Virginia Farm to School
What is Virginia Farm to School?
The Virginia Farm to School program increases equitable access to fresh, healthy, Virginia grown food while providing hands-on learning opportunities in a variety of educational settings. Across Virginia, schools and community sponsors of federal child nutrition programs express a growing enthusiasm to provide nutritious food, support local farms, and educate students about healthy eating, agriculture, and the environment.
Upcoming Virginia Farm to School Events
- Virginia Farm to School Week is the first full week of October each year. The next Virginia Farm to School Week will occur October 3–7, 2022.
- The Crunch Heard ‘Round the Commonwealth increases awareness of Virginia farm to school programs. To celebrate the event, participants across Virginia will simultaneously take a bite out of a Virginia grown apple. Together, we will make some noise for farm to school programs! The “Crunch” is held during Virginia Farm to School Week each year. Registration and date coming soon.
- The next Virginia Farm to School Conference will be held October 19, 2022 in Charlottesville, VA. Registration coming soon.
- Bringing the Farm to School Agricultural Producer trainings will be offered February-March 2023. Registration and dates coming soon.
- Virginia Farm to School Regional Network meetings will be held February-March 2023. Registration and dates coming soon.
Resources
The Virginia Farm to School program is comprised of three core elements: procurement, education, and school gardens. The Virginia Department of Education, Office of School Nutrition Programs offers a variety of resources for schools, community sponsors, and Virginia farm to school stakeholders for implementing and expanding these elements at the local level.
Procurement Resources
- Virginia Harvest of the Month Request for Information (RFI) Template-This is a Word document.
- Local Food Tracking Tool-This is an excel spreadsheet.
- Forward Contract for Agricultural Products Template-This is a Word document.
- Produce RFP Template (Coming soon!)
- Procurement initiatives:
Education Resources
- Visit our Harvest of the Month page for resources.
School Garden Resources
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between School Garden and School Nutrition Program Template-This is a Word document.
- School Garden Map (Coming soon!)
General Resources
- Join the Virginia Farm to School Network
to receive information regarding Virginia farm to school events and Regional Network meetings. - 2021–2026 Virginia Farm to School Strategic Plan-This is a PDF document.
- Virginia Farm to School Toolkit (Coming soon!)
Partner Resources
- Connect with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Virginia Grown program.
For More Information
For assistance or to inquire about additional resources, please email Bee Thorp, SNP Farm to School Specialist, at Brittany.Thorp@doe.virginia.gov.