FNS Documents & Resources

"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.

This webinar discusses the current programs available to provide food and administrative funds for state agencies to support food banks and emergency feeding programs. The presentation provides an overview of resources available to The Emergency Food Assistance Program, including Congressionally appropriated program funds, Section 32 bonus foods, and the recent commitment from USDA to provide additional food and administrative support using the Commodity Credit Corporation. We also highlight the Reach and Resiliency grant opportunity and Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program.

This factsheet reviews best practices for producers to learn about how to sell local food to schools.

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.

The USDA awards grants annually to help connect students to the sources of their food through education, taste tests, school gardens, field trips, and local food sourcing for school meals. This fact sheet gives an overview of the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program and highlights Farm to School grantee projects.

This factsheet gives examples, tips, and information for putting local meat on school menus.  

This factsheet explains how USDA Foods support the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the school meal pattern requirements to make it easier for schools to prepare healthy meals using local foods.

This fact sheet provides information on how to use USDA DoD Fresh to purchase local produce.

This fact sheet features the various paths a school can take to bring local foods into the cafeteria with your next food purchase.