1,000 School Days In: How Vermont Is Growing a Stronger School Food System

One of those voices was Karyl Kent, School Nutrition Director for Mount Mansfield School District, who spoke to the real-world impact of these investments:

“Every day, school nutrition teams prepare and serve meals to students—not as an additional service, but as an essential foundation of their education, health, and sense of belonging.

Today, we’re here to celebrate something Vermont has shown the nation is possible: farm-fresh school meals for all students, Universal School Meals, and farm to school programs that connect our classrooms, our cafeterias, and our local farms.

Universal school meals mean something very simple and powerful: every child eats, every day, without stigma. No paperwork, no labels, no lines that separate children by income. Just food—good food—served with dignity. And when meals are universal, participation rises, attendance improves, and students are better able to focus, learn, and thrive.

But in Vermont, we didn’t stop at “enough.” We asked a better question: What if school food could also strengthen our local economy, preserve our farmland, and teach students where their food comes from?
That’s what farm to school does.

Because of sustained state investment, Vermont schools are buying produce, dairy, meat, and grains from local farmers. That means dollars stay in our communities. It means farmers have reliable markets. And it means students eat food that reflects the land they live on.

Farm to school isn’t just about what’s on the tray—it’s about what students carry with them for life. When children taste a carrot grown down the road, or apples from a neighboring orchard, food becomes real. It becomes a story. It becomes a connection.

In our cafeterias, farm to school shows up as scratch-cooked meals, harvest features, and seasonal menus. In our schools, it shows up as taste tests, school gardens, and lessons that bring agriculture into science, math and social studies. And in our communities, it shows up as pride.

To be clear: this work does not happen by accident.

It happens because Vermont made intentional choices to invest in universal meals, to support local purchasing, and to recognize school nutrition professionals as skilled, essential workers. These programs require funding, infrastructure, training, and long-term commitment.

And they work because they have proven to make a difference.

We see it every day in our schools. We see students trying new foods. We see nurses reporting fewer emergency food needs. We see staff morale improve. We see families feeling supported, not judged. We see farmers planning for the future because schools are dependable partners.

But these gains are not guaranteed.

Without continued funding, the progress we made is at risk. Local purchasing becomes harder. Scratch-cooking becomes less feasible. Staff burnout increases. And the most vulnerable students feel the impact first.

This is why we are here today—not just to celebrate, but to ask for continued leadership.

Continued funding for the Local Foods Incentive Program and Farm to School Grants is an investment in children, in farmers, and in Vermont’s future. It’s an investment in equity, health, education, and economic resilience.

As a School Nutrition Director, I can tell you this: when policymakers support these programs, the results show up on the lunch tray—and far beyond it.

Vermont has built something extraordinary. Let’s protect it. Let’s strengthen it. And let’s continue to lead the nation in showing what happens when we believe every child deserves good food—and that good food can come from right here at home.

Thank you for standing with Vermont students, farmers, and school nutrition professionals.