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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Farm to School?

Fits under the “farm to cafeteria” and “farm to institution” umbrella. “Promote and serve locally produced foods in cafeterias of K-12 schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, nursing homes, businesses and other institutions.”
Farm to School programs vary:
Common to all: food service purchases and offers locally produced foods
Direct sales or through vendor

Other common elements:
Salad bar programs
Local foods in main meal
Catering projects (mostly at the college level)
Special events
School gardens
Farmers’ market salad bars
Classroom food-based education

Do Farm to School programs improve children’s diets?

Farm to School programs focus on increasing the amount of locally grown/raised foods into the school meals program. The foods targeted in FTS programs tend to be whole “nutrient-rich” foods. Foods typically emphasized in FTS programs are fresh or freshly stored fruits and vegetables, other plant-foods (grains, beans and legumes), local meats, dairy products and eggs.

What does the Cornell Farm to School Program currently do?

  1. Provide resources for extension educators, food service directors, farmers and parents interested in starting farm to school connections in their areas.

  2. Facilitate networking, brokering relationships between stakeholders, build partnerships, collaborate

  3. Provide technical assistance: presentations to local groups, needs assessments, menu/recipe advising, respond to inquiries

  4. Evaluate project impacts

  5. Provide statewide leadership on the NYS FTS Coordinating Committee

What are the future directions for the Cornell Farm to School Program?

  1. Recipe development and testing

  2. In-class food-based education

  3. School garden connections

What does the Cornell Farm to School Program not currently do?

  1. Business plans

  2. Financial analysis

  3. Food deliveries or Foraging

  4. Fund local projects

  5. Processing and distribution

  6. Initiate School Gardens

Who is the target audience for the Cornell Farm to School Program?

Extension Educators, Food Service Directors, Parents, and Farmers

 

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