The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) has completed its fiscal year 2026 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant awards, marking the largest single-year investment in the program’s history. USDA announced nearly $20 million in funding for 68 projects nationwide, with grants supporting efforts to increase locally sourced foods in school meals, summer meal programs, and childcare settings. The agency says the grants also strengthen connections between students and American farmers, ranchers, producers, and fishers while expanding access to fresh, locally grown foods.
School Projects Focus on Local Food and Agricultural Education
The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program supports projects such as local food purchasing, school gardens, nutrition education, taste tests, and agricultural field trips. Among the second round of FY 2026 recipients, Jefferson County School District in Mississippi will convert underused greenhouses into hydroponic growing systems that supply fresh produce for school cafeterias, while Bryant Public Schools in Arkansas will expand the use of Arkansas-grown specialty crops across all 11 district schools. USDA said it redesigned this year’s grant program to encourage larger, partnership-based projects, resulting in the highest number of applications in the program’s history.
Program Has Funded More Than 1,200 Projects Since 2013
Since its launch in 2013, the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program has awarded more than $119 million to support over 1,265 projects across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Families, educators, and community organizations interested in learning more can review descriptions of all FY 2026 grant recipients on the USDA’s Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program website or contact the Food and Nutrition Administration for additional information.
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