Market Access

​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Farm to School Program works to connect Oregon farmers, ranchers, seafood harvesters, and food processors with school cafeterias, early child care centers, and summer meal sites. This enables more Oregon agricultural products to be served in the lunch line. It also helps connect youth to food production through school gardens, field trips to farms and ranches, and grower visits to the classroom.

1. Education 
2. Procurement 
3. School gardens 

Farm to School programs: 

• serve locally grown, raised, harvested or processed foods in school cafeterias, 
• improve student nutrition,
• provide agriculture, health, and nutrition education opportunities; and 
• support Oregon’s agricultural economy.  

ODA partners with the Oregon Department of Education to implement the Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Program.

Oregon Farm to School Producer Equipment and Infrastructure Grant Program (2022-2023)

ODA is pleased to announce a grant opportunity to help Oregon producers and processors access the school marketplace. The deadline to apply is May 23, 2022.

The goal of this competitive grant program is to provide financial resources for Oregon producers (farmers, ranchers, seafood harvesters and processors) with specific equipment and infrastructure needs, and who intend to sell food produced or processed in Oregon to any of the following food sponsors:

Material de solicitud en español

El ODA está aceptando solicitudes para el Programa de Subvenciones para el Equipamiento y la Infraestructura de los Productores del Programa de Farm to School de Oregón para el período 2022 – 2023.​

• Anuncio de subvención y calendario
  
• Directrices de subvención
  
• Formulario de propuesta de subvención
• Plantilla de carta de intención de compra
  
• Certificaciones de los solicitantes
  

Nyenzo za maombi kwa Kiswahili

ODA sasa inakubali maombi ya kilimo cha 2022 - 2023 Oregon kwa vifaa vya wazalishaji wa shule na mpango wa ruzuku ya miundombinu.​

• Tangazo la Ruzuku na kalenda ya matukio
  
• Miongozo ya ruzuku
• Fomu ya pendekezo
• Nia ya kununua kiolezo cha barua
• Vyeti vya mwombaji​
  

Farm to School Producer and Processor Toolbox

The Farm to School Toolbox is designed to help producers and processors that are new to the farm to school program and need assistance understanding the school markets, food safety requirements and how to get started developing business relationships with schools.  

Getting started​

• The School Market Readiness Assessment will help you self-evaluate your business and identify steps to become ready to sell to schools under the Farm to School Program.  
• Successful business relationships with schools begin with school nutrition directors. This school nutrition director tip sheet provides useful information to help make your conversations with school nutrition directors productive and help you secure sales with schools. 
• It is important to know the food safety requirements for the products you grow, raise, harvest or process for school markets. In most cases, the requirements your business needs to meet will depend on the form (e.g., frozen, fresh, processed) and type (e.g., meat, seafood or cut vegetables). 
• For very small farms, schools may have their own food safety requirements and may ask to visit your farm to review your on farm food safety plan to safeguard the production, harvesting, handling, packaging and storage of the products you intend to sell to schools. The On-Farm Food Safety Plan and Checklist for Child Nutrition Programs​ will assist you with conversations and visits from school administrators.

Growing your school sales

• There are several economic advantages to working with distributors that have school accounts. This distributor tip sheet​ will help you weigh the pros and cons. 

Resources

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