From FamilyFarmed.org, the On-Farm Food Safety Project (OFFS) helps you learn about food safety, create an individualized on-farm food safety plan, and become food safety certified.

The Office of Community Food Systems (OCFS) helps child nutrition program operators incorporate local foods in the National School Lunch Program and its associated programs, as well as the Summer Food Service Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program. In addition, OCFS staff works with tribal communities to respond to their desire to better incorporate traditional foods into our meal programs. OCFS accomplishes this through grant making, training and technical assistance and research.

USDA Food & Nutrition Service provides resources for child nutrition program operators to incorporate local foods into their day to day operations. While many were developed with K-12 schools in mind, much of the information is equally relevant to early childcare facilities and summer feeding programs.

A cross-disciplinary team of Extension associates, Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) educators, and partners from NYS agencies work together to create better cohesion of farm to school programming across the state.

Get ideas and inspiration watching this video from the Poughkeepsie Farm to School Project.

On an annual basis, USDA awards up to $5 million in competitive grants for training, supporting operations, planning, purchasing equipment, developing school gardens, developing partnerships, and implementing farm to school programs.

Check out National Farm to School for how to get started on the right foot - building a team of key partners. Download Getting Started with Farm to School, Getting Started with Farm to Early Care and Education, and Starting a School Garden.

New York School Nutrition Association is the core state partner in the National Farm to School Network, with support of FINYS, NYS Department of Ag & Markets, NYS Education Department, and the Capital District Child Care Council.