State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball today announced that 16 organizations have been awarded over $1.5 million in funding through New York's Farm-to-School program, serving students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. Funding provided through the Farm-to-School program helps schools connect with local farmers, increase the use of locally grown food on school menus, and improve student health, while providing increased economic benefits to New York's farmers. This builds on the Governor's commitment to increasing the resilience and capacity of New York's food system and to strengthening the agricultural industry by creating additional demand for New York-grown agricultural products.

Commissioner Ball said, "In New York State, we're lucky to have some of the highest quality agricultural producers in the world right at our fingertips. New York's Farm-to-School Program incorporates fresh, locally grown foods into school menus while increasing students' understanding of where - and who - their meals come from. Today's awarded projects are great examples of how we are helping to connect the dots between our growers and the communities they serve, strengthen our local food system, and provide a boost to our farmers statewide. I look forward to seeing the impact that these projects will make here in the Southern Tier and across the state."

As part of the announcement and kickoff to Farm-to-School Month, Commissioner Ball visited C R Weeks Elementary School in Windsor, NY, joining staff, students, and local farmers, to highlight the school's sourcing of New York farm products and take part in a special New York Taste Test of an Apple Crisp Parfait, featuring New York oats, yogurt, and apples from Russell Farms. The elementary school's food service program is supported by Broome-Tioga BOCES, whose Farm-to-School program was awarded $100,000 through this latest round of Farm-to-School funding.

The funding will build on a longstanding collaboration between the Rural Health Network of South-Central New York (RHN), Broome-Tioga BOCES (BT BOCES), Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County (CCE Broome), 15 participating school districts, and local farm and food business partners to increase the volume and variety of New York State farm products purchased and served in school meal programs. It will also help the organizations build capacity across the program to ensure long-term sustainability and impact. The program aims to connect small- to mid-scale and historically underserved food producers within the Southern Tier with K-12 markets, provide opportunities for students to learn about local agriculture and the food system while increasing their access to healthy, local foods, expanding training opportunities and resources for school food service staff, and increasing the availability of minimally processed local products for school meals.

A complete list of projects awarded across the state include:

Capital Region

• Comfort Food of Washington County Inc, $99,440: The project will aid school districts in increasing the volume and variety of New York State farm products purchased for school meal programs in Washington, Warren, and Saratoga counties.
• North Colonie Central School District, $99,346: The funding will helpincrease the access to New York State farm products in school meals, support local food taste tests, and establish engaging agriculture-based instruction within the district.

Central NY

• Syracuse City School District, $100,000: The funding will help hire a project coordinator to focus on Farm-to-School efforts. The project coordinator will broaden New York State procurement activities, build partnerships with farmers, and strengthen regional Farm-to-School efforts.

Finger Lakes

• Attica Central School District, $100,000: The project will expand the Farm-to-School program by adding seasonal cafeteria staff during harvest season to process, store, and prepare farm products; increasing farm product taste tests to support cafeteria menu expansion; and expanding from a school garden to a school farm with an Outdoor Kitchen Classroom to offer students hands-on learning experiences.

Mid-Hudson

• Sullivan Catskills Regional Food Hub Inc., $97,804: The project will support the creation, testing, and market readiness of school food items using New York State farm products at five area schools.
• Poughkeepsie Farm Project, $100,000: The funding will support an Education Manager and Education Coordinator to develop and implement Farm-to-School educational curriculum, promotional materials, and guidance at three area schools.

Mohawk Valley

• Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School, $50,335: The funding will go toward increasing the volume and variety of New York State food by installing a greenhouse and planting fruit trees on the school grounds along with the purchase of new equipment to help serve farm-fresh products.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schoharie and Otsego Counties, $100,000: The project will build on the existing Farm-to-School program by engaging with 10 area school districts to improve student access to nutritious New York State agricultural products.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County, $98,855: The project will focus on local food awareness, the development of a Farm-to-School Advisory Work Group, and build relationships between the local community, schools, and agricultural stakeholders.

North Country

• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Franklin County, $100,000: The funding will help four school districts implement and improve their Farm-to-School programs. This project will work to strengthen the current Farm-to-School supply chain and encourage all districts to work towards the 30% New York State Initiative.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County, $98,058: The funding will expand the program's frozen product line by increasing freezer storage capacity and including locally sourced beef and pork in area schools.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County, $80,890: The funding will support schools in Essex County by providing agricultural education to students and helping with procurement of local farm products and farmer outreach.

Southern Tier

• Delaware-Chenango-Madison-Otsego BOCES, $94,615: The funding will support a Farm-to-School coordinator to implement regular NY Thursdays, design taste tests, cultivate of community partnerships, and tailor program initiatives to address local needs.
• Rural Health Network of SCNY, Inc, $100,000: The project will serve 15 school districts in Broome and Tioga Counties to increase the volume and variety of New York State farm products purchased and served in school meal programs, and to build capacity of the Farm-to-School program.

Western NY

• Salamanca City School District, $100,000: The project will fund a food truck that will be used to broaden procurement and use of locally sourced produce and meats. The food truck would also be used as a teaching tool for students who are interested in business, culinary arts, and cultural events.
• Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School, $100,000: The funding will help increase the amount of New York State farm products through "Harvest of the Month" themes, student taste tests, educational exploration activities, and events centered around New York State farm products.

Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, Chair, Assembly Agriculture Committee said, "New York's Farm-to-School Program incorporates fresh, locally grown foods into school menus, while teaching students an important lesson about where their food comes from. I'm glad to see that this round of funding will benefit our local Farm-to-School collaboration between Rural Health Network, BT BOCES, and CCE Broome to reach 15 area school districts. I'd like to thank Governor Hochul, Commissioner Ball, and my colleagues for their continued support of this important program. I look forward to advocating for its growth across the State in the coming year."

Senator Michelle Hinchey, Chair, Senate Agriculture Committee, said, "Every New York student deserves to eat healthy, locally grown food as part of the meals they receive at school. By expanding farm-to-school partnerships, we're creating a clear win-win that supports our kids and delivers economic development opportunities for New York farmers. As a major advocate for expanding New York's Farm-to-School program, I'm thrilled to see many grant awards go toward helping schools create new programs and bring more New York farm products into cafeterias."

Senator Lea Webb said, "The Farm-to-School program has been a game changer in connecting our farmers with their communities, while ensuring that students have access to healthy, fresh, and local food to fuel their day of learning and playing. It's a shining example of how we can strengthen our food system, reduce food insecurity, and support farmers across New York State. I want to congratulate all the award recipients and will continue to support their programs. Their efforts help our community and state to thrive."

Erin Summerlee, Food and Health Network Director of Rural Health Network, said, "We are incredibly grateful to New York State for this critical investment in the Broome-Tioga Farm-to-School Program. Farm-to-School is a powerful initiative that not only supports student health and learning by providing access to fresh, nutritious food, but also strengthens our rural communities by creating reliable markets for local farms and food businesses. This grant will expand capacity to foster these local connections, building a sustainable program model that best serves our local farms, school food staff, and students, ensuring long-term positive impacts for everyone involved."

Beth Roberts, Executive Director of CCE Broome, said, "Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County is proud to support local Farm-to-School efforts through our nutrition and agriculture programs. In partnership with Broome-Tioga BOCES and the Rural Health Network of South-Central NY, we work to bring fresh, locally sourced produce into school cafeterias while educating students about the importance of healthy eating and the vital role farms play in our local food system. We are incredibly grateful to Governor Hochul and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for their continued support of Farm-to-School funding."

Julie Raway, School Nutrition Services Registered Dietitian for Broome-Tioga BOCES, said, "We appreciate the support of the State, along with our dedicated Farm-to-School partners, the Rural Health Network of South-Central NY, and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County. Their assistance has enabled us to feature local New York State foods on our menus through the NY Thursdays Program, educating students about where their food comes from. This initiative provides students with a range of local menu options, helping to broaden their palates and foster lifelong healthy eating habits. This grant not only enables us to feature a variety of local menu options monthly but also provides essential training for our staff. By equipping our team with knowledge on preparing local foods, we're enhancing our nutrition program and promoting healthier choices in our K-12 community. Together, we're cultivating a deeper connection to local agriculture and inspiring our students to embrace nutritious, locally sourced meals."

Mike Russell, Owner of Russell Farms, said, "For Russell Farms the Farm-to-School program has provided a means of consistent revenue in the slower winter months, allowing us to keep more of our employees year-round versus seasonally. The program has created lasting business relationships and valuable farm awareness."

About the New York State Farm-to-School Program

New York's Farm-to-School program, now in its ninth round, helps Kindergarten through Grade 12 schools to increase the volume and variety of locally grown and produced food on school menus, which provides an important boost to the agricultural economy and brings additional business to New York farmers. Since the launch of the Farm-to-School program in 2015, $8.7 million has been awarded to more than 100 projects, benefiting school districts in every region across the State.

With over 700 school districts in New York State, there are significant benefits of Farm-to-School programs across the State, including teaching children about New York agriculture; improving student health and well-being; strengthening the local agricultural economy; and building healthy communities. Additionally, the program helps schools and farms address the challenges associated with procuring, storing, and serving local food, such as a lack of equipment to store and prepare fresh, minimally processed foods; a lack of access to farms that sell directly to schools and finding distributors that carry New York products; and more.

These investments build on Governor Hochul's efforts to support New York farmers and producers and connect them to new markets through programs, ensuring that New York remains New York's first and best customer. The FY 2024 Enacted Budget raised the discretionary threshold for food purchasing for schools to $150,000, a significant increase from the previous threshold. In addition to the Farm-to-School program, the New York State 30% Initiative increases the reimbursement schools receive for lunches from 5.9 cents per meal to 25 cents per meal for any district that ensures their school lunches are made up of at least 30 percent eligible New York produced and processed products. Additionally, the state's Regional School Food Infrastructure program recently awarded $10 million to projects in Western New York and the North Country to improve meal preparation and distribution for Kindergarten through Grade 12 students. First announced in the Governor's 2023 State of the State, the program will provide $50 million over five years to eligible applicants in all ten regions of New York State to facilitate the on-site processing and preparation of fresh, nutritious meals, increase the use of more healthy, local New York food products, and provide a boost to New York farmers.