USDA’s Food and Nutrition Administration is pleased to announce the second cohort of Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grants! Sixteen additional projects will receive support through the Farm to School Grants. Combined with the 52 projects announced in Cohort 1, USDA awarded nearly $20 million in funding to 68 projects, the largest ever financial investment in the history of the grant program.
The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program increases the availability of local foods in child nutrition programs (CNPs) and connects students to the sources of their food through education, taste tests, school gardens, field trips, and local procurement.
This year’s competition drew an all-time high number of applications. Each selected project reflects the vibrant nature of farm to school programming and the ongoing innovations in school nutrition and agricultural education across the country. These investments will better connect America’s children with real, nutritious food, expand market access for producers, and inspire the next generation of farmers.
Cohort 2 Spotlight
USDA congratulates each of this year’s awardees on their success. We are excited to see Cohort 2 projects, like those spotlighted below, take root and grow.
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Jefferson County School District will establish a comprehensive farm to school program serving high school students in Mississippi’s Delta region. This project transforms underutilized greenhouses into thriving hydroponic production systems where students grow fresh vegetables and herbs year-round for school cafeteria meals. Beyond student-grown food, the school’s child nutrition programs will establish purchasing relationships with four local farms, which students will visit for educational field trips. This initiative prepares students for careers in Mississippi’s number one industry, agriculture, while immediately improving their daily nutrition through increased access to fresh local foods.
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The WSBZ Farm to School Implementation Project will fully integrate farm to school practices across all 11 schools within Bryant Public Schools. By embedding Arkansas-grown specialty crops into child nutrition program menus, the project will result in increased access to fresh, locally produced foods in school meals, improved nutrition and agricultural literacy among students, and strengthened economic opportunities for more growers in Arkansas.
Each awarded project strengthens healthy choices, healthy outcomes, and healthy families through the CNPs, making a meaningful difference in the communities they serve.
Learn More
We hope you will take time to learn more about this year’s awarded projects and look forward to sharing grantees’ stories in the months ahead.
For more information, check out:
• Grantee Summaries
• Press Release (Cohort 2, Cohort 1)
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