Farm to School

Background

In 1997, California was one of the first states to promote F2S. The CDE, in partnership with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) created the California Office of Farm to Fork (CDFA-F2F). In 2017, the CDFA-F2F began to facilitate the California F2S Network (CFSN) as part of its statewide initiative to connect school districts and community members directly with California's farmers and ranchers, and to provide information and other resources. Today, the CDE co-leads the CFSN, which works to align F2S efforts, share resources, and bring food producers, Child Nutrition Programs, educators, distributors, and advocates together to collaborate and engage in peer-to-peer learning. Additionally, the California State legislature has made significant funding investments in kitchen equipment and infrastructure, and training to support schools in building and expanding scratch cooked meals featuring whole, minimally processed and locally grown ingredients.

Timeline

Date	Description
2010	The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) supports the use of fresh, local foods in meals and snacks served through its programs and encourages F2S. On December 13, 2010, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010(PDF) reauthorized the CNPs. The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act was amended to create a F2S Program. In 2023 this was renamed the Patrick Leahy F2S Program, which: • Distributes grant funding to improve access to local foods in schools • Provides training and technical assistance to improve access to local foods in schools • Conducts the national F2S Census every four years to assess F2S efforts nationwide
2016-18	The California legislature appropriated $2.5 million in state funding for the California-Grown Fresh School Meals Grant. The purpose of the grant was to fund schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), or the School Breakfast Program (SBP), to purchase California-grown food, and to expand the number of freshly prepared school meals that use California-grown ingredients.
2020	The USDA awarded $300,000 of the 2021 Team Nutrition (TN) Training Grant for School Meal Recipe Development funds to CDE’s to work in partnership with schools to develop student-informed standardized recipes that featured local, culturally relevant ingredients. More information on that grant is available on the Taste of California Standardized Recipe web page, here: Taste of CA Standardized Recipe Challenge Grant.
2021-24	The California State Legislature appropriated a total of $750 million dollars for two allocations of Kitchen Infrastructure and Training (KIT) funds which provided funds for kitchen equipment and associated infrastructure to advance scratch cooking and freshly prepared onsite meals using whole, minimally processed ingredients. More information on these funds is here: Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Funds.
2021-24	California Department of Food and Agriculture distributed $86.8 million in Farm to School Incubator grants, serving schools, early care and education, producers, and organizations providing technical assistance. For more information on this grant, look here: CDFA - California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program .
2022	California became the first state in the nation to implement a statewide Universal Meals Program for school children in School Year (SY) 2022–23. The program was built on the foundations of the NSLP and SBP and created an increased demand for school meals, which has supported local educational agencies in expanding farm to school efforts. More information on the Universal Meals Program is here: California Universal Meals.
2022-24	USDA funded the Local Foods for Schools cooperative agreement, including $23 million for California, funding School Food Authorities to purchase local foods from underserved farmers to help rebuild the supply chain after the COVID19 pandemic. Find more on the Local Foods for Schools program here: Local Food for Schools.
2022-26	The USDA awarded $3.9 million to the CDE for the Farm to School State Formula grant to build state level capacity to support and assist F2S efforts. For more information on USDA’s state formula grants, visit: Farm to School State Formula Grant | Food and Nutrition Service .

Funding Opportunities

The following funding opportunities may be available for your CNP to help start or expand your F2S program.

Leveraging School Funding
Finding Existing Funding
Applying for Funding
Additional Funding Databases

Leveraging School Funding

Finding Existing Funding

Applying for Funding

Link	Description
USDA Farm to School Grant Program web page	The USDA awards competitive F2S federal grants that support planning, developing, and implementing F2S programs. USDA's F2S grants are an important way to help state, regional, and local organizations as they initiate, expand, and institutionalize F2S efforts. Review the USDA Farm to School Fact Sheet for more about the USDA F2S grant.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) F2S Incubator Grant web page	The California State Legislature has allocated state funding for the California F2S Incubator Grant Program, which connects local producers and school food buyers; increases food education in classrooms, gardens, and on farms; and engages schools and students with the agricultural community. For more information on available funding and how to apply, visit the CDFA web page.
Chef Ann Foundation and Whole Kids Foundation Get a Salad Bar web page	The goal of Salad Bars to Schools is for every school in the U.S. to have a salad bar as part of their school food service program, so that every child—from elementary school to high school—has daily access to fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins. The web page provides an application for a free salad bar, including guidance, and frequently asked questions.
The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation website	The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF) is dedicated to planting fruitful trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat global warming, strengthen communities, and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water. The FTPF program strategically donates orchards where the harvest will best serve communities for generations, including public schools.
The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Program website	The Seeds for Education program has provided grants ranging from $100 to $500 for native plant gardens and landscaping projects throughout the United States. The funds are designated for acquiring native plants and seeds for outdoor learning areas that engage youth (preschool to high school) directly in planning, planting and caring for native plant gardens.

Grant Databases

• The Whole Kids Market Foundation, Whole Kids Foundation website lists various grant opportunities, including garden and salad bar grants.
• The California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Grants and Scholarships web page provides teachers with grants and scholarships to support them in educating youth about agriculture, such as Look at Agriculture...Organically!, Literacy for Life Grants, and more.
• The Kids Gardening Grant Opportunities web page lists a variety of grants such as the Waterwise Garden Grant, Lots of Compassion Grant, Youth Garden Grant and more!
  

For more ongoing information on funding opportunities for program operators of the CNPs, visit the Nutrition What’s New web page and select the Funding Tab.

Best Practices

General Best Practices
Local School Wellness Policy
F2S Celebrations
Sourcing Local Foods
Utilizing Local Foods
Nutrition and Agricultural - Based Education
Garden and Farm Activities
Marketing

General Best Practices

Getting Started

• Start small; starting small will encourage early buy-in among staff, producers, and partners, and help propel your program forward.
  
  
• Work with what you have and grow your program from there.
  
  
• Try implementing F2S in phases: observe, test, implement, and evaluate.
  
  
• Train staff on key topics like: food safety, grants, procurement, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Handling Practices (GHPs). Visit our F2S Training Tab for getting started.

Key Supports

• Connect, collaborate, and learn from other Food Services Directors (FSD) and staff.
  
  
• Build a team. Involve students, teachers, staff, and parents in creating or expanding your garden and F2S plan.
  
  
• Find an F2S advocate or cheerleader in each school.
  
  
• To apply, explore grant opportunities, visit the F2S Funding Tab.
  
  
• Invite farmers to visit the school kitchen where scratch cooking takes place, and likewise bring the food service staff to visit the farms to see where the food comes from.
  
  
• Subscribe to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) The Dirt: Farm to School e-Letter .
  
  
• Subscribe to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Farm to School Newsletter , and receive notices for the Farm to School Network’s Community of Practice calls.
  

Story Telling

• Develop a communications plan.
  
  
• Celebrate all your successes; small, large, and everything in-between!
  
  
• Take plenty of photos and videos (Don’t forget student photo releases).
  
  
• Make note of memorable quotes from students, staff, parents and guardians to share.

Local School Wellness Policy (LSWP)

• Incorporate F2S in your Local School Wellness Policy. View sample language here: F2S LSWP language (PDF).
  
  
• Align F2S activities with your school’s mission and vision.
  
  
• Define what “local” means in your school district.

F2S Celebrations

Honor, recognize, and celebrate your F2S program by participating in the following:

Title	Dates	Category	Description and Links
California Farm to Summer Week Celebration Recognition Award	June: The third week in June each year.	Recognition	Farm to Summer Celebration Week recognizes program operators of the Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs) in California that complete all three Farm to Summer elements: 1) Taste, 2) Teach and 3) Connect during the designated Farm to Summer Week. For more information, visit the CDE Farm to Summer Celebration Week web page.
California Food Literacy Month	September: The entire month of September	Celebrations	Food literacy, by definition, is the understanding of the effect that our food choices have on our health, the environment, and the economy. For more information, visit the Food Literacy Center's Food Literacy Month web page.
National F2S Month	October: The entire month of October	Celebrations	National F2S Month raises awareness about the importance of connecting schools with local food producers, promoting healthy eating by serving locally grown foods in school meals, and supporting local economies by purchasing produce from nearby farms. National F2S Month is an excellent opportunity to showcase your F2S accomplishments, celebrate your connections with local farmers, and, if the time is right, start expanding your F2S program. For more about National F2S Month, visit the National F2S Network F2S web page. For information about F2S programs in schools, visit the CDE Farm to School web page.
National Farmer Day	October: October 12th every year	Celebrations	This day is an opportunity to honor farmers’ hard work. This date marks the end of the harvesting season, giving farmers the opportunity to be a part of celebrations as well. Consider recognizing the farmers that supply your CNP ingredients through cafeteria displays, featured newsletter articles, or guest speaking engagements.
National School Lunch Week	October: The second full week in October	Celebrations	School Lunch Week (NSLW) was established to support children’s educational journeys with healthy school lunches and to celebrate the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Consider highlighting your F2S efforts during NSLW. For more information about NSLW, visit the School Nutrition Association National School Lunch Week web page. For more information, about the NSLP visit the CDE National School Lunch Program web page.
California Crunch Day	October: One day in October	Celebrations	Schools, hospitals, and businesses across the state take a bite out of locally grown fruits and vegetables to celebrate local farmers and healthy eating during one day in October. For more information, resources, and educational videos, visit the Community Alliance with Family Farmers web page .

Sourcing Local Foods

• Check invoices to see what you are already purchasing locally.
  
  
• Talk to and utilize your existing distributors and vendors to make more local purchases.
  
  
• Visit your local farmers market to connect with the farmers.
  
• Start small; identify one or two local products that will fit into your menus.
  
  
• Check with your local USDA Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Program vendor or the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Order/ Receipt System (FFAVORS) web page ; to learn more about local and organic products.
  
  
• Learn more about Procurement regulations; for more information visit the Procurement in School Nutrition Programs web page.
  
  
• Utilize the micro purchase option to test out new purchasing relationships; for more information regarding micro thresholds, visit the USDA’s Updates to the Federal Micro-Purchase Threshold policy memo.
  
  
• Ask your farmer partners if they can tailor their crops or products to your school needs.
  
  
• Connect with food hubs.

Utilizing Local Foods

• Help kitchen staff to get excited about F2S using the following methods:
  • Lead your kitchen staff by example.
  • Stay consistent in using local foods.
  • Elect a team leader who will stay positive.
  • Make transitioning to using local foods as easy as possible for your staff.
  • Introduce your staff to the farmer and the farms.
  • Gather feedback from staff - hold taste-tests!
    
    
• Strengthen staff skills: (i.e.: scratch cooking, knife skills, and equipment training).
  
  
• Reimagine existing recipes using local foods.
  
  
• Pick one seasonal item to highlight each month. Feature special menu items, taste tests, or educational activities to showcase local products.
  
  
• Look for ways to substitute items in recipes to highlight local foods when they are available.
  
  
• Harvest foods from school gardens and feature them in the meals you serve or coordinate garden crops with what you are serving to help introduce children to new foods and understand where their food comes from.
  
  
• Highlight local foods by featuring them in your salad bars.
  
  
• Visit the CDE California Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page for ideas on how to utilize garden produce, and other local and seasonal foods.
  
  
• Use less- than perfect produce from your garden, farm, or from a vendor in smoothies, soups, and sauces.
  
  
• Offer taste tests in the classroom, garden, or cafeteria.

Nutrition and Agricultural - Based Education

• Feature your breakfast and lunch’s local and seasonal offerings, and invite teachers to offer complementary Harvest of the Month classroom activities.
  
  
• Demonstrate or share resources with teachers to show how they can incorporate nutrition education into core subjects.
  
  
• Invite teachers into the garden; ask for their input, help, and assistance with lessons.
  
  
• Visit the CDE Resources Library for agricultural-based and nutrition education curriculum.
  

Garden and Farm Activities

• Leverage help and assistance from parent volunteers, garden staff, F2S Coordinators, nutritionists, interns, and students.
  
  
• Utilize all school spaces, including: classrooms, multipurpose rooms, cafeterias, gardens, grassy areas, and farm areas
  

Marketing

• Share your commitment to F2S on your school’s or district web page, in parent communications, at staff meetings, student celebrations, and more using photos, videos and impactful student quotes.
  
  
• Highlight menu items that are from your garden or purchased locally.
  
  
• Invite the CDE staff to your events, by emailing us at Farm2School@cde.ca.gov.

Trainings

Below are training opportunities in the form of conferences, in-person workshops, and online trainings for program operators with a F2S program:

Conferences
In-person Workshops
Online Trainings and Videos
Additional Training Databases

Conferences

Link	Description
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Office of Farm to Fork - CA Farm to School Program	The CA Farm to School Network hosts a biennial conference to bring together farm to school practitioners from across the school food and education spaces for professional development, networking, and the sharing of best practices.
California Ag in the Classroom Conference	California Ag in the Classroom hosts an annual conference to collaborate with educators who share a passion for agriculture. The conference is designed for K-12 educators, administrators, and volunteers to come together to learn and share how to incorporate food and fiber into all curricular areas.

In-Person Workshops

Link	Description
Produce Safety University (PSU)	U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers the PSU curriculum, which covers all aspects of the fresh produce supply chain including growing, harvesting, storage, and preparation. Through PSU, participants learn about the following topics: Understanding Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Handling Practices (GHPs). Writing specifications for fresh and fresh-cut produce. Assessing produce upon receiving to ensure that it meets bid specifications. Storing fresh produce properly. Handling fresh produce during food preparation and service. PSU includes a combination of classroom training, laboratory instruction, and field trips. Previous classes have visited fresh-cut processing facilities, produce distributors, a terminal market, and farms.
Life Lab Workshops	Life Lab offers workshops and publications for educators that help them engage young people in gardens and on farms. At the Life Lab Garden Classroom educational center in Santa Cruz and the Blooming Classroom garden in Watsonville, experiential learning is offered for people of all ages through field trips, children's camps, and teacher workshops.
Soil Born Farms	Soil Born Farms offers a variety of in-person garden-based learning opportunities in Sacramento throughout the year in the Sacramento area.
Pie Ranch	An integral piece of Pie Ranch’s vision is to grow the next generation of food system leaders in their home communities. They seek to help students make cross-curricular connections that attempt to advance a comprehensive understanding of how the food we eat has economic, social, environmental and political implications—on the micro and macro level. Check their web site for food education and field trip opportunities for public schools.

Online Trainings and Videos

Link	Description
Straw Bale Gardening in Child Nutrition Programs	This 36-minute online training reviews the advantages of a straw bale garden over traditional gardening techniques, provides step-by-step instructions for creating a straw bale garden, and discusses what to do with the straw bales after two growing seasons.
USDA National Farm to School Month Promotional Video (Video 1:15)	This one-minute video talks about how school meals offer a big opportunity to invest in local communities.

Additional Training Databases

• The Institute of Child Nutrition iLearn web page has recorded webinars on tips and strategies on a variety of F2S topics.

For announcements for conferences, in-person and online training opportunities for program operators, visit the Nutrition What’s New web page and select the Training Tab.

Resources

Promoting F2S
Procurement and Local Foods
Toolkits and Guides
Additional Resource Databases

Promoting F2S

Resource	Description
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Farm to School Month Promotional Video (Video 1:15)	This one-minute video talks about how school meals offer a big opportunity to invest in local communities. This video is intended for school administration, staff, teachers or Local School Wellness Policy participants.
National F2S Benefits of F2S (PDF)	Share this fact sheet with staff, parents/guardians, and students; it offers a research-based overview of the benefits of F2S and a list of references.
USDA School Gardens: Using Gardens to Grow Healthy Habits in Cafeterias, Classroom and Communities Fact Sheet	This fact sheet provides examples of school gardens that have taken root, and resources for growing school gardens.
Center for Ecoliteracy Farm to School in Pajaro Valley Video (Video 6:53)	The Center for Ecoliteracy supports school districts like Pajaro Valley Unified to serve fresh and locally-grown school meals. This 7-minute film showcases the power of youth leadership in the farm to school movement and tells the story of students partnering with Esperanza Community Farms to bring organic produce to their cafeteria.
National F2S Network Telling Your Story web page	This 20-minute webinar explores the topic of “Telling Your Story” to enhance sharing your success with media, the community, and funders.

Procurement and Local Foods

Resource	Description
USDA Procuring Local Foods for CNPs (PDF)	This guide resource covers many key topics to assist with the process of procuring local foods, such as: Menu Planning, Procurement Principals and Regulations, Procurement Methods, Opportunities to Target Local Producer, Sections of a Solicitation, Geographic Preference, Buying Products from the School Garden, Supporting Local Foods in Tribal Schools, Beyond Lunch: Buying Local Foods for Summer, Using USDA Foods and DoD Fresh, Comparing Procurement Methods, and more.
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Certified Farmers Market Locator by County (PDF)	The CDFA provides a Certified Farmers Market Locator by County list for California to assist CNP operators with locating Farmers Markets. ‘Certified’ means the farmer grows what she sells.
CDFA Certified Producers by County (PDF)	The CDFA provides a Certified Producers by County list in California to assist CNP operators with locating producers. ‘Certified’ means the farmer grows what they sell.
Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program Find a Food Hub web page	The Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program provides a list that CNP operators can use to participating food hubs in the California Food Hub Network.
USDA Integrating Local Foods into Child Nutrition Programs Fact Sheet	The definition of “local foods” can vary from community to community and program to program. This fact sheet walks through the steps of starting to buy local foods from developing a plan to tips for building sustainability into your program.
USDA Local Meat in Schools Fact Sheet	Local meats, poultry, and seafood are becoming staples on school meal trays across the country. This fact sheet gives examples, tips, and information for putting local meat on school menus.
USDA Foods: A Resource for Maximizing Food Budgets To Buy Local Fact Sheet	USDA Foods has a dual mission of supporting domestic agriculture and providing nutritious foods to schools. Offerings include a wide variety of high-quality fruits, vegetables, dairy products, whole grains, lean meats, and other protein options. Learn how USDA Foods support the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the school meal pattern requirements to make it easier for schools to prepare healthy meals and snacks.
USDA Selling Local Food to Schools: A Resource for Producers Fact Sheet	This resource for farmers and producers provides an overview of the process, steps and requirements to sell local foods to schools.

Resource	Description
The USDA F2S Planning Toolkit	This planning toolkit guides you through questions to consider and helpful resources to reference when starting or growing a F2S program. It is designed for use by schools, school districts, and community partners.
Center for Ecoliteracy Preparing California Grown School Meals: A Professional Development Guide	The web-based guide offers step-by-step visual instructions that engage food service staff and inspire the skills and confidence to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into school meal programs. It includes recipes that focus on fundamental knife skills and two culinary techniques: roasting and braising. Recipes are scaled for tasting portions so that food service staff have an opportunity to taste the results of their efforts, understand and practice essential skills, and experience how the same techniques can be used with a variety of foods.
Center for Ecoliteracy Understanding Food and Climate Change: An Interactive Guide	This guide uses video, photography, text, and interactive experiences to help educators, students, and advocates learn how food and climate systems interact and how personal choices can make a difference. Ideal for grades six through twelve and general audiences. With connections to Next Generation Science Standards and the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies themes, the guide offers activities for student research and resources for further investigation.
Center for Ecoliteracy Photographing School Food: A Practical Guide to Making School Meals Look Great	This free guide provides practical tips for making your food look delicious and inviting, including: Selecting the right lighting and angle Choosing the best background Highlighting fresh, local ingredients Avoiding common mistakes and more
Vermont FEED (Food Education Every Day) Vermont FEED	This organization supports the development of robust F2S programs with a F2S Planning toolkit, a Local Food Procurement toolkit and an extensive Resource library.
National F2S Network Resources web page	The Resources database has a F2S Month toolkit and materials, including slide decks, sample government resolutions, bookmarks, postcards, coloring pages, stickers, and posters to download.

Additional Resource Databases

For agriculture-based education resources, visit the CDE Resource Library web page. Examples of resources include Food Safety from Farm to Fork, Harvest of the Month, Life Lab, Healthalicious Cooking, Nourish: Food and Community, Growing Healthy Kids, and so much more.

Partners

The following tables provide a list of organizations you can reach out to for assistance with procuring locally sourced foods and/or providing on-site assistance with agricultural-based activities to help support your F2S program.

Local Procurement

Organization	Contact Information	Assistance Provided
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Office of Farm to Fork–Farm to School (F2S) Program	Contact: Michael Ackley-Grady Email: Michael.Ackley-Grady@cdfa.ca.gov	Connecting with local food producers and navigating F2S resources
Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)	Contact: Claire Tauber, F2S Manager Email: claire@caff.org	Provides technical assistance (TA) with procuring local foods, and a free Bid Generator, at BidGenerator , for purchasing local foods.

Agricultural-Based Education

Organization	Contact Information	Assistance Provided
The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources- Master Gardener Program	Select the county on the California map to identify the Master Gardener Program nearest you.	Garden-based education activities or Ask a Master Gardener a Question
California Foundation for Agriculture (Ag) in the Classroom	Contact: Executive Director Becca Whitman Phone: 916-561-5625 Email: info@learnaboutag.org	Ag in the Classroom literacy resources, programs, and funding opportunities, standards-aligned agricultural lessons and enrichment activities
Center for Ecoliteracy	Phone: 510-845-4595 Email: info@ecoliteracy.org	They can provide technical assistance by phone or email on F2Summer promotion, educational activities, and celebrations.

Food Safety

In-Person Training
Online Trainings
Additional Training Courses Databases
Resources
Additional Resource Databases
Food Safety on Farms

In-Person Training

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Produce Safety University (PSU) web page offers a week-long training course designed to help school food service staff identify and manage food safety risks associated with fresh produce. PSU addresses produce purchased from traditional suppliers, direct from farmers, and through the Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh program.

Online Trainings

Course Provider	Course Name
The USDA	Produce Safety Videos
Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN)	Produce Safety Videos
ICN	Food Safety in Schools (formerly Serving It Safe)
The USDA	Food Safety Flashes
The USDA	Produce Safety University: Take Home Training Modules

Additional Training Course Databases

• The ICN Food Safety web page has a wide-range of online courses on food safety and food allergy topics including cooling food, employee health and personal hygiene, food safety basics, food safety in schools, and many more that can support a safe and healthy F2S program.

Resources

Resource	Description
California Department of Food and Agriculture, Farm to School Food Safety Toolkit (PDF)	Food Safety is an element that must be addressed when implementing F2S efforts. School districts need to consider the farm where the food is produced and ensure that the appropriate practices are in place to help prevent potential foodborne illness. School food service professionals and farmers should familiarize themselves with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP). In addition, it is advisable for school districts and farmers to contact their state and/or County Health Department for information on local food safety requirements. This toolkit outlines food safety tips for farms and schools with farm to school programs.
Kansas State University Food Safety	Cafeteria food safety topics such as hand washing, food contamination, food borne illness, and more.
USDA Produce Safety Fact Sheets	Fact sheets on specific topics related to produce safety, including storing fresh produce, conducting a mock recall of produce in school nutrition program (SNP) operation, preserving locally harvested produce in schools, handling fresh produce in classrooms, and more.
ICN Produce Safety Fact Sheets	Information sheets that contain purchasing specifications, United States grades, domestic harvest months, desirable characteristics, and product and defects for many commonly eaten fruits and vegetables.
USDA Food Safe Schools Action Guide (PDF)	This guide is for school nutrition staff working to create an environment of best practices in food safety.
University of California, Davis Food Safety for CNPs Curriculum	This curriculum provides an instructor guide for teaching food safety, participant manual, PowerPoint slides, and an interactive staff activity.

Additional Resource Databases

• USDA Food Safety web page provides food safety education, instruction, and technical assistance resources to support program operators. The USDA relies on science-based food safety research and works closely with external food safety partners to make sure that these resources are useful and reflect current knowledge.
  
  
• CDE Food Safety web page provides information and links about food safety during food preparations and transfer, and California Uniform Retail Food Facility Law requirements.
  
  

Food Safety on Farms

Is purchasing produce directly from a farm safe? It all depends on the food safety practices in place at that farm. Smaller farms can become certified to follow Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) by an independent auditor to provide reassurance that the produce is grown with food safety in mind. Farms that are exempt from new laws, and do not have GAP certification should be able to provide you with their food safety plan.

Food Safety Modernization Act

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law in 2011 which gave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate the way foods are grown, harvested, packed and processed. The Produce Safety rule, a law published in 2016, was a requirement of the FSMA and established, for the first time, science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption. For more information on FSMA and the Final Rule on Produce Safety, visit FSMA web page.

The Produce Safety rule does not cover:

• Produce grown for personal or on-farm consumption
  
  
• Produce that is not a raw agricultural commodity. A raw agricultural commodity is any food in its raw or natural state, including all fruits that are washed, colored, or otherwise treated in their unpeeled natural form prior to marketing.
  
  
• Produce that receives commercial processing that adequately reduces the presence of microorganisms of public health significance (eligible for exemption)
  
  
• Small farms with gross sales less than $25,000 annually

Farms with under $500,000 in annual gross sales, and more than 50 percent of their sales are to consumers, restaurants, or retail food establishments located in the same state or within a 275 mile radius of their farm, are eligible for a qualified exemption from the Produce Safety Rule. For more information food safety, see below.

Good Agricultural Practices

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), which include Good Handling Practices (GHP), were formally implemented by the USDA and FDA in 2002. GAP is a voluntary audit program designed to verify that produce is grown, packed, handled, and stored as safely as possible. A GAP certificate is one way to show that a farm follows food safety practices. There are different GAP audit protocols such as harmonized GAP, Global GAP, and Group GAP that may have slightly different requirements. GAP auditors come from private companies, state departments of agriculture, and USDA. For more information about the USDA GAP and GHP, visit the USDA GAP-GHA web page .

Food Safety Plan

Small farms that are not GAP certified should provide you with a food safety plan. If the grower does not have a food safety plan, they should develop one. The Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) Food Safety Plan Templates web page has a sample Food Safety Template and offers trainings, technical assistance and food safety resources for farmers. .

Food Safety Toolkit

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has a Farm to School Food Safety Toolki (PDF) that includes food safety guidelines for farmers, distributors, and schools. Schools can find best practices make sure produce is safe when grown in a school garden and served in after school programs, taste-tests, and food service operations.

Food Safety and Procurement

Many school in California require GAP certification from their growers to reduce the risk of food-borne disease. However, for some farmers, GAP certification can be a barrier due to cost, and many do not have it. CNPs can ask farmers for a food safety plan or other evidence of good handling practices and may visit the farm to see their practices.

Policy Guidance

USDA Policy Memoranda and California Management Bulletins (MB)

The USDA has issued the following policy memoranda related to F2S activities for the CNPs. The NSD has issued the following Management Bulletins related to F2S activities.

Release Date	Subject	Reference number
7/29/2009	Federal School Garden Questions & Answers (Q&A) (PDF)	SP 32-2009
2/1/2011	Federal Procurement Geographic Preference Q&A	SP 18-2011
4/22/2011	Federal Final Rule: Geographic Preference Option Note that the geographic preference option was expanded in 2024.	Not Applicable
10/9/2012	Federal Procurement Geographic Preference Q&As: Part II	SP03 CACFP02, SFSP02-2013
11/12/2014	Federal Farm to School and School Garden Expenses	SP 06-2015
3/13/2015	Federal Use of State Administrative Expense (SAE) Funds and State Administrative Funds (SAF) for Farm to School Related Expenses	SP 28-2015
July 2015	State Farm to School and School Garden Expenses	SNP-08-2015
10/22/2015	Federal Procuring Local Meat, Poultry, Game, and Eggs for Child Nutrition Programs (PDF)	SP 01-2016, CACFP 01-2016, SFSP 01-2016
11/12/2015	Federal Local Foods and Related Activities in Summer Meal Programs	SP07 SFSP07-2016
January 2016	State Assessing Proposed Nutrition Education Costs	SNP-05-2016
June 2018	State Purchase of Locally Produced Foods	CNP-06-2018
February 2020	State Cafeteria Funds—Allowable Uses	SNP-05-2020
12/15/2021	Federal Updates to the Federal Micro-Purchase Threshold in 2 CFR 200.320(a)(1)	SP 02-2022, CACFP 03-2022, SFSP 01-2022
11/1/2023	Federal Crediting Traditional Indigenous Foods in Child Nutrition Programs	TA 01-2024
January 2024	State Federal Micropurchase & Small Purchase Thresholds	CNP-01-2024
5/14/2024	Federal Initial Implementation Memorandum: Child Nutrition Programs - Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans	SP 19-2024, CACFP 07-2024, SFSP 12-2024
5/22/2024	Federal Geographic Preference Expansion Related to the Final Rule titled, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans	SP 22-2024, CACFP 08-2024, SFSP 13-2024
6/26/2024	Federal Geographic Preference Option QA Memo	SP 24-2024, CACFP 10-2024, SFSP 14-2024
November 2024	State Applying Geographic Preference in Procurement MB	CNP-03-2024
January 2025	State Buy American Provision Management Bulletin	SNP-01-2025

Compliance

Procuring Local Foods

Procuring and serving local foods to children is an integral part of a F2S program. It is important to remember, however, that no matter where you purchase your food, all procurement procedures must comply with federal, state, and local procurement standards.

This means:

• Micropurchases should be distributed equally among qualified suppliers or farmers, to the maximum extent practicable. Micropurchases are purchases under $10,000. Program operators may self-certify a threshold of up to $50,000 on an annual basis and must maintain documentation of such self-certification. For more information visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Updates to the Federal Micro-Purchase Threshold policy memo. See CDE’s Management Bulletin on Federal Micropurchase and Small Purchase Thresholds, and CDE’s webpage on Procurement in School Nutrition Programs, in the Bid Threshold Tab.
  
  
• Simplified Acquisitions (formerly called small purchases) require at least two competitive quotes, which can be obtained informally. Simplified Acquisitions are up to $250,000.
  
  
• Purchases over $250,000 (the simplified acquisitions threshold require the formal purchase process using an invitation for bids or a request for proposals.

A variety of resources are available to help you follow the correct procedures, including the following web pages: 

• Procurement in CNPs
  This California Department of Education web page includes links to federal procurement regulations, California state laws, and answers to frequently asked questions. The USDA policy memos related to local procurement can be accessed in the Policy tab of this F2S web page.
  
  
• Procuring Local Foods
  This USDA Community Food Systems web page includes the comprehensive guide, Procuring Local Foods in CNPs, a series of 12 local procurement videos, seven Fact Sheets, and USDA procurement policy memos.
  
  
• Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS)
  Procurement Methods Quick Reference Table, PRU 14
  CNIPS > Applications > Download Forms > Form ID > PRU 14 - Procurement Methods Quick Reference Table

Contacts

California Department of Education F2S Contact

Farm to School

For questions about F2S, contact the F2S Team by email at Farm2School@cde.ca.gov.

Procurement

For questions related to procurement and procurement resources, email NSDProcurementReview@cde.ca.gov.

Nutrition Education Expenses

For questions related to nutrition education expenses, email NutrEdExpenditure@cde.ca.gov.

California F2S Network

For assistance locating farms to procure local foods, contact the F2S Network Team at the California Department of Food and Agriculture by email at cafarmtoschool@cdfa.ca.gov.