FNS supports nutrition assistance programs with educational resources to promote and improve produce safety practices in their operations.
This fact sheet outlines a number of additional resources for those seeking to directly purchase or raise food products for school nutrition programs.
"Food Safety Frequently Asked Questions: The Food Safety Modernization Act and its Impact on Farm to School Activities": This document includes common questions related to food safety when purchasing locally grown and raised food products directly from producers as well as food safety considerations for edible campus gardens.
Information about food safety issues in school gardens. Includes topics such as site selection, materials, and water use; chemical and fertilizer use; compost and manure use; growing and harvesting produce; using school garden produce in your school meals program and addressing community donations.
FNS advances food safety education and practices in federal nutrition assistance programs through research conducted by the Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition Programs (the Center). To better understand food safety concerns associated with fresh produce and farm to school activities, the Center conducted a study.