"Bringing the Farm to School" Training
Connecting Farmers and Schools in Your Community
Are you a 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.
Your Input is Needed!
Region 4 and 5 focus group opportunities in the counties noted below are now open for registration. Focus groups are conducted to help ensure farm to school topics of importance to producers, school food authorities (SFAs) and community partners are discussed and incorporated into Bringing the Farm to School trainings in your area.
Region 4: Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Hardee, Sarasota, DeSoto, Highlands
Region 5: Osceola, Indian River, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Martin
To be notified about upcoming 2025 and 2026 trainings, or for questions about other Farm to School resources, please contact [email protected].
Share Your Feedback
Are you a producer in one of the counties listed above? Take 5-10 minutes to share anonymous feedback about your experience working with schools.
Why Attend Bringing the Farm to School Training?
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!
Region 4 and 5 Bringing the Farm to School trainings will take place in late July 2025. Registration will open soon. We hope to see you there!
For questions about Farm to School trainings, or to be notified when Region 4 and 5 trainings open for registration, please contact [email protected].