What is Farm to School?
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 early care and education sites.
Students gain access to healthy, local foods as well as education opportunities such as school gardens, cooking lessons and farm field trips. Farm to school empowers children and their families to make informed food choices while strengthening the local economy and contributing to vibrant communities.
Farm to school implementation differs by location but always includes one or more of the following:
- Procurement: Local foods are purchased, promoted and served in the cafeteria or as a snack or taste-test;
- School gardens: Students engage in hands-on learning through gardening; and
- Education: Students participate in education activities related to agriculture, food, health or nutrition.
Why Farm to School?
Kids WIN
Farm to school provides all kids access to nutritious, high quality, local food so they are ready to learn and grow. Farm to school activities enhance classroom education through hands-on learning related to food, health, agriculture and nutrition.
Farmers WIN
Farm to school can serve as a significant financial opportunity for farmers, fishers, ranchers, food processors and food manufacturers by opening the doors to an institutional market worth billions of dollars.
Communities WIN
Farm to school benefits everyone from students, teachers and administrators to parents and farmers, providing opportunities to build family and community engagement. Buying from local producers and processors creates new jobs and strengthens the local economy.
About Ohio Farm to School
Ohio schools have been working with farmers, collaborating with community leaders and connecting students with local food and nutrition education for decades. Formally, the Ohio Farm to School effort began with steering committee members guiding development of a national program.
In 2005, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation provided a planning grant for development of the National Farm to School Network, and the 2nd National Farm to Cafeteria Conference was held at Kenyon College in Gambier, OH with over 350 attendees. By 2011, a national network was established with Farm to School representation in all 50 states.
There was so much interest in the Farm to School program in Ohio that more than 300 food producers, school food service personnel, educators and community leaders attended the Ohio Farm to School Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. State leadership was initially provided through the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and transitioned to the Ohio State University (OSU) Extension in September 2011. The national and state program continues to develop through the guidance of local, state, regional and national collaboration.
Ohio Farm to School State Network and Advisory Meeting
2024 meeting dates: March 14, June 13, September 12, December 12
Join the Ohio Farm to School Advisory and State Network meetings to connect with organizations, state agencies, and schools participating in Farm to School efforts throughout Ohio. All meetings are on Thursdays from 9:30 am–noon. Meetings will be held virtually until further notice. State-level updates will take place at 9:30-11, with region-specific discussions 11-noon. For more information on Ohio Farm to School, visit the website and Facebook page.
Quarterly Newsletter
Sign up for Ohio’s F2S Monthly Newsletter for stories from schools and students on Farm to School initiatives across the state, events, and learning opportunities. Simply email OhioProud@agri.ohio.gov and let us know you want added to the mailing list! Explore previous issues of the newsletter here.
Contact Your Region’s Farm to School Lead
Contact information:
- Northeast- Ali Guzik, Cuyahoga County Board of Health
- West Central- Quentina Konah, Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County
- Central- Carol Smathers and Ali Segna, Ohio State University Extension,
- East Central- Heather Neikirk, OSU Extension
- Southwest- Kristine Cahall-Dosch, Green Umbrella
- Southeast- Tom Redfern, Rural Action and Denise Natoli Brooks, Central State University Extension
- Northwest- Rebecca Singer, Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT)
For more information on the regional networks, visit the Ohio Farm to School website and Facebook page.
