Nourished and Ready to Learn! The Farm to School Connection

Our campaign goal: to elevate district-level understanding and support of farm to school.

Four out five Vermont schools have some aspect of farm to school underway. This may be buying local product, students visiting local farms, growing produce in school gardens, or a host of other farm to school activities. Most of these activities are coordinated at the school level by dedicated staff and volunteers. But what happens as districts consolidate and more decisions about curricular equity and financial expenditures are made at a supervisory level?  

The Vermont Farm to School Network has started to work on a statewide effort to inform school leaders about the importance and impact of school nutrition programs and farm to school. These leaders include superintendents, curriculum coordinators, business managers, school boards, and principals.  Act 46 and the merging of districts is both an opportunity—as well as a challenge—to farm to school programs. Some schools feel that their farm to school programs are vulnerable, while others have shared that this might be the chance to improve their programs to the level of other schools in their newly merged districts. 

Want to get involved? Below you will find the farm to school advocates toolkit to guide you through 4 steps to bring this to your school leaders. Accompanying this toolkit are resources for you to use as you advocate for your farm to school program. More resources will be added to this site throughout the 2019-2020 school year, as advocates share their stories and identify other needs. Most importantly, don’t go it alone and take the first step!

If you would like more information please contact Dana Hudson at [email protected]. 

Tools for the Farm to School Advocate

Resources for School Leaders