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
The next Virginia Farm to School Conference will be held October 2024. Registration is free to attend and open to all Virginia farm to school stakeholders. Details and registration are forthcoming.
Virginia Farm to School Regional Network meetings will occur periodically throughout the year. Register for the Virginia Farm to School Network to receive event information.
Virginia Farm to School Videos
Purchasing Local Food From Producers
Connecting Farms to Schools Through Food Hubs
Building Farm to School Programs Through Partnerships
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 and Community Nutrition Programs (VDOE-SCNP)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 (Word)
- Local Food Tracking Tool (XLSX)
- Forward Contract for Agricultural Products Template (Word)
- Produce RFP Template (Coming soon!)
- Procurement initiatives:
- NEW! Virginia Seasonal Availability Calendar (PDF)
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 (Word)
- School Garden Map (Coming soon!)
- Visit Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth's FeedVA website to add your student garden or farm to the map.
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 (PDF)
- Virginia Farm to School Toolkit (PDF)
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, SCNP Farm to School Specialist, at Brittany.Thorp@doe.virginia.gov.