We offer a variety of avenues and trainings to help you get acclimated with our programs and get the most out of farm to school. Farm to school plays a fundamental role in establishing real change in healthy behaviors. The farm to school approach – when taken in it’s entirety is a holistic approach. Farm to school’s focus is connecting communities with their local food producers and fresh, healthy food by implementing local food sourcing and food and agriculture education in schools. Students gain access to nutritious, local food products and unique educational opportunities such as school gardens, cooking lessons, and farm field trips. As a result, students and their families are empowered to make healthier food choices while strengthening the local economy and their community.
We strive to assist you by coordinating professional development opportunities and identifying resources for staff training. For successful programs with the best outcomes, we encourage you to start small and choose activities that fit your needs. We are happy to assist you in this process! Check out the list below of the available trainings our team offers. If you have any questions or need additional assistance, please email us at louisianafarmtoschool@agcenter.lsu.edu
Available Trainings:
Bringing the Farm to School: A Training Program for Agricultural Producers
Schools offer a strong market opportunity for local producers. More than 30 million students enjoy meals at school through the National School Lunch Program each day, and according to a USDA Farm to School Census , schools across the country purchased more than $789 million in local foods during the 2013-2014 school year, and that total has continued to increase. At the state level, 55.6 percent of school districts that responded to the Census are participating in farm to school activities.
Program Goal: To give agricultural producers training and tools to build their capacity to launch or grow efforts to market to schools, therefore increasing sales to schools for farmers while expanding farm to school activities for students in schools and communities across the nation.
Who Should Attend? Farmers, ranchers and local food processors who are looking to learn strategies for growing and selling their products to school districts.
Contact information: For more information, please email louisianafarmtoschool@agcenter.lsu.edu or call 225-578-6975.
When and Where Stay tuned for regional trainings to be offered in Spring 2022.