• NCRG Monthly Open Office Hours: Wednesday, September 9th, 2-3pm

Noncompetitive Reimbursement Grant (NCRG)

Monthly Open Office Hours: The Farm to CNP team is hosting monthly virtual monthly office hours on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Drop in on Wednesday, September 9th, 2-3pm to ask questions and get answers to all things NCRG! The September office hour will feature a guest from the ODE Procurement department and focus on Procurement rules and regulations.

The office hours can be joined on Zoom via this link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1618818788

NCRG Progress Report due Sept 30: The 25-27 NCRG Progress report is available and must be completed by September 30, 2026! Sponsors were emailed with details and a link, the progress report is also available on the NCRG webpage.

Farm to CNP Fresh Facts: How can donated foods be claimed under NCRG?

Donated Oregon-grown or -produced foods can have reimbursable costs associated with them which may be claimed as part of your Reimbursement Grant award. For example: If you receive a donation of Oregon-produced beef or Oregon-grown peppers, the cost of the actual beef or pepper can not be claimed (because it was a donation!) but up to 25% of your award can be used to reimburse for reasonable costs associated with cutting and wrapping the beef, de-coring and mincing the peppers, or delivery fees to get the products to the school kitchen. 

Note: If accepting donated foods, make sure you are complying with food safety requirements! All slaughtered and processed meat and poultry must be inspected by ODA or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and slaughtered in an ODA or USDA-inspected plant. The Oregon Farm to School Network’s “Resources for Producers” webpage is a great reference for food safety requirements.

Questions about what can be claimed? Ask the ODE Farm to CNP team! Email FarmtoCNP@ode.oregon.gov

Competitive Reimbursement Grant

The Competitive Reimbursement Grant (CRG) provides eligible grantees with additional funding beyond their Noncompetitive Reimbursement Grant awards. To be eligible, applicants must have received a Farm to CNP Noncompetitive Reimbursement Grant award and fully expended those funds.

The Competitive Reimbursement Grant (CRG) RFA was released, and the second application period is now open. The 2025-2027 CRG RFA can be located here. A CRG Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document is available on the Farm to CNP CRG webpage.

Education Grant

Education grant activities are underway! From school gardens to farm field trips to garden-based education activities, grantees are making the most of their Farm to CNP Education Grant awards! Learn more about the 76 grantees of the 25-27 Farm to CNP Education Grant on the Farm to CNP Ed grant webpage.

General Information about this grant program can be found on the Education Grant webpage.

North Clackamas SD has been working on an amazing project using the 25% of Noncompetitive Reimbursement Grant funds allowed to be used outside of the meal program for nutrition education.

They created a Farmers Market experience in their elementary schools, bringing in a variety of fresh, local products from across Oregon. It has been a huge success!
North Clackamas has 18 elementary schools, and during SY 2025–2026, they were able to bring the Farmers Market to nine of them. Their students had the opportunity to explore and taste new produce that many had never experienced before, including parsnips, rhubarb, and beets.

FARM TO SCHOOL PODCAST

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

This episode proves that sometimes the best conversations happen that are unplanned. Recorded “on the fly” at the Oregon Farm to School Conference, Rick pulls up a chair with Corrina Hargett—teacher, school garden champion, coastal wonder cultivator.. and avid surfer—to talk about dirt, curiosity, broccoli that actually tastes good, and why gardens belong to everyone. From surfing the Oregon coast to growing pumpkins where people said they wouldn’t grow, this joyful conversation reminds us that when kids (and adults) get their hands in the soil, they calm down, light up, and rediscover the best parts of themselves. No script, no grades—just wonder, laughter, and a whole lot of heart.

Farm to School isn’t just about local apples—it’s about rethinking the entire food system. In this episode, Andrea Alma shares how a public health problem-solver fell in love with school lunch—and went on to help reshape it from policy to plate. From early wins in D.C. to building one of the most innovative large-scale programs in Minneapolis, Andrea unpacks what it really takes to move from small efforts to system-wide change.

You can listen to the episode here.

The USDA has launched a Harvest to Hallways initiative. This initiative intends to improve school meals and strengthen the connection between American agriculture and America’s children. It includes up to $70 million in investments in school cafeteria infrastructure, an effort to expand schools’ use of local food procurement options, and up to $25 million in additional Farm to School Grants for Fiscal Year 2026.

Learn more on the USDA Harvest to Hallways webpage.

Thursday, October 22nd is the Oregon Crunch at Once!

Join thousands of Oregon students in a joyful, synchronized crunch celebrating local foods and agriculture education!

Learn more and register on the Oregon Farm to School Network website.

Dairy West Farm to School Partners Application

Dairy West partners with schools, farmers and community organizations to create engaging Farm to School Month experiences.

Each year, Dairy West partners with select schools to bring Farm to School Month to life in a bigger way. Featured schools may receive:

-Additional program support and coordination
-Access to exclusive resources and activations
-Opportunities to connect with local farmers and partners
-Recognition through Dairy West storytelling and communications
Interested in being a featured school? Submit an application by September 18, 2026.

National Farm to School Network Resources

Visit the National Farm to School Network website for free resources to use in your Farm to School Month celebrations! 

Coming soon - a 2026 Farm to School Month Toolkit from the National Farm to School Network!

Root for Local Food: Let's Cheer for Farm to CACFP

Farm to CACFP Week is October 18-24, 2026! NCA, the National Farm to School Network (NFSN), and the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) are excited to help you celebrate with resources to get you started. Wondering how to participate? Chances are, you’re already doing something that ties into Farm to CACFP! Join the webinar to discover ways to grow your participation and access fresh ideas and resources for inspiration. Register here.

September 10, 11am-11:30am

Local Procurement 101: A Refresher for the 2026-2027 School Year

Join the USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) as part of the Harvest to Hallways Initiative for an energizing webinar that will inspire and empower you to incorporate local foods into your school menus. Explore local procurement strategies, the geographic preference option, and USDA farm to school resources.
Local Procurement 101 will be offered twice, covering the same content in each session. State agencies, school food authorities, and others are welcome to register for either session. Choose the date and time that works best for you - both webinars will feature identical material.

Wednesday, September 9, 8am

Tuesday, September 15, 11am

The Chef Ann Foundation's Salad Bars to Schools (SB2S) grants K–12 schools everything needed to install a salad bar including salad bar equipment and all accessories, marketing materials, and comprehensive online training courses through the School Food Institute.
Open to K-12 school districts that participate in the National School Lunch Program with an enrollment of at least 100 students per school site. Learn more here.

Application deadline: March 31, 2027.