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Connect with your state
Farm to school is taking place in all 50 states, D.C. and U.S. Territories! Select a location from the list below to learn more or contact a Core Partner.
Trainings & Cohorts
Learning opportunities with National Farm to School Network
As part of our work to advance the farm to school movement, National Farm to School Network regularly offers learning, relationship-building, and professional development opportunities for folks to engage with us and each other on a deeper level.
These opportunities include trainings, learning cohorts, and communities of practice that facilitate our vision for strong and just local food systems in unique ways, by supporting those who engage in the day-to-day work of farm to school and ECE.
Below are some of NFSN’s current projects that offer training and professional development opportunities. We are currently recruiting for the first cohort of the Fundamentals of Farm to School & CACFP—learn more below.
Fundamentals of Farm to School & CACFP
Fundamentals was created in response to feedback from State agency employees expressing a need for foundational training in farm to school and early care and education (ECE) as part of their onboarding. Many farm to school and ECE professionals enter their roles without prior background in farm to school and food systems, and there is currently no standardized method for acquiring knowledge of farm to school and ECE concepts.
To address this gap, the National Farm to School Network, in collaboration with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Community Food Systems Division (CFSD), developed the Fundamentals of Farm to School & Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Training and Handbook. This initiative aims to support the onboarding of new employees in state agencies and other statewide organizations and to provide a refresher course for those already familiar with farm to school or CACFP practices, facilitating and expanding knowledge in this critical area.
We are currently accepting applications for the first cohort to participate in the Fundamentals training until November 22, 2024.
Farm to School Coordinators Project
Over the years of interacting with our Partners and school districts, we saw that one of the key factors that determines the success and expansion of a farm to school program is the presence of a dedicated farm to school coordinator position. As one of the recipients of the 2023 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program, National Farm to School Network launched our Farm to School Coordinators Project with support from the USDA and Life Time Foundation.
Our goal with this project is to scale up farm to school implementation nationwide by establishing more dedicated farm to school coordinator positions at school districts. We have established two cohorts to provide unique professional development opportunities, support school communities, and develop research-driven resources to help make the case for the farm to school coordinator position. We are now excited to announce the first cohorts of the Farm to School Coordinators Community of Practice (CoP) and School District Working Group (WG). The collective impact of the cohorts will be far-reaching—together, the cohort members represent 21 school districts and 433,950 students across the country.
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Racial Equity Learning Lab
As part of our work to advance racial equity within the farm to school movement, we are excited to partner with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to convene the Racial Equity Learning Lab (the “Lab”). In 2020, NFSN launched the pilot Lab and co-developed curriculum to advance the understanding of racial equity in farm to school with a 13-person, cross-sector cohort from across the country. Now, in partnership with the USDA, NFSN is building upon the program to deepen the understanding of how racial equity can be integrated with farm to school.
We are excited to announce that the second cohort of this new iteration of the Lab has been formed—learn more about this project and meet our 2024 cohort members below.