By purchasing and highlighting locally-grown foods in meals programs, classrooms, fundraisers, and special events, schools and farmers can connect through locally-grown foods. Farm to school initiatives improve students’ access to local, fresh fruits and vegetables while providing Michigan farmers with market opportunities.

Numerous issues, such as the seasonality of local produce, distribution, competitive bidding, menu planning and food preparation can make farm to school challenging. However, farm to school programs offer important benefits like fresher food, increased variety, hands-on teaching tools, greater ability for school food service directors to specify needs, and support of the local economy and community.

Schools and school districts, food service professionals, farmers, and distributors are working together in several areas of the state to overcome challenges, and improve the distribution of local products and the availability of seasonal produce for school meals programs. State government agencies like the Departments of Education and Agriculture, community organizations like the Michigan Land Use Institute (MLUI) and the Food System Economic Partnership (FSEP), agricultural commodity groups, and universities are supporting their efforts.

The C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University is working to link farm to school initiatives throughout the state in order to improve communication, share resources, and learn from each other. Additionally, we create tools and resources to support these programs, and provide technical assistance and policy support for farm to school in Michigan. To learn more about Michigan Farm to School and view Purchasing Michigan Products: A Step-By-Step Guide, a local purchasing manual for school food service directors, please visit our website at www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu.