Nebraska Farm To School
The Nebraska Farm to School program 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 settings.
There are three core elements of Farm to School: Procurement, Education, and School Gardens. Farm to School works to provide resources to promote local Nebraska grown and raised products in the classroom, cafeteria, and community.
Learn more about some of our programs:
Be sure to check out the additional resources we offer for producers, school food service directors, educators, and more!
Farm to School Month 2025
Schools, early care and education sites, farms, food enthusiasts, communities, and organizations all across the country came together in October to celebrate food education, school gardens, and lunch trays filled with healthy, local ingredients.
On October 21, 2025, Governor Jim Pillen took a signification step towards fostering healthy communities, improving nutritional quality of school meals, and supporting local agriculture by signing a proclamation to declare October as Farm to School Month in Nebraska. This proclamation highlights the importance of connecting schools with local agricultural producers, enhancing nutrition education, and promoting healthy eating habits among students.
Farm to School Proclamation 2025
From left to right: Kayte Partch, Dylan Lester, Erika Wibbels, Jessie Coffey, Kathleen Kim, Emily Hulse, Governor Jim Pillen, Tami Frank, Eastlyn Wright
Composting
Starting a composting program can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Check out our Farm to School Composting Basics handout and companion video for an easy introduction to the why, how, and benefits of composting. These beginner-friendly resources are designed to help schools start composting with confidence by providing practical guidance, helpful tips, and foundational knowledge to support your composting journey from day one.
From Farm to You Video Series
We are bringing the farm to you with this series of videos featuring local farms growing and raising a variety of Nebraska food products. Nebraska farm to school is supporting these videos that help you learn more about how these products all start on the farm and end up on your plate. Next time you enjoy one of these products featured in Nebraska Harvest of the Month, remember it came from a farm just like this!
Harvest of the Month – Food Prep Demos
These videos demonstrate quick and easy recipes involving local Nebraska grown and raised products featured in Nebraska Harvest of the Month. Harvest of the Month is a statewide farm to school program that features different Nebraska local food products each month of the year. The program promotes local food products and provides schools and early care and education sites with resources to support sampling and serving local foods to students. All material is FREE and available to download for use in schools, early care and education facilities, afterschool programs, and homes! Learn more: https://www.education.ne.gov/ns/farm-to-school/harvest-of-the-month/
Farm to School Census Results
The Farm to School Census is conducted periodically to assess the state of farm to school activities across the U.S. The Census surveys all school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program. USDA conducted the first Farm to School Census in 2013, 2015, and again in 2019. The most recent Farm to School Census was conducted in the fall of 2023 and findings are largely based on farm to school participation in the 2022-2023 school year.
Explore information on farm to school participation by Nebraska (NE) school food authorities (SFAs) that responded to the Census and the schools and students they serve. https://farmtoschoolcensus.fns.usda.gov/census-results/states/ne
GRANTS AND FUNDING
KidsGardening offers a variety of grants to new and existing youth garden programs across the nation. Each funding opportunity has its own timeline, defining features, eligibility requirements, and reporting expectations. Explore the open grant programs at this site and see which one might be the best fit for your particular situation. If something catches your eye, you can find more details on each grant’s homepage.
The Salad Bars To Schools program is focused on donating salad bars to school districts so every child across our nation has daily access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Learn everything you need to know about salad bars to schools grants.
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