Ready to Tender: Preparing farmers to supply to school feeding - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Growing Stronger Together Ready to Tender: Preparing farmers to supply to school feeding programs

Growing Stronger Together Overview • Agriculture procurement in the the US – Who sells locally to schools? • Value proposition to farmers • US Procurement Policy – Funds available – Strategies to increase local sales

Growing Stronger Together

Growing Stronger Together Who grows the food

Growing Stronger Together Who sells local?

Growing Stronger Together Spike in direct market sales

Value to farmers Growing Stronger Together 1. Expand market opportunity, income potential 2. Sell ‘surplus’ product 3. Diversify market, help manage risk 4. Generate awareness and marketing opportunity for farm and products 5. Increase demand and awareness for local foods 6. Circulates money within the community to support the local and state economy

Growing Stronger Together

Connecting to policy Growing Stronger Together Expenditures on nutrition programs

Growing Stronger Together

Growing Stronger Together USDA Farm to School Grant Program Assist eligible entities in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools Types of grants; Planning, Support, Implementation, Training

Growing Stronger Together U S D A G ra n ts a n d L o a n s th a t S u p p o rt F a rm to S ch o o l A ctivitie s Funding from the US Department of Agriculture is available to assist farms, schools, and every link in between in feeding kids healthy local meals; teaching them about food, farming and nutrition; and supporting local agricultural economies. While the programs listed below provide a good starting point for those looking to bolster farm to school efforts, other USDA grant and loan programs support local food systems work as well. Visit www.usda.gov/ knowyourfarmer for more information. I am a I am a I am a I am a I am a I am a I am a S ta te A ge n cy o r N o n -P ro fit P riva te B u sin e ss, P u b lic F a rm e r, R a n ch e r, H igh e r E d u ca tio n K -1 2 P u b lic, P riva te , L o ca l G o ve rn m e n t T rib a l B e n e fits C o rp o ra tio n , o r o r F a rm L a n d o w n e r o r In d ia n T rib a l S ch o o l O rga n iza tio n In stitu tio n A g C o -O p G o ve rn m e n t/ O rg. Farmers Market Farmers Market and Farmers Market Farmers Market Federal-State Farm to School Farmers Market and Local Food Local Food and Local Food and Local Food Marketing Planning & and Local Food Promotion G rants Promotion G rants Promotion G rants Promotion G rants Improvement G rants Implementation Promotion G rants G rants Farm Storage Farm to School Farm Loans Federal-State Farm Loans Facility Loans Support Service & Farm to School Marketing Equipment C onference and C onference / Farm Storage Improvement Assistance G rants Event G rants Farm Storage Farm to School Event G rants Facility Loans G rants Facility Loans Support Service & Beginning Farmer C onference / Event C ommunity Specialty C rop Beginning Farmer Agriculture, Food and Rancher G rants Facilities G rants Farm to School Block G rants and Rancher and Research Development and Loans Support Service & Development Initiative G rants G rants C onference and C ommunity Food Farm to School G rants Event G rants Project G rants Support Service & Sustainable Ag Business and C onference / Event Sustainable Ag Research and Industry G uaranteed Sustainable Ag G rants Agriculture, Food Research and Education G rants Loans Research and and Research Education G rants Education G rants Team Nutrition Initiative G rants Training G rants C ommunity Business and Business and Facilities G rants Sustainable Ag Industry Industry G uaranteed Beginning Farmer and Loans Research and G uaranteed Loans Note: Eligibility guidelines can be Loans and Rancher Education G rants Development Rural Business quite specific, so be sure to confirm G rants Rural Business Enterprise and Value-Added Business and Enterprise and your eligibility on the webpage for the O pportunity G rants Producer G rants Industry G uaranteed O pportunity G rants Business and Loans grant or loan program before Industry G uaranteed Loans applying. In addition, non-eligible Value-Added C ommunity Producer G rants Facilities G rants and entities can often partner with eligible C ommunity Loans F u n d in g A ge n cy Facilities G rants entities to benefit from programs they and Loans Rural Business might not otherwise have access to. Enterprise and Agricultural Marketing Service O pportunity G rants Rural Business Farm Service Agency Enterprise and O pportunity G rants Rural C ooperative Food and Nutrition Service Development G rants National Institute of Food and Agriculture Value-Added Rural Development Producer G rants

Growing Stronger Together Summary • Small-medium sized family farmers participate in farm to school • Farmers see increased income and stability • Farm to school is a growing U.S. Market – Potential at 20 billion a year  currently around 1 billion • Systems change requires federal and state policies to help farmers sell to local markets

Staying Engaged Growing Stronger Together Erin McGuire, erin@farmtoschool.org Policy Director Join our network: www.farmtoschool.org Twitter: @FarmtoSchool Facebook: http://on.fb.me/nfsnf2s