The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has opened the FY2023 application for competitive awards in the Farm to School Grant program, which supports planning, developing and implementing farm to school programs. USDA's Farm to School grants help bring healthy, locally grown foods to kids through child nutrition programs, including school breakfast and lunch. These grants also are an important way to help state, regional and local organizations as they initiate, expand and institutionalize child nutrition programs that provide high-quality local foods to schools as well as nutrition education. County governments along with schools, farmers and other organizations that help produce or serve meals to kids through USDA’s child nutrition programs can apply now for this grant and must send an application by January 6, 2023.

In 2023, USDA will award approximately $12 million in grants through a competitive process that provides bonus points to projects operated by and serving communities that are underserved, marginalized or adversely affected by poverty and inequality. USDA invites all eligible and interested organizations to apply by January 6, 2023. County leaders can contact their local school districts to coordinate farm to school activities and apply for this opportunity.

The upcoming round of grants will build on the $70 million of investments in farm to school that USDA made in 2022, which includes the first-ever non-competitive grants for states to assist their child nutrition programs in using more local foods.

Counties support legislative and administrative changes that ensure all children have access to nutritious breakfast, lunch and snacks at school, in child care settings and during the summer months at no cost. The Farm to School program offers counties an opportunity to improve their child nutrition system, improve child development and combat child food insecurity and poverty.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• NACo Toolkit: The County Human Services and Education Landscape
• NACo Toolkit: Priorities for Strengthening the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• NACo Blog: White House releases National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health
• NACo Blog: USDA invests nearly $2 billion in additional funding for food banks and school meal programs
• NACo Blog: USDA releases annual food security report highlighting ongoing importance of federal nutrition programs
• NACo Policy Brief: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Reauthorization and Appropriations
• NACo Workshop: Strengthening Anti-Hunger Resources through the 2023 Farm Bill