U.S. Department of Agriculture Offers Strategies for Starting or Expanding a Farm to School Program


Last Updated: March 23, 2015
 

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Across the United States, schools and districts have begun to source more foods locally and to provide complementary educational activities to students that emphasize food, farming, and nutrition. According to US Department of Agriculture's Farm to School Census, in school year 2011-2012, forty-four percent of public school districts across the US reported having an existing farm to school program in place.

The USDA's Farm to School webinar series will offer helpful guidance on how schools can start or expand their farm to school program in 2015. This 11-part webinar series will help participants develop new strategies for bringing local foods into the lunchroom. The webinars will include topics like building a team, menu planning and program sustainability.

To participate, please visit Register for USDA Webinars. All times listed are EST.

Farm to School Planning and Building a Team, January 15, 2015, 2:00 pm
Setting Goals and Establishing an Evaluation Baseline, January 28, 2015, 2:00 pm
Finding and Buying Local Foods,February 5, 2015, 2:00 pm
Farm to School Menu Planning, February 19, 2015, 2:00 pm
Food Safety, March 5, 2015, 2:00 pm
Promoting Your Farm to School Program, March 19, 2015, 2:00 pm
School Gardening, April 2, 2015, 2:00 pm
Curriculum Integration, April 16, 2015, 2:00 pm
Program Sustainability, April 30, 2015, 2:00 pm
Evaluating Your Program, May 13, 2015, 2:00 pm
Tying it All Together and Digging In, May 28, 2015, 2:00 pm 


For more information, please visit: USDA Farm to School Videos and Webinars