NATIONAL FARM TO SCHOOL PODCAST

New Episodes: We have new episodes of the Farm to School Podcast! Check out the latest Farm to School Podcast episodes below!

Student Ecoliteracy: The Publisher

Our last episode was coined "Student Ecoliteracy, The Author" which explored Katherine Pryor's journey of writing children's books about nature and garden subjects. In this companion episode, we talk to Katherine's first publisher, Philip Lee of Readers to Eaters. They specialize in publishing kids’ books about nutrition and school gardens!

For show notes, podcast transcripts and contact information please visit the OSU Farm to School Podcast website.

Often as we teach kids where their food comes from, even 11th graders sometimes think broccoli grows on trees, because they're not exposed to growing food. Join us as we explore School Garden Education in the Denver, Colorado area with SustainED Farms' Matt Supronowicz and Maya McDowell.

Did you know that the potato is Oregon's state vegetable!? This segment features Gary Roth, Executive Director of the Oregon Potato Commission. Roth shares about how their Farm To School grant helps educate kids on the nutritional value and versatility of potatoes!

Watch the full segment here!

WSCC is the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) framework for addressing health in schools.

The student-centered WSCC framework emphasizes the role of the community in supporting the school. The WSCC framework also emphasizes the connections between health and academic achievement and the importance of evidence-based school policies and practices.

ODE's Farm to School and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Grants align with this model by funding local food procurement, school gardens, and farm to school education, directly supporting student health and learning.

• Healthy Eating & Nutrition – Locally sourced meals improve nutrition and foster lifelong healthy habits.
• Hands-on Learning & Physical Activity – School gardens encourage outdoor activity while reinforcing science and nutrition education.
• Health & Food Education – Farm to School programs teach students about food systems, sustainability, and nutrition.
• Community Connections – Partnering with local farmers strengthens school-community relationships and supports local economies.

By integrating Farm to School initiatives, Oregon schools are creating healthier environments where students are nourished, engaged, and ready to learn.

Explore the Virtual Healthy School interactive tool to see exactly how Farm to School can promote students' health and academic achievement.

Learn more about the framework on the CDC's webpage.

Mark your calendars for February 19-22, 2026 - the Growing Schools Gardens Summit's heading to Phoenix, Arizona, bringing together over 700 school garden educators for four days of hands-on learning! Now in its third year, this event continues sparking new ideas, strengthening connections, and supporting the growth of school garden programs nationwide.

Key Dates & Deadlines

 •  May 2025 — Calls for Sessions Open   

•  Fall 2025 — Scholarship Application Opens  

•  Fall 2025 — Registration Opens

Learn more at SchoolGardenSummit.org

The 10th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference is officially scheduled for December 2-5, 2025! Hosted by the National Farm to School Network, this conference is the premier event for anyone passionate about bringing local food to institutional settings and driving positive change in the food system. Whether you’re a food service professional, farmer, educator, policymaker, entrepreneur, or student, this conference offers invaluable opportunities to network, learn, and share knowledge with others who are shaping the future of food access and sustainability.

*An important date change was made to the conference, originally in June 2025, to December 2025.

If you haven’t signed up already this year, Food Hero has some extra resources on a first come first serve basis for Oregon classroom teachers:

• Explore the Bees of Oregon Book Volume 2 classroom sets –preview the book here to see if it’s a good fit (www.foodhero.org/bees). They are aligned to 4^th grade standards, but we have heard enjoyed by all ages. Teachers who test Volume 2 with their students will get the chance to provide us with a bit of feedback and then receive some of the limited copies that will be available of Volume 3. Sign-up LINK: https://oregonstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5AbfV7qCoobHnUO
• Grow This! Oregon Garden Challenge Classroom Kits (see a photo at www.foodhero.org/growthis). Each kit is meant to serve 30 students.  We are almost out but can fit a few more classrooms in. Now we will only be promising one kit per teacher who signs up, while supplies last. Sign-up LINK: https://oregonstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e9zFVwchLyZp0Lc

If you want a Household Grow This! seed starting kit or want to share that resource with students’ families, please see the link here: https://foodhero.org/growthis. Also, available while supplies last…

USDA Farm to School Census - 2023 Findings pt. 6

“Farm to School” encompasses a wide range of activities—from school gardens to sourcing and serving local foods in school meals. Oregon has established itself as a national leader in these efforts.

According to the USDA Farm to School 2023 Census, School Food Authorities (SFAs) across the country reported the following farm to school activities:

• 63% serve local food
• 55% source and procure local foods
• 48% implement agricultural education and school gardens
• 45% promote local food in schools

Oregon’s numbers are even stronger:

• 85% serve local food
• 74% source and procure local foods
• 64% implement agricultural education and school gardens
• 64% promote local food in schools

These statistics highlight Oregon’s commitment to connecting students with fresh, local foods and hands-on agricultural education. By investing in farm to school programs, like the Farm to Child Nutrition Grant Programs and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, the state is not only improving school meals but also strengthening local food systems and supporting farmers.

Let’s keep the momentum going!

To learn more about farm to school and how schools can buy and serve local foods in school meals, visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/f2s/farm-to-school. You can find additional farm to school Census data at https://farmtoschoolcensus.fns.usda.gov/.

Local Food For Schools (LFS) Grant

The USDA Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, (or, the LFS Grant for short), is a Federal, one-time award that enables State Agencies to reimburse School Districts for local foods that meet certain criteria.

In 2025 the Oregon Department of Agriculture was set to administer the LFS grant.

As of March 11, 2025 the USDA has eliminated funding for this grant program.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)

The 2024-2025 FFVP Awards have been announced. The grant period is October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. CNP Permanent Agreements have been rolled out and FFVP subgrant holds are being lifted. Awardees should continue to submit their claims for review.

**FFVP has a new email address** As of March 2025 FFVP has a new email address! ODE.FFVP@ode.oregon.gov. Please send any FFVP related emails, including monthly claims, to the new address.

New this year:
• To be eligible for rollover to the next FFVP grant period (SY 2025-2026), at least one FFVP claim must be submitted by the SY 2024-2025 March deadline. This will allow ODE sufficient time to calculate and announce the next SY’s FFVP award amounts. Monthly claim deadlines are available on the ODE FFVP webpage

Curious what other schools are purchasing with their FFVP funds? Here is a list of fruits and vegetables purchased during the 2022-2023 school year. 

Any questions can be sent to us at FarmtoCNP@ode.oregon.gov​.

Noncompetitive Reimbursement Grant

All NSLP, CACFP and SFSP CNP sponsors were automatically opted in to receive a Noncompetitive Reimbursement Grant for the 2023-2025 biennium (July 1, 2023-June 30, 2025).

The Grant’s start date is retroactive and you can submit claims for items purchased starting July 1, 2023 when your Grant Agreement has been signed and returned to ODE.

In past years, there has been a Progress Report required halfway through the grant biennium. This biennium a Progress Report is not being required, instead ODE is tracking purchases through reimbursement claims submitted. Instead of the hour you would have spent filling out a progress report, we encourage you all to make the time to find new connections with Oregon producers, and source new food to expand youths' palates! 

Curious what other schools are purchasing with their funds? Visit the Farm to CNP Reimbursement Grant webpage for grant resources. Visit the Oregon Harvest for Schools Portal for a directory of Oregon producers ready to sell to schools!

Please let the Farm to CNP team know at FarmtoCNP@ode.oregon.gov if you have any questions.

Competitive Reimbursement Grant

The Competitive Reimbursement Grant is a separate sub-program that is available again this biennium. A Request for Application (RFA) has been developed and is available for applications. The Competitive Reimbursement Grant is only available for Sponsors that use all their available Noncompetitive Reimbursement Grant Funds. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and will be reviewed in the order they are received. Future awards may be granted as additional funding becomes available.

Education Grant

Awards for the 2023-2025 ODE Farm to Child Nutrition Program Competitive Education Grants have been announced. A full list of awardees is now available on the Education Grant website. The Education Grant Final Report has been sent to sponsors and should be completed by September 30, 2025.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at FarmtoCNP@ode.oregon.gov.