Extension > Food > Farm to School
Toolkit for School Foodservice
Ready-to-use resources about using, sourcing and promoting local foods and NEW online trainings for foodservice professionals.
Farmers
Tools to help farmers get and stay connected to Farm to School efforts.
Parents and Community Members
Support your schools' Farm to School efforts. Learn more about school food, help improve school wellness policies, or organize a healthy fundraiser.
Educators
Find curricula and lesson plans to bring Farm to School to the classroom. Plus resources for farm field trips, fundraisers and wellness policies.
Farm to School: Growing Our Future Documentary and Discussion Series
This 30-minute documentary explores the economic advantages and remaining challenges for businesses, farms, schools and communities as we work together to improve our children's health and education. More.
Minnesota Food Charter
You have the chance to shape the future of food in Minnesota! Join the conversation by sharing your perspective on Facebook, taking an online survey, or hosting an event. More.
Growing a Better School Lunch
Located in Arlington Minnesota Community Blueprint followed a school ag class from seeding to harvest through a school year. This video documents that process and helps other schools recreate the success they've had. More
Program Areas
Feature
Farm to School: So Fresh, So Easy
A series of five video trainings for foodservice professionals.
USDA Dines with St. Paul Public School Children
See Undersecretary Concannon visit at: St. Paul Pioneer Press and Minnesota Public Radio.
What's new
Interested in a Farm to Cafeteria Field Trip? Community partner Renewing the Countryside is looking for schools and farmers to serve as hosts. More
First Lady Michelle Obama invites children 8 to 12 years old to create and submit original healthy lunch recipes inspired by MyPlate. Visit The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge and Kids' "State Dinner" website for contest details on how to win a trip to Washington D.C., and an opportunity to attend the Kids’ “State Dinner.”
National Farm to School Network — The 7th Annual Farm to Cafeteria Conference is set for April 15-18, 2014 in Austin, Texas. This gathering, held every-other year, brings together diverse farm to cafeteria stakeholders to learn and expand the impact of the Farm to Cafeteria movement. More information will be posted to farmtocafeteriaconference.org in the coming months.
The School Day Just Got Healthier — USDA — New website from USDA explains changes to school meal regulations starting with the 2012-13 school year. Tools and resources for various stakeholders help communicate with students, parents, teachers, other school staff, and community. Go directly to the toolkit.
Improving meal standards
Back to School — CSPI — Schools are working to implement new meal standards. New resources from the Center for Science in the Public Interest help you support healthier school meals in your community.” Be sure to check out these tips on making healthy meals for less.
Farm to School and the New Meal Pattern — USDA — Farm to School activities helps to complement and support improved nutrition standards for school meals. Hear how two food service professionals are integrating local and regionally produced foods in their meal programs.
Farm to School: A tool for success with the new nutrition standards — National Farm to School Network — Fact sheet highlights Farm to School activities and resources that can help ease the transition to the new standards and foster support for school meal programs.
Contact Farm to School Extension: 
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