Farm to school enriches the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers by changing food purchasing and education practices at schools and childcare sites. Farm to school differs by location and can be individualized to meet agencies’ needs.
Farm to school includes at least one or more of the following:
Procurement: Local foods are purchased, promoted, and included in menus or provided as taste tests.
Education: Students participate in educational and experiential learning opportunities related to local foods, gardening, nutrition, cooking, and more.
School gardens: Students engage in hands-on gardening experiences through classroom mini-gardens, school gardens, greenhouses, and more.
A Roadmap to Farm to School Sustainability in Maryland”
In 2022, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs (OSCNP) began a significant project titled “A Roadmap to Farm to School Sustainability in Maryland.” The goals of the project were to assess current farm to school programming in order to determine challenges and barriers to school procurement; and to develop a farm to school roadmap to sustainability in Maryland, including actionable steps that would enhance local food procurement, distribution, and implementation for inclusion in school meals. This report establishes a framework for integrating local farm foods into school meals and sustaining Farm to School (F2S) initiatives in Maryland.
The "Roadmap to Farm to School Sustainability in Maryland" was developed in collaboration with key stakeholders, including Local Education Agencies (LEAs), local farmers/producers, community/non-profit stakeholders, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), and government officials. This effort was facilitated by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs, and funded by a 2021 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant.
Sustainability Report (PDF)