NATIONAL FARM TO SCHOOL PODCAST

Officially at 10,000 downloads! With listeners in 52 countries!

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

Ranch to School

Join us as we head to the remote high desert of Southeastern Oregon to meet Paul and Toni Davis of Alvord Ranch. With a herd of 2,500 cattle, no neighbors for miles, and a kitchen that feeds up to 25 ranch hands a day, the Davises share what life is really like on a working cattle ranch—and how their homegrown beef is making its way to school cafeterias. From breathtaking landscapes to farm-to-school innovation, this is a story of connection, commitment, and good food from the ground up.

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

What do farm-fresh veggies, kid-run farmers markets, and a runaway pig have in common? They are all part of the magic that Lynne Shore brings to her school meals! Tune in “live” from the Oregon School Nutrition Association Conference for a fun, feel-good journey into farm to school awesomeness — where students shop, farmers cheer, and pancakes steal the show!

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

Oregon Harvest for Schools: Latino Network

It's a program that connects kids with nature and the community. We learn all about the Latino Network's "Garden Makers" program--an Oregon Farm to School grantee helping kids learn and grow!

Watch the full segment here!

"How many school gardens ARE there in Oregon?”

As of March 2024, there are 788 school gardens in Oregon! We know this number thanks to all respondents of the ODE School Garden Survey.

Now, we need your help to keep that information accurate.

Please take 15-20 minutes to complete the survey for each garden at your school site. We ask that everybody fill out a new survey, even if you have filled one out in the past.

You can find a mapped version of Oregon's school gardens on the ODE website. While you're there, you can also learn more about the project!

Take the survey here.

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

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.

USDA Farm to School Census - 2023 Findings pt. 9

With school out for summer, we’re focusing attention on STAFF - who are hopefully enjoying a long-awaited summer break!

The USDA 2023 Farm to School census sought to find how many School Food Authorities (SFAs) had staff members who dedicated their time to Farm to School activities.

They found that nationwide:

• 75% of SFAs have at least one staff member who used some of their time for farm to school activities.
• 35% of SFAs had at least one full-time staff member fully dedicated to farm to school work.

In Oregon:

• 87% of SFAs have at least one staff member who used some of their time for farm to school activities.
• 33% of SFAs had at least one full-time staff member dedicated fully to farm to school work.

It’s widely acknowledged that, while volunteers are wonderful, it often takes a dedicated staff member to make a farm to school program successful.

Let’s share some appreciation for the farm to school staff in our lives and schools who work so hard to bring farm to school activities to youth in Oregon!

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)

The current grant period is October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. Awardees should submit FFVP claims monthly.

The application for the 2025–2026 FFVP grant period opened at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. The application closes at 5pm, August 22nd, 2025

• 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.
• Bimonthly FFVP open office hours: Starting Wednesday, August 6th, the ODE FFVP team will host bimonthly virtual open office hour sessions on the first Wednesday of every other 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.

The 2023-2025 grant biennium ended Monday, July 30, 2025. All claims must be processed in EGMS by Thursday, August 14, 2025. All claims must be submitted to the Farm to CNP team for approval prior to EGMS submission, so please submit your claims early to allow sufficient time for processing. Please take the EGMS annual shutdown into consideration when submitting your claims (see above).

The 2025-2027 grant biennium has been funded! Sponsors who operate an NSLP, SFSP, and/or CACFP are eligible and are automatically opted in to receive an award. The Farm to CNP Team is awaiting more information before they can send out award announcements to eligible entities’ CNPweb contacts. The Grant’s start date is retroactive and you can submit claims for items purchased starting July 1, 2025.

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 was 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. The Farm to CNP team does not yet have a timeline for when applications for the 25-27 grant biennium will open.

Education Grant

The 2023-2025 Education Grants ended on Monday June 30, 2025. The Education Grant Final Report has been sent to sponsors and should be completed by September 30, 2025. A full list of awardees is available on the Education Grant website.

The 2025-2027 biennium Education Grant RFA will be announced in the coming month(s), please check your email and this listserv for updates.

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