A3.5 Institutional markets
Explore local policy and financial incentives to increase the percentage of regionally produced foods purchased by cafeterias in government and municipal institutions.
The National Farms to School Network’s website has a large collection of resources, and ongoing coverage of policy issues.
The Washington Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School Program currently maintains a website about resources, State programs, and grants. (The State appropriated $850,000 for a pilot program allowing school districts to use their USDA entitlement funds to purchase locally-grown unprocessed fruits and vegetables, but there weren’t any local districts participating in the 2018-19 cycle.) The State Department of Agriculture’s Small Farm and Direct Marketing Program published a sizable report on “Farm-to-Cafeteria Connections: Marketing Opportunities for Small Farms in Washington State”, but it’s been fifteen years since it was revised, so it may be quite out of date.
The Department of Agriculture’s Community Foods Systems program supports using local foods in schools and offers grants, training and technical assistance and a lot of fact sheets on particular topics. (It also does research.) The USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Center also has resources.
Growing Minds connects farmers, distributors, and school food leaders to ensure students have access to healthy local food.