USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center Quarterly Webinar (October 2024)
Farm-to-School Partnerships: Expanding Market Opportunities for Farmers and Food Producers
The USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center’s recent quarterly webinar, “Farm-to-School Partnerships: Expanding Market Opportunities for Farmers and Food Producers,” featured speakers from Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, California Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), and USDA Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS).
Speakers provided insights into farm to school programs and initiatives taking place across regional, state, and national levels. These programs and initiatives include Movement Building Workshops led by Utah Farm to Fork, to help interested farmers, ranchers, and producers connect to their region network and gain resources and training related to participating in farm to school; direct service assistance for procurement and statewide events such as the California Crunch Day from CAFF, who has been supporting and leading Farm to school programs for 20 years; and the USDA FNS Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program, which aims to assists child nutrition program operators incorporate local foods through grant funding, technical assistance, training, and more.