16 organizations have been awarded over $1.5 million in funding through New York’s Farm-to-School program, serving students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. Funding provided through the Farm-to-School program helps schools connect with local farmers, increase the use of locally grown food on school menus, and improve student health while providing increased economic benefits to New York’s farmers. This builds on the Governor’s commitment to increasing the resilience and capacity of New York’s food system and to strengthening the agricultural industry by creating additional demand for New York-grown agricultural products.
As part of the announcement and kickoff to Farm-to-School Month, Commissioner Ball visited C R Weeks Elementary School in Windsor joining staff, students, and local farmers, to highlight the school’s sourcing of New York farm products and take part in a special New York Taste Test of an Apple Crisp Parfait, featuring New York oats, yogurt, and apples from Russell Farms. The elementary school’s food service program is supported by Broome-Tioga BOCES, whose Farm-to-School program was awarded $100,000 through this latest round of Farm-to-School funding.
The funding will build on a longstanding collaboration between the Rural Health Network of South-Central New York (RHN), Broome-Tioga BOCES (BT BOCES), Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County (CCE Broome), 15 participating school districts, and local farm and food business partners to increase the volume and variety of New York State farm products purchased and served in school meal programs. It will also help the organizations build capacity across the program to ensure long-term sustainability and impact. The program aims to connect small- to mid-scale and historically underserved food producers within the Southern Tier with K-12 markets, provide opportunities for students to learn about local agriculture and the food system while increasing their access to healthy, local foods, expanding training opportunities and resources for school food service staff, and increasing the availability of minimally processed local products for school meals.
A complete list of projects awarded across the state include:
Capital Region
- Comfort Food of Washington County Inc, $99,440: The project will aid school districts in increasing the volume and variety of New York State farm products purchased for school meal programs in Washington, Warren, and Saratoga counties.
- North Colonie Central School District, $99,346: The funding will help increase the access to New York State farm products in school meals, support local food taste tests, and establish engaging agriculture-based instruction within the district.
Central NY
- Syracuse City School District, $100,000: The funding will help hire a project coordinator to focus on Farm-to-School efforts. The project coordinator will broaden New York State procurement activities, build partnerships with farmers, and strengthen regional Farm-to-School efforts.
Finger Lakes
- Attica Central School District, $100,000: The project will expand the Farm-to-School program by adding seasonal cafeteria staff during harvest season to process, store, and prepare farm products; increasing farm product taste tests to support cafeteria menu expansion; and expanding from a school garden to a school farm with an Outdoor Kitchen Classroom to offer students hands-on learning experiences.
Mid-Hudson
- Sullivan Catskills Regional Food Hub Inc., $97,804: The project will support the creation, testing, and market readiness of school food items using New York State farm products at five area schools.
- Poughkeepsie Farm Project, $100,000: The funding will support an Education Manager and Education Coordinator to develop and implement Farm-to-School educational curriculum, promotional materials, and guidance at three area schools.
Mohawk Valley
- Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School, $50,335: The funding will go toward increasing the volume and variety of New York State food by installing a greenhouse and planting fruit trees on the school grounds along with the purchase of new equipment to help serve farm-fresh products.
- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schoharie and Otsego Counties, $100,000: The project will build on the existing Farm-to-School program by engaging with 10 area school districts to improve student access to nutritious New York State agricultural products.
- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County, $98,855: The project will focus on local food awareness, the development of a Farm-to-School Advisory Work Group, and build relationships between the local community, schools, and agricultural stakeholders.
North Country
- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Franklin County, $100,000: The funding will help four school districts implement and improve their Farm-to-School programs. This project will work to strengthen the current Farm-to-School supply chain and encourage all districts to work towards the 30% New York State Initiative.
- Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County, $98,058: The funding will expand the program’s frozen product line by increasing freezer storage capacity and including locally sourced beef and pork in area schools.
- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County, $80,890: The funding will support schools in Essex County by providing agricultural education to students and helping with procurement of local farm products and farmer outreach.
Southern Tier
- Delaware-Chenango-Madison-Otsego BOCES, $94,615: The funding will support a Farm-to-School coordinator to implement regular NY Thursdays, design taste tests, cultivate of community partnerships, and tailor program initiatives to address local needs.
- Rural Health Network of SCNY, Inc, $100,000: The project will serve 15 school districts in Broome and Tioga Counties to increase the volume and variety of New York State farm products purchased and served in school meal programs, and to build capacity of the Farm-to-School program.
Western NY
- Salamanca City School District, $100,000: The project will fund a food truck that will be used to broaden procurement and use of locally sourced produce and meats. The food truck would also be used as a teaching tool for students who are interested in business, culinary arts, and cultural events.
- Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School, $100,000: The funding will help increase the amount of New York State farm products through “Harvest of the Month” themes, student taste tests, educational exploration activities, and events centered around New York State farm products.
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