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March 14, 2024 - To advance farm-to-school projects statewide, the California Department of Food and Agriculture Office of Farm to Fork announced it is accepting applications for up to $52.8 million in grant funding.
The deadline to apply for the 2023-24 California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program is April 4.
Through a competitive grant process, funds are available through multiple funding tracks: Track 1, the California Farm to School TK-12 Procurement and Education Grant; Track 2, the California Farm to School Technical Assistance Grant; Track 3, the California Farm to Early Care and Education Grant; and Track 4, the California Farm to School Producer Grant.
The amount of funds awarded depends on the number of applications received.
The California Farm to School Producer Grant is for food producers and public-serving distribution enterprises to sell California-grown or -produced foods to the state’s school food market. Farmers are encouraged to apply for producer grant funding for the program, which helps build economic connections between farms and schools while enhancing healthy food offerings for students.
“Our Farm to School Incubator Grant Program offers a triple bottom-line win for farmers, local economies and kids,” CDFA Secretary Karen Ross said in a statement. “Farmers win in developing lasting relationships with local schools and students, local economies win in school food procurement dollars staying closer to home, and kids win through gaining the nutrition of California-grown or -produced food.”
To be eligible for program grants, applicants must show evidence of an established relationship with each California School Food Authority or childcare center operator of the Child and Adult Care Food Program to which they intend to sell food.
Grant funding prioritizes small to mid-sized food producers, military veterans and socially disadvantaged or limited-resource food producers. The program also focuses on producers using climate-smart agriculture practices and systems including certified organic or transitioning to certified organic, or other regenerative approaches.
McGrath Family Farmers Inc. in Ventura County, a past grant recipient, said in a statement that the farm “feels strongly about providing healthy, nutrient-dense organic food for our community.”
“We feel very happy the schools are highlighted for this cause and are thrilled to be a part of this program and to contribute,” the statement noted.
The CDFA Office of Farm to Fork received funding through the California Budget Acts of 2020, 2021 and 2022 to establish and continue the California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program. The program awarded $8.5 million to 60 farm-to-school projects in 2021 and $25.5 million to 120 projects in 2022.
CDFA Farm to School Program staff is conducting weekly Zoom sessions about the grant program request for applications. People may register for the Zoom sessions via the links under “Grant Info Sessions & Weekly Q&A Sessions” at www.cdfa.ca.gov/caf2sgrant/.
To apply or register for informational webinars, visit www.cdfa.ca.gov/caf2sgrant/. For more information or assistance, email cafarmtoschool@cdfa.ca.gov.
The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 32,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 5.5 million Farm Bureau members.
Source: Reprinted with permission CFBF
