New Episodes: We have new episodes of the Farm to School Podcast! Check out the latest Farm to School Podcast episodes below!
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NOYO Food Forest
Have you ever heard of a Food Forest? It sounds something you can find in the woods outside Willy Wonka’s factory, right? Join us as we explore the relationship between Fort Bragg, California’s School District Nutrition Services Director, Pilar Gray, and Beth Horkman, Director of Operations for the NOYO Food Forest.
For show notes, podcast transcripts and contact information please visit the OSU Farm to School Podcast website.
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Born in Ireland, Jennie journeyed to the United States. Her passion for food and health set her on a career path that started as a hospital Clinical Dietitian, evolved into Nutrition Service Manager and Director at a school district, and currently as a state Child Nutrition Program staff. Join Rick & Michelle as they talk with Jennie Kolpak about how she literally defined what best-practices in farm to school procurement and promotions were in the early days of the movement.
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The Farm to School Podcast is a project by Oregon State University (OSU) and Oregon Department of Education (ODE), funded by the USDA. It is hosted by Oregon Farm to School coordinators Rick Sherman of ODE, and Michelle Markesteyn from OSU.
AMNW Farm to School Segment Series Airing on KATU
This series has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy!
This series highlights recipients of the Oregon Farm to Child Nutrition Program grants. Grantees, primarily local food producers, receive an economic boost while giving kids a chance to experience healthy foods!
Oregon Harvest For Schools: Kalapuya High School Gets Growing!
There's great outdoor education going on in Eugene and Oregon's Farm To School Grants have a lot to do with it!
Kalapuya High School Principal Stefan Aumack joined us from the school's outdoor classroom to share how grant dollars help teach kids about agriculture and help the community!
Watch the full segment here!
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The Oregon Healthy Schools team is excited to announce the launch of The Wellness Wire, their brand new newsletter focused on all things health and well-being for schools, districts, and beyond! This monthly publication will provide valuable insights, articles, and resources to support a healthier, happier school environment for students, staff, and families alike.
Stay tuned for upcoming issues focused on nutrition, physical activity, social and emotional well-being, staff-wellness and more. Together, let's foster a community where everyone thrives!
Read the first article here and enter your email to subscribe to future issues. Questions or feedback? You can reach out to them by completing this form. They also encourage you to stop by during their new weekly office hours on Wednesdays from 1:30 - 2:00 PM. They would love to connect!
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Mark your calendars for February 19-22, 2026 - the Growing Schools Gardens Summit is heading to Phoenix, Arizona! This event brings 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
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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.
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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:
If you want a Household Grow This! seed starting kit or want to share that resource with students’ families, please see the link here. Also, available while supplies last…
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USDA Farm to School Census - 2023 Findings pt. 7
School food authorities (SFAs) across the U.S. are investing heavily in local food through farm to school programs. Nationally, in 2023 SFAs spent $1.8 billion on local foods, with $956 million going to local fluid milk alone.
In Oregon, SFAs spent $22 million on local foods, including $11 million on local fluid milk. Among Oregon SFAs participating in farm to school, 19% of their food budgets went toward local purchases.
These investments highlight the growing role of farm to school programs in strengthening local economies and improving student access to fresh, regional foods.
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/.
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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. Awardees should submit FFVP claims monthly.
**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.
- The ODE Farm to CNP team hosted a listening session on April 16th to hear feedback and gain insight into on-the-ground program operations from FFVP Grantees. A recording of this listening session is available here. Use passcode: jyvAEH8* to access the recording.
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NEW: Monthly FFVP open office hours: Starting Wednesday, May 7th, the ODE FFVP team will host monthly virtual open office hour sessions on the first Wednesday of each month from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Join the call anytime during the hour to ask FFVP-related questions, get technical assistance on claims, or connect with the team about program operations and best practice.
Update: Buy American provision does NOT apply to FFVP
ODE was recently informed that the Buy American provision does not apply to FFVP. While USDA encourages the purchase of domestic purchased in all Child Nutrition Programs, most recent rulemaking regarding Buy American, including requirements around exceptions and limits on non-domestic purchases, only applies to the school meal programs and not others, such as the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Additionally, the USDA has stated that the guidance on Buy American, on page 18 of the FFVP Handbook, is incorrect. They did not have a timeline as to when the FFVP handbook would be updated, nor when they would provide further guidance in writing. ODE will be working to revise its guidance, processes, and procedures in accordance with this new information.
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.
Have an FFVP success story, best practice, or hot tip to share? Send it to ODE.FFVP@ode.oregon.gov and it may be featured in an upcoming Farm to CNP/FFVP newsletter or in future FFVP trainings!
Any questions can be sent to us at ODE.FFVP@ode.oregon.gov.
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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.
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Beginning in the 2025–2027 grant biennium, the list of items allowable for reimbursement will be updated to more closely align with the core goals of the grant: to increase the purchase of Oregon-grown and Oregon-produced foods, and to enhance the variety of these foods offered in school meals. These changes are intended to support Oregon’s agricultural economy while complementing existing meal programs with Oregon grown and produced products that may not typically be part of standard menus.
Starting July 1, 2025, pizza products, tortillas, and tortilla chips will no longer be eligible for reimbursement through the Farm to CNP Reimbursement Grant.
Pizza products include, but are not limited to:
- Pizza (whole or slices), pockets, sticks, bites, crust, dough, etc.
Tortilla products include, but are not limited to:
- Hard and soft shells, wraps, chips, etc.
The 2023-2025 grant biennium (ending June 30, 2025) allowables/unallowables remain unaffected by these changes.
A list of Allowable and Unallowable Products is always available on the ODE Farm to CNP Noncompetitive Reimbursement Grant webpage.
If you have questions please contact the ODE Farm to CNP Team at FarmtoCNP@ode.oregon.gov.
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 now closed for the 23-25 biennium, no further funding is available.
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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.
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Beaverton School District, a recipient of the 2023–2025 ODE Farm to CNP Education Grant, is utilizing their grant to explore hydroponics. With the grant, they are purchasing 28 hydroponic growing units—20 destined for classroom use, and 8 dedicated to growing fresh produce for local food pantries. These photos showcase the vibrant success of their pilot phase, featuring the first units already hard at work. In addition, their grant has been used to build seed germination stations to supply plant starts for two school gardens and two afterschool clubs.
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“Kids and staff are loving seeing all the green as they walk through the building.”
Do you have photos or success stories from your Farm to CNP Grant(s) projects to share? Send them to FarmtoCNP@ode.oregon.gov.
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