"Bringing the Farm to School" Training
Connecting Farmers and Schools in Your Community
Immersive Procurement Training
Are you Florida farmer or producer looking to expand your business? Do you play a role in purchasing food for students’ school meals? Or maybe you’re a community partner passionate about local agriculture and students’ nutrition.
FDACS’s free, one-day “Bringing the Farm to School” training sessions teach Florida producers and schools proven methods for partnering to provide students nutritious local foods, while supporting local farmers.
Our Next Training
Trainings rotate throughout the state. A Region 3 producer training event will take place 6 novanm 2024. Producers, school food authorities (SFAs) and community partners in the following counties are eligible to participate: Brevard, Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion, Orange, Seminole, Sumter, Volusia.
To be notified about 2025 and 2026 trainings, or for questions about other Farm to School resources, please contact [email protected].
Why Attend?
With more than 30 million students participating in the National School Lunch Program each day, schools provide a large, stable and long-term market option for Florida producers. Many schools have a strong interest in including local foods in delicious and nutritious school meals.
Benefits of attending this training include:
- Learning how Florida’s Farm to School initiative benefits schools and supports regional farmers – and how you can get involved.
- Producers learn about accessing and selling to school markets, the procurement process and growing products for school markets.
- Schools learn more about navigating the procurement process, and tips to help facilitate partnerships with local farmers.
- Hearing from and networking with local schools and producers who have successfully worked together.
- Discovering resources available to help schools and farmers collaborate.
- Having your questions answered!
We hope to see you there!