Tripling Funding for Farm to School Program and Expanding Access to Land-Grant Institutions.
This Act triples the annual funding for the "Farm to School" program (to $15 million), aiming to deliver local food to educational institutions. This expansion means students will have greater access to local meals, while agricultural producers gain new market opportunities. The program now includes land-grant colleges and universities and prioritizes projects addressing diet-related health issues and supporting Tribal producers.
Key points
Annual funding for the program increases from $5 million to $15 million for the period 2026 through 2031.
Eligibility expands to include land-grant colleges and universities, with the maximum grant award increasing to $500,000.
New focus on improving local food distribution, processing, and transportation to make it easier for farmers to sell to institutions.
The Secretary can waive matching fund requirements for high-priority projects, especially those serving Tribal communities.
Introduced
Additional Information
Print number: 119_S_3127
Sponsor: Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]
Process start date: 2025-11-06