Local Food for Schools
What is Local Food for Schools?
The Local Food for Schools (LFS) is funding for states to assist in the supply chain disruption brought on by the pandemic. The Nebraska Department of Education received nearly $1.5 million through the LFS program to distribute to eligible schools, explicitly to be used on the purchase of local foods for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). LFS will strengthen Nebraska’s food system by helping to build a fair, competitive, and resilient local food chain, and expand local and regional markets with an emphasis on purchasing from historically underserved producers and processors. LFS funds are now open to School Food Authorities (SFAs) state-wide!
When will funds be made available?
The allocations for the SY2024-25 school year have been confirmed by the Nebraska Department of Education. The spreadsheet with the allocated funds for each eligible SFA has been updated and can be found below under allocated funds.
Which schools will be eligible to receive funding?
Schools must participate in the USDA National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and/or the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and be in good standing. Most sites operating under a Food Service Management Company (FSMC) are not eligible for round 2 funds.
Resources
MarketMaker is a database featuring a diverse community of food-related businesses: buyers, farmers/ranchers, fisheries, farmers markets, processors/packers, and more. MarketMaker provides simple yet powerful search tools to connect with others across the production and distribution chain, and is a great resource for connecting schools to local produce. Learn more and register at: https://ne.foodmarketmaker.com
Are you interested in being included in updates with development of the Nebraska Farm to School Network? Are you a producer and/or distributor interested in being engaged with schools participating in the Local Food for Schools Program and funding stream? If so, click on the button below and let us know of your interests, just 1-2 minutes of your time is needed.
You may also contact us as:
NDE – Local Food For Schools
NDE.LFS@nebraska.gov
(402) 471-2488