application here. 3. USDA Farm and Food Worker Relief (FFWR) Grant Program – One-Time $600 Relief Payments Available
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm and Food Worker Relief (FFWR) Grant Program has awarded approximately $670 million to fourteen nonprofit organizations and one Tribal entity to provide one-time $600 relief payments to eligible farm and food workers. Funding comes from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The purpose of the program is to defray expenses farm and food workers incurred while preparing for, preventing exposure to, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers are eligible if they were hired for and worked in an eligible front-line job in the U.S. during the public health emergency, which ran from January 20, 2020, to May 11, 2023. How to Apply for a $600 Relief Payment or Check Your Application Status:
– Contact the organization serving your area. A full list of grant recipients is available on the FFWR Awarded Grants webpage.
– Provide proof of identity and employment to one of the USDA-approved grant recipients or their local partners. 4. The 2025 GFPI Community Fund – Expanding Access to Good Food in Metro Chicago
Deadline: Applications due by September 8, 2025
The Metro Chicago Good Food Purchasing Initiative (GFPI) Community Fund offers flexible grants ranging from $40,000–$80,000 to support systemically marginalized, local farms and food businesses. The goal is to expand access to Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP)-aligned produce and food products while strengthening local economies, advancing sustainable practices, supporting fair labor and animal welfare, and promoting equity across the Metro Chicago food system. Funding may be used to support:
– Growth of community food access initiatives
– Organizational needs aligned with GFPP values
– Progress toward selling to community meal sites and institutions Apply Here | Contact: kaitlyn@chicagofoodpolicy.com for more information 5. Salad Bars to Schools (SB2S): Expanding Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in School Meals
Ongoing Grant Program | Applications Open
The Salad Bars to Schools (SB2S) program is a national granting initiative by Chef Ann Foundation that equips schools and districts with salad bar equipment and support, helping ensure every student has daily access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Through this program, awarded schools receive Cambro salad bars, camchillers, and ongoing technical assistance to strengthen their school meal programs. Eligibility: Open to K–12 school districts that participate in the National School Lunch Program with an enrollment of at least 100 students per school site. Learn More and Apply 1. Healthy School Food Pathway Fellowship – 2026 Application Open
Application Deadline: September 10, 2025 | Program Dates: January 6, 2026 – January 26, 2027
The Fellowship is designed for school food professionals committed to driving reform in school nutrition. Fellows engage in hands-on learning, expand their professional networks, and build the skills needed to lead effective change in school districts and communities. Program Components
– Live virtual learning sessions with pre-reading and homework
– Food systems coursework supported by a leading academic institution
– Five online courses through the Chef Ann Foundation's School Food Institute
– Asynchronous learning and applied on-site work
– Five in-person training trips, including experiences with the Culinary Institute of Child Nutrition and host school districts
– Group policy project
– Self-led capstone project (includes a grant to support implementation)
– In-person capstone presentations and closing celebration The Fellowship requires up to eight hours of weekly learning time over 13 months, plus five travel-based training sessions. Learn More
– Watch the Voices of the Healthy School Food Pathway Fellowship Webinar
– Apply today to join the 2026 Fellowship. 2. Eat Local First Regional Lead | Eat Local First Collaborative
Deadline: Sept 15, 2025 | Remote, Washington State | Part-time, Independent Contractor, $10K | ~12 hrs/month
The Eat Local First Collaborative is seeking Regional Leads to strengthen Washington's local food system through outreach, relationship building, and technical assistance. Leads will support the Washington Food & Farm Finder (WAFFF), connect producers with markets and farm-to-school partners, and promote equitable access to local food. This role is ideal for candidates with experience in local food systems, community engagement, and regional agricultural networks.
Apply Here 3. Program Manager | Plant Based Foods Association
Deadline: Sept 19 | Remote | Full Time, $80-90K | 5+ years experience
The Plant Based Foods Institute (PBFI) is a national nonprofit organization working to put plant-based foods at the heart of sustainable agriculture, healthy diets, and resilient food systems. PBFI is seeking a Program Manager to help grow and support the development of plant-based food value chain networks in the U.S. and internationally. This position is an ideal opportunity for a sustainable agriculture professional who is passionate about delivering technical assistance, creative storytelling, and global food systems transformation. Job posting 4. Become a Master Composter – Washtenaw Master Composter Certification 2025
Dates: Tuesdays, September 16 – October 21, 2025 (6 weeks) | Time: 6:00–8:30 p.m.
Location: Ann Arbor Senior Center & Leslie Science and Nature Center, Ann Arbor, MIProject Grow and Washtenaw County are offering the Master Composter Certification Course, a six-week program designed to teach the basics of home composting through hands-on activities and expert instruction. Participants will learn topics such as hot composting, vermicomposting, soil health, yard waste reduction, and community composting opportunities. Upon completing the course, passing an open-book exam, and contributing 10 volunteer hours, participants will become certified Washtenaw County Master Composters. A practicum and municipal compost site tour are also included in the program. Registration Fee: $69 (plus $10 for printed manual; optional $30 worm bin kit available)
Register Online  IN THE NEWS Newton Education Foundation shares impact of Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program grant
"Pre-K and kindergarten teachers at the three schools enthusiastically embraced the food kits provided by Small Bites Adventure Club that allowed them to easily provide a hands-on culinary experience for their students. Students earned their veggie-ready certification for trying four new vegetables using fun and delicious recipes. Erin Croom, founder and CEO of Small Bites shared, "We're so grateful to the PreK and Kindergarten teachers in Newton County who brought the Veggie Ready program to life in their classrooms. Their dedication is helping these children build healthy habits that can last a lifetime!" Last year, students tasted lettuce with a vinaigrette they mixed, a green smoothie featuring spinach, carrots with a honey mustard dip and cucumbers with another dip." (Covington News) National Farm to School Network is rooted in the vision of a just food system. We believe focusing on the ways kids eat, grow and learn about food can help turn this vision into reality. Donations from people like you who share this vision help support our work and keep the farm to school movement growing strong. For your convenience, you can access past newsletters in our archive. |
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