Farm to School Chronology

1996-1997

Birth of farm to school through pilot projects in California (Santa Monica-Malibu USD and The Edible Schoolyard, Berkeley) and Florida (New North Florida Marketing Cooperative).

2000

USDA IFAFS supports the establishment of the National Farm to School Program enabling program development, research, and policy.

2001

USDA AMS began organizing farm to school workshops around the country as part of the Small Farms/School Meals Initiative. Groundbreaking meetings brought farmers and food service together for the first time to discuss how to implement farm to school programs in Kentucky, Iowa and Oregon.

Estimated 6 pilot programs operational*

2002

1st regional Farm to Cafeteria conference organized at Cornell University (with support from University of New Hampshire).

1st Farm to Cafeteria Conference in October in Seattle, Washington with approximately 200 attendees.

2004

National Farm to School Program authorized in statute in the 2004 Child Nutrition Reauthorization. (While the program has been established, it has not yet received any federal funding.) National survey of farm to school projects with an estimated 400 programs in 22 states.*

Launch of www.farmtoschool.org.

Informal discussions about a National Farm to School Network begin.

2005

Planning grant received for National Farm to School Network from Kellogg.

2nd Farm to Cafeteria Conference in June in Gambier, Ohio with over 350 attendees.

2005-2006

Regional meetings held across the country to gather feedback on need for a national network and setting priorities; national survey estimates 1000+ programs.*

2006

National Farm to School Network proposal submitted to Kellogg in July.

2007

3rd Farm to Cafeteria Conference in March in Baltimore, Maryland with over 400 attendees.

Kellogg grant approved in May.

Regional Lead Agencies in eight regions established; national staff hired, plans for developing the network over next 3 years in place in September.

Updated National Farm to School website launched in October.

2008

15 national leaders involved as “Partners of the National Network” and “Program Strategy Advisory Committee” to guide national efforts.

Regional Farm to School Steering Committees established.

Estimated over 2000 programs in 39 states*

*Estimated by the National Farm to School Network