NC Farm to School Resources

North Carolina Farm to School Resources

NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Farm to School Program reaches over 1 million children across the entire state, serving over a million pounds of locally grown produce each year. This food goes straight from NC Farms to school tables.

USDA FNS Farm to School Grant Program

On an annual basis, USDA awards competitive Farm to School grants that support planning, developing, and implementing farm to school programs. USDA's Farm to School grants are an important way to help state, regional, and local organizations as they initiate, expand, and institutionalize farm to school efforts. Beginning in the school year 2022-23, the farm to school grant program will be supporting 123 grants, serving 5,000 schools and more than 3.2 million students. Over 62 percent of the children served in participating schools are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.

North Carolina Farm to School Program

North Carolina public schools wanted to source fresh fruits and vegetables grown in the state. NC farmers were growing a variety of produce that could meet the needs of schools, and many were looking for new markets. It was through these two needs that the NC Farm to School Program was founded in 1997. Since the 2008-09 school year, the NC Farm to School program has been operated solely by NCDA&CS. The Department of Defense now contracts Foster-Caviness Produce Company as the prime vendor for North Carolina. They work with the Department to offer NC Farm to School Program produce through the DOD program, giving schools the option to use USDA funds to purchase local produce.

Farm to School Coalition of North Carolina

The Farm to School Coalition of NC (F2SCNC) began in 2011, with several planning meetings conducted in 2012. The coalition identified numerous existing areas of successful programming throughout North Carolina and explored where collaborative efforts could increase the reach and impact of farm to school. The Farm to School Coalition of North Carolina (F2SCNC) brings together a dedicated group of farm to school (F2S) stakeholders in collaboration to expand and strengthen farm to school initiatives across the state.

Growing Minds Farm to School

ASAP’s Growing Minds Farm to School Program defines farm to school as giving children opportunities to learn about local food and farms in the classroom, cafeteria, and community. While farm to school programs serve K-12 students, farm to preschool serves children in pre-K, childcare centers, and family homes. Educators and food service directors need support and resources. That’s the role that Growing Minds plays. We provide training for teachers, school nutrition staff, parents, community members, and farmers/agriculture professionals, as well as farm to school resources.

Food Corps

FoodCorps partners with schools and communities to nourish kids’ health, education, and sense of belonging. Our AmeriCorps members serve alongside educators and school nutrition leaders to provide kids with nourishing meals, food education, and culturally affirming experiences with food that celebrate and nurture the whole child. Building on our service program, FoodCorps develops leaders, grows networks, and advocates for policy change in service of every kid’s health and wellbeing.

N.C. Extension Community Garden resources

A community garden is any piece of land gardened by a group of people. Community gardens are as varied as the neighborhoods in which they are located. They can be found at schools, parks, housing projects, places of worship, vacant lots, private properties or anywhere there is open land and lots of sunlight. Each is developed to meet the needs of the people who come together to grow fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs and other plants on common ground. A community garden can be any size or shape, ranging from just a few raised beds to multiple acres.