Introduction

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This year, we saw state and federal policy wins that reflected the persistence and dedication of NFSN’s Partners to policies that ensure every child is nourished, every producer earns a fair living, and every community thrives. As the year ends, we are filled with gratitude for the advocacy and dedication in our movement that made these milestones possible. 

At our Partner Annual Meeting in Minneapolis this August, we read poet Marge Piercy’s admonition to: 

“Fight persistently as the creeper that brings down the tree.

Spread like the squash plant that overruns the garden.” 

Across the country, the results of November’s election will shape the opportunities and challenges in front of us in 2025. As we work together to protect our progress and continue to improve how these programs work for everyone – especially new ones that are in the process of being implemented – it’s imperative to celebrate the success we have had. 

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Federal Policy

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This year was filled with bright spots in federal policy, even as some major legislative items, such as the Farm Bill and Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2025, remain unfinished. 

USDA released its Final Rule on Child Nutrition Program Standards which include major wins for farm to school

  • Geographic Preference in Local Purchasing: Child nutrition programs will now be able to use “locally grown,” “locally raised,” or “locally caught” as a specification requirement for fresh and minimally processed food items. This is a longtime policy priority of NFSN and we are delighted to realize this change! It simplifies the geographic preference process for child nutrition programs, making it easier to purchase local foods. Read more on NFSN’s blog.
  • Native Foods: USDA strengthens its previous guidance that traditional Indigenous foods may be served in reimbursable school meals by including it in this rule. This gives programs more certainty that they can incorporate these products. It also finalizes the proposal to allow vegetable substitution for grains in programs serving American Indian or Alaska Native students, and in Guam and Hawai’i.  
    Read more on     NFSN’s blog.

Historic awards for the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program
In July, USDA announced its latest round of awards for the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant. $14.7 million was awarded to 154 projects in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. This round of funding allowed the Patrick Leahy Farm to School grant to exceed $100 million in funding since 2013. In November, NFSN released a retrospective report and interactive dashboard, visually summarizing the impact of the program, and celebrating over a decade of implementation. View these resources here.

Pressure increases to target federal funding
After Congress addresses a funding extension to keep the federal government open beyond December 20, it must still pass final funding for Fiscal Year 2025 – and the process for FY 2026 will begin again in February! Farm to school advocates must press for the highest possible funding level to support farm to school in this difficult funding environment. 

USDA invests $1.2 billion for local foods in farm to school and ECE settings
In December, USDA released the new request for applications for the second round of the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program to support the purchase of locally and regionally produced foods. This investment from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) builds on the success of the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, which initially received $200 million, by adding $471.5 million for K-12 schools and a first-ever $188.6 million for early care and education (ECE) settings. Read NFSN’s December 11 blog post about this new round and find tools for advocates to get involved.

USDA launches 2023 Farm to School Census results
In October, USDA shared that 74,433 schools with 45.6 million students, representing 74.1% of school food authorities across the country, reported participating in farm to school activities in the 2022-23 school year. Collectively, these schools spent an estimated $1.8 billion on local food. These results mark a 10.5% increase in school participation from the 2019 census, and a 75% increase from the 2015 census. View the census results here.

Federal School Meals for All bills continue to be introduced
In 2024, two key Senate bills were introduced to help streamline access and increase participation for eligible schools in the National school lunch and breakfast programs. The Nutrition Red Tape Reduction Act (S.4523) expands eligibility for the Community Eligibility Program, while the School Hunger Elimination Act (S.4525) takes further steps to improve access and efficiency of the program, as well as providing funding to encourage participation in CEP. 

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At the State Level

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Last year in 2023, just over 50 bills related to farm to school passed, including some bills that combined School Meals for All and farm to school. While more wins occurred in 2024, there was more focus on implementation of the many state and federal programs established in recent years.

USDA State Farm to School Formula Grant and Local Food for Schools (LFS) implementation take root
While these federal programs are administered by USDA, the designs of these programs and implementation are up to state-level agencies (see NFSN’s LFS Program Matrix here). LFS began in 2022, but many states were still administering their programs in 2024. The incredible popularity of this program led to USDA announcing a second round. This year, NFSN hosted several webinar spotlights to highlight innovative LFS models, and has engaged in a collaboration with Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic to research models, develop case studies, and identify an advocacy strategy for a permanent federal program. Looking forward, NFSN will support state-level advocates and agency officials as the second round of funding unfolds.

2024 wins for farm to school
All existing local food purchasing programs secured funding for another year, with many programs continuing to grow (Alabama’s incentive grew from $120,000 in 2020 to $550,000 in 2024!) Connecticut launched the first year of its state-funded Local Food for Schools Incentive Program, a continuation of the federal LFS program. New Hampshire and Iowa also passed pilot local food purchasing incentive programs, with New Jersey’s LFPI bill passing out of committee on December 12, 2024! Some states established commissions, with Pennsylvania establishing a Commission for Agricultural Education Excellence and Virginia establishing a Farm to School Task Force within the Department of Education.  

Innovative bills that didn’t quite make it through the finish line
Hawai‘i proposed a recognition program for schools working toward 30% local food purchasing by 2030 and increasing the small purchase threshold for local foods. Other legislation to support local procurement included Oklahoma’s Local Food for Schools Revolving Fund, with Massachusetts, Pennsylvania proposing similar incentive programs. Oklahoma and Wisconsin introduced grant programs to support farm to school efforts, while Arizona focused on school garden grants. Minnesota sought funding for regional farm to institution coordinators, and New York reintroduced a youth in agriculture summer employment program for the second time, which would prioritize historically underserved groups, such as youth of color, children of migrant workers, and youth whose families make below 150% of the poverty level. On the early childcare and education side, Kentucky proposed incorporating “outdoor nature-based child care” into state regulations. Although these bills did not pass, they underscore a growing commitment to strengthening local food systems and farm to school programs.

A year of healthy school meals for all implementation
In 2024, eight states representing over 20% of the US children implemented school meals for all (universal meals) policies. Additional states (OR, NY, WA) have policies that allow a vast majority of students in the state to enjoy no cost school meals. The popularity of school meals for all policies has led to budget shortfalls causing concern for some advocates, but this is the result of the resounding success of these programs, with record meal participation and more kids being fed nourishing meals at school (see MA’s Terrific Trays program). In July, NFSN began a community of practice for child nutrition professionals, agency staff, and advocates in the eight states with permanent policies. 
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While no additional school meals for all policies were passed in 2024, many states passed incremental bills to increase access to school meals (VA, DE, AZ, OK, MD). NFSN has been supporting six state coalitions in pursuit of values-aligned policies to expand school meal access. These coalitions are building grassroots support and combining farm to school in their advocacy to push school meals for all legislation forward in their communities.

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The Year Ahead

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Make sure your state/territory applies for Local Food for Schools funding
The deadline for the next round of LFS cooperative agreements is April 30, 2025. Now is the time to connect with farm to school champions in your area and inform what this next round will look like. Read NFSN’s December 11 blog post about this new round and find tools for advocates to get involved.

New presidential administration, new legislative leaders
In the year ahead, NFSN aims to work together with Partners to strengthen and forge new federal Congressional relationships. With tight margins expected in both chambers, the new Congress presents an opportunity to engage strategically with key federal legislators on relevant House and Senate committees, educating them on how farm to school and related policies impact communities in their district and state. More than 60 new House members are headed to Washington this January, as well as twelve incoming Senators. New legislators may be looking for issues to champion and are an important audience to educate on the benefits of farm to school in their district.

Highlighting and Protecting State Innovations
Attention will turn to state governments as they maintain their priorities in the changing federal landscape. States that have implemented innovative and robust farm to school policies will need to highlight program accomplishments and protect this investment. Moreover, state legislators on both sides of the aisle will be interpreting the 2024 election results for their own takeaways on how their policies can speak to voters.

Farm to School Act
As a result of the 2024 election, two original sponsors of the 2023 Farm to School Act lost reelection. NFSN will seek a new Republican sponsor in the House to replace Rep. Marc Molinaro (NY-19), and in the Senate, a new Democratic sponsor to replace Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH). Once new sponsors are identified and confirmed, NFSN will work with our new and existing legislative champions to reintroduce the Farm to School Act in the upcoming Congress.

Farm Bill
With a December 31 deadline looming, lawmakers remain in heated negotiations over a deal to extend the current 2018 farm bill for a second time, punting the responsibility of passing a new farm bill to the next Congress. NFSN remains committed to our Farm Bill policy priorities that reflect support for policy changes within our core sphere of expertise, and wider spheres where we can stand in solidarity with calls to shift the economic, cultural, and decision-making power governing our food system.

Potential Child Nutrition Reauthorization Attempt in 2025
The last reauthorization of omnibus child nutrition legislation, the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, is almost ten years overdue for renewal. It remains to be seen whether the 119th Congress will take up this package – we are eager to build on the amazing progress in child nutrition since 2010, but also stand ready to defend the strength of these programs from potential attempts to reduce funding or access. 

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Upcoming Resources and Actions from NFSN

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See you at the National National Farm to Cafeteria Conference
The 10th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference is officially scheduled for June 3-6, 2025 in Albuquerque, NM! Hosted by NFSN, this biennial event (not hosted since 2018 due to the pandemic) will convene hundreds of movement leaders working to source local food for institutional cafeterias and foster a culture of healthy food and agricultural literacy across America. There will be opportunities for networking and peer learning among policy advocates at all levels – you won’t want to miss it. View our webpage here.

‍Releasing new edition of the State Policy Handbook, continued bill tracking
In February, NFSN and collaborators at Vermont Law School will release the new Handbook edition, designed to analyze and provide an overview of over two decades of legislation. This edition will include bills from 2021-2023, and unveil a new interactive database of bills, and offer additional insights on bills that expand school meals access, support workers’ rights, and provide funding for kitchen equipment and infrastructure in addition to farm to school bills. NFSN staff and law student researchers will continue to review 2025 bills in real time to provide advocates with the most up to date information on the current legislative session. Review the 2021 Handbook edition here.

Policy programs you won’t want to miss

  • Continuing Quarterly State Policy Roundtables and Policy Office Hours
  • Continuing support for School Meals for All implementing states and active coalitions 
  • Topics to address in webinars and huddles:some text
    • The State of Local Food Purchasing Incentives - webinar - January 9th [Register here]
    • Local Food for Schools Advocacy Huddles
    • Advocacy trainings for different experience levels
    • Time to Eat bills
    • Revisiting Cash in Lieu 
    • USDA’s Expanded Geographic Preference After One Year
  • New resources on the horizon
    • USDA Local Food for Schools Program Research Project (report)
    • Centering Youth in School Meals for All Advocacy (brief)
    • Framing budgets for School Meals for All Policies (brief)
    • Pathways for Values-Aligned Universal Meals (report)
    • Policy Spotlight: Regional Farm to School Coordinators (brief)

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In Case You Missed It: NFSN Policy Resources from 2024

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  • Healthy School Meals for All
    • Youth Engagement in School Meals for All Advocacy [webinar]
    • Transforming School Meals: How School Meals for All Policies Can Drive Food System Change [webinar]
    • How School Meals for All Can Improve Meal Quality and Put Local Food on the Menu [brief] 
    • Meal Participation Continues to Rise in States After Two Years of Healthy School Meals for All [brief]
    • Graphics That Demonstrate The Mutual Benefits of Farm to School and School Meals for All [blog] ‍
  • ‍For more resources, see NFSN’s Full Values Aligned Universal School Meals Resource Compilation
  • Local Food Purchasing Incentives
    Visit NFSN’s new LFPIs web page for an updated map of state programs and a comprehensive hub of resources, including state-level evaluations and a suite of resources developed by NFSN and the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems in 2024. Resources include:
    • An Introduction to Incentives
    • The Benefits of Local Food Purchasing Incentives
    • State-Level Policies to Support Farm to School Local Food Purchasing Since 2020 
    • Program Administration
    • Program Development Considerations & Team Planning Guide
    • Expanded Local Food Purchasing Incentives: Programs that Reimburse More than Food 
    • Incorporating Additional Values into Incentive Programs 
    • Farmer-Focused Incentives: What if States Funded Farmers to Sell to Schools?
    • How the Designs of Local Food Purchasing Incentives Affect Spending on Local Food
  • Farm to ECE Local Food Purchasing Incentive Flash Talk Series, co-hosted with ASPHN [webinar - Part 1 and Part 2] 
  • Other Farm to School Policy Resources
    • What is Values-Based Purchasing? [brief] 
    • Farm to School Grants for Producers [spotlight] 
    • FoodTrails: Rhode Island's Pilot Local Food Tracking Software for Schools [webinar]