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Farm to School program expands but faces funding and kitchen‑infrastructure gaps, CDFA says
Summary
CDFA told a budget subcommittee recent Farm to School grants now reach roughly 199 school districts covering about 36–37% of students, but members and CDFA warned that many districts lack food‑preparation kitchens and federal/local complementary funds have been cut, weakening procurement demand for local farmers.
CDFA and committee members used a subcommittee hearing to assess how Farm to School investments translate into steady markets for local farmers and whether existing infrastructure supports broader scale‑up.
Nick Anasich, Farm to School program manager, said the most recent grant cohort included about 199 school districts and school entities covering roughly 36–37% of California students. He described Rio Vista and other districts as models that used grant funding to establish farm production sites and then expanded classroom integration and school meal procurement.
Anasich and Secretary Ross emphasized that three main obstacles…
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