Great news, advocates! National Farm to School Network is proud to endorse two new bipartisan bills that would strengthen markets for local farmers. We’ve worked alongside national partners and Congressional offices to propose a permanent grant program for state, territory, and Tribal governments to purchase local food for schools and community food programs. This legislation has bicameral support, meaning it has backing in both the Senate and the House.

• In the Senate: Strengthening Local Food Security Act (S. 2338)
  Introduced by: Senators Jim Justice (R-WV) and Jack Reed (D-RI) 
  [Press release] | [Read the bill]
  

• In the House of Representatives: Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act (H.R. 4782)
  Introduced by: Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Rob Bresnahan (R-PA-08), Josh Riley (D-NY-19), and David Valadao (R-CA-22) alongside numerous cosponsors.
  [Press release] | [Read the bill]

What Do the Bills Do?

• Create a permanent funding program: The bills establish non-competitive cooperative agreements between USDA and eligible entities (states, territories, and federally recognized Tribes), hereby referred to as “states” for simplicity.
  
• Fund local food purchases: States can choose how to allocate the funds between organizations such as food banks, schools, or early childcare centers. “Local” can mean within 400 miles or another geographic boundary as designated by the state.
  
• Allow up to 25% for administration and technical assistance (TA)
  
  • House version: Half of the 25% set aside (12.5% of total funding) must be used for TA.
  • Senate version: 35% of the 25% set aside (8.75% of total) must be used for TA.
  • Both versions: TA must support producers, including food safety training, certification, and other efforts to strengthen local agricultural value chains.‍
    
• Prioritize Tribes and small states via the funding formula: 10% of funds are reserved for Tribal nations. Each state and territory receives 1% of the remaining funds, with the rest allocated using the Emergency Food Assistance Program formula.‍
• Require values-aligned purchases: The goal of both bills is to strengthen local food systems and the programs aim to support values-aligned producers. The Senate version requires that at least 51% of funds be spent on small or mid-sized, beginning, veteran; and underserved (term not defined in the bill) fishers, farmers, or ranchers. The House version lowers this requirement to 25% and unfortunately does not include “underserved” producers.‍
• Provide $400M in annual funding starting in 2026: USDA must use $200 million each year from the Commodity Credit Corporation, and Congress can provide an additional $200 million annually. Under the House bill, this funding is available from 2026 through 2030, while the Senate version authorizes funding through 2029. Any unspent funds can carry over until fully used.

What Happens Next?

These two bills are what are called “marker bills” in Congressional jargon –  proposals that offer policy solutions, iron out legal language or suggestions for tweaks, and show that there is strong support for these ideas. While a marker bill is unlikely to pass on its own, there are opportunities to incorporate popular marker bills into must-pass legislative packages, such as the currently overdue 2018 Farm Bill set to expire later this year. Immediate and widespread demand for a marker bill from constituents, and a critical mass of cosponsors from across the aisle, demonstrates that policymakers should keep this program top of mind for any legislative opportunities.

To build support, it will be important for policymakers to hear from many different types of farm to school and local food advocates – farmers, ranchers, school nutrition professionals, educators, parents, and others – so they know that local food purchasing isn’t just a niche priority. They also need to hear from local food advocates about the multiple ways that a more innovative program can increase the impact of federal child nutrition programs, while also supporting the producers and supply chains that generate economic impact for their state.

How Do I Get Involved? 

Right now, our top priority is adding cosponsors. We want to especially demonstrate strong bipartisan support, so if you have Republican elected officials, your outreach is particularly valuable!

Here are three ways to take action, from quickest to most involved:

• Use our action alert.
  This is the fastest way to let your elected officials know you support these bills.
  
• Send a personal message.
  Individual, heartfelt, and detailed messages from constituents often goes further than pre-written action alerts.
  
• Set up an in-person or virtual meeting. 
  NFSN’s policy team can help connect you directly with congressional offices to share why these bills matter for farm to school. Email Karen@farmtoschool.org.‍
• Host a site visit at your school or farm.
  Seeing farm to school in action is the most powerful way to show them how these bills will make a difference.

Keep Diving Into Policy Specifics

What Are Major Differences Between The Bills?

Our Analysis

Both bills are a huge step forward for supporting America’s local farmers, but there are a few areas we think could be strengthened.

What We Love:

• Flexibility for States: The cooperative agreement model gives states the ability to design programs that meet their unique needs and innovate in response to local food system opportunities.
• Funding for Administration and TA: Including dedicated funds for administration and TA will help ensure programs are successful and sustainable.
• The Program is Permanent: Permanency allows farmers, food hubs, and other food system actors to make long-term investments that can help them scale-up and meet demand.
• Broad Eligibility: The language is flexible enough to include childcare providers that don’t participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, which can be burdensome for some sites. This means more children could theoretically be reached by this program.

What To Improve:

• Clearer Food Definitions with a Focus on Fresh Foods: The Senate bill’s broad definition of “foods” could unintentionally open the door to highly processed products and benefit large corporations that already dominate the market. We recommend tightening this language to ensure communities receive fresh, high-quality, nutrient-dense foods. States can also further restrict what foods they will allow if the federal definition remains overly broad.
• Ensuring Fair Access to Local Food Markets: Both bills commendably prioritize funding for Tribes and emphasize support for small, mid-size, beginning, and veteran producers. The final version should also ensure that support reaches communities that have historically faced discrimination and barriers to access local food markets, such as women and producers of color. 
• More TA for food service professionals: Producers will receive technical assistance under these bills, but food service professionals also need robust support to source, process, cook, and serve local foods successfully.

What is the Connection with the Local Food for Schools and Child Care Program (LFSCC)?

America's food security depends on a diverse network of producers. Supply chain disruptions like the pandemic highlight the need for decentralized food systems. The best way to achieve this is leveraging taxpayer dollars to create stable markets for small and mid-sized farmers and ranchers.

These bills would similarly give states the flexibility to develop specific cooperative agreements and would build upon lessons learned from previous programs like LFSCC. That program demonstrated how federal investments create wins for farmers while delivering healthy food to America’s children. However, LFSCC was not bipartisan and its design often missed the mark. These bills represent a much-improved approach developed by representatives from across the country with a focus on creating stable markets, investing in local supply chains, and supporting farmers in strategically scaling-up operations.

This is a time to celebrate! Together, we have already moved the needle by pushing back against the termination of LFSCC. We can continue this momentum to advocate for an improved, permanent policy solution that will culminate in a triple win for our farmers, our students, and our communities.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is currently seeking public comments that could determine the future of the USDA Farm to School Census. After so many cuts to federal programs that support farm to school and early care, now is the time for us to speak up and help protect this crucial resource. Read below to learn more and make your voice heard.

OMB Control Number: 0584-0646
Deadline: Friday April 25, 2025
Notice Link

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMMENT SUBMISSION LINK

Link not working? Try https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain and select Department of Agriculture

OMB Seeks Comments Regarding:

• Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency;
• Whether the information gathered will have practical utility;
• Ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; 
• Ways to minimize the burden on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and 
• The accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used.

‍Why This Matters:

The Census provides the only nationally representative data available on farm to school participation and activities in the United States. It provides detailed information on how states and school food authorities (SFA) engage with farm to school efforts from local food purchasing, to gardening to food education. The Census illustrates the scale and reach of the farm to school movement, showing how child nutrition programs are effectively supporting American farmers, ranchers, and food producers. It equips:

• Policymakers and advocates with real evidence needed to shape and sustain policy.
• Federal, state, and local governments with data to identify trends, allocate resources, and tailor local programs to local needs.
• Farmers and food producers with insight into schools that are interested in local purchasing, and what they may want to buy.
• Researchers and evaluators with data to assess outcomes of related policies and programs (examples: Connolly and Wen, 2022; Kashyap et al., 2024)

The Census allows the farm to school and ECE movement to grow strategically, quickly, and efficiently. Census data is used to ensure financial investments are effective and reach all kids across the nation. Please take time this week to share your personal story of how you use the Census and what it means for your work.

This week, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the cancellation of the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program for fiscal year 2025, which would have provided $10 million to help schools and early care and education (ECE) centers incorporate local foods, nutrition education, and garden activities into their meal programs. Applicants to this competitive grant program were not informed of the reason for this blanket cancellation, nor when they can get the chance to reapply. 

The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program is an annual competitive federal grant program administered by USDA. Since 2013, this grant has provided one of the only dedicated sources of federal funding for schools and ECEs to connect children with healthy, local foods while supporting farmers, ranchers, and food producers. The program assists grantees in the planning, development, and implementation of farm to school programs with the goal of connecting students to their food sources through nutrition education, school gardens, and local food procurement. 

Without this funding, vital progress toward healthier food for kids and the education to learn where that food comes from, is at risk. This announcement comes on the heels of USDA’s cancellation of the Local Food for Schools and Child Care (LFSCC) funding, which would have provided $660m in funds for local food purchases to child nutrition programs. In addition to all this, communities across the country are currently facing numerous other disruptions and uncertainties. 

In the previous grant cycle, FY24 funding awarded 154 projects, serving an estimated 1.9 million students across the country, supporting projects ranging from as small as $21,000 to multi-state coordination grants of up to $500,000.

National Farm to School Network is extremely dismayed at this announcement. Cancelling these awards undermines the important progress made since this program was created by Congressional legislation in 2010 to support students’ health and build more resilient local and regional food systems. We urge USDA to fulfill its responsibility to carry out the Farm to School Grant Program each year, and offer a re-issued grant application at the earliest possible opportunity. We will continue to seek further information about this decision. 

Speak up and let policymakers know how important these programs are to your community! 

• Notify your legislators about the impact of this abrupt cancellation with our Action Alert
• Sign and share our petition calling on USDA to recognize the need for vital investments in farmers and child nutrition 
• Share this information with your networks, and urge them to speak up
• Share our story of how the Farm to School Grant Program helped your community, and the impact that delays, cuts, and uncertainties have on the people you care about. 

Update on 3/19/2025: National Farm to School Network has compiled a tracker of media coverage on the Local Food for Schools and Child Care termination. View the tracker here to see ongoing news coverage on this issue.

The United States of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service has officially terminated the second round of the Local Food for Schools and Child Care (LFSCC) program as well as its sibling Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program. LFSCC was set to provide state agencies with $660 million for schools and child care sites to purchase local food over the next three years. National Farm to School Network aims to shed light on the disastrous impact this decision will have for each state's farmers and ranchers, and the child nutrition programs working every day to nourish kids. This is a devastating loss for our community and farmers across the US. Right now we need every voice to speak out to push back against this decision.

Take Action Today

1. Contact Your Elected and Local Officials: 

• Visit NFSN’s Action Alert here to easily contact your federal legislators to raise the alarm (including talking points to easily craft your message!)
• Raise your concerns to state officials, particularly your state Departments of Agriculture and Agriculture Commissioners, to urge them to fight for these programs. Not sure who to contact? Reach out to the NFSN Policy Team for help (Karen@farmtoschool.org).‍

2. Share Your Story:
Use our Impact Form to let us know how this will affect your community. If you can speak on record to the press about these impacts, we are eager to connect with you as well.‍

3. Spread the Word:
The effects of this program cut will be felt by farmers and ranchers, food hubs and distributors, schools and child care providers, and families. We want to help amplify stories, particularly from producers, that can illustrate this for policymakers and the press. Please share this information with your networks to help inform and mobilize.

What is LFSCC?

First Round: In December 2021, AMS launched the Local Food for Schools (LFS) program as part of a suite of federal COVID-19 relief programs to help states address supply chain disruptions and boost local and regional food systems. The first round of LFS provided $200 million in Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) in non-competitive funding to state agencies through cooperative agreements. 42 states and the District of Columbia benefitted from this round. The funding was solely for purchases of local, unprocessed or minimally processed foods from farmers, ranchers, and small businesses, for distribution to schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. While states had flexibility in program design, LFS funds could not be spent on administration costs. 

Second Round: In October 2024, the USDA announced it would provide $660M for a second round of funding for the LFS program. The new round of funding mirrored the first but expanded the program to childcare. Now called LFSCC, this program would have allocated $472M to K-12 schools and $189M to childcare sites participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The first round targeted small businesses and “socially disadvantaged” producers, and this round prioritized “Historically Underserved” producers, farmers, fishers, and small businesses, which includes beginning, veteran, and limited resource farmers and ranchers. The program opened on December 10, 2024, and many states had already signed new agreements.

How Has My State/Territory Been Impacted?

LFSCC Round 2 for states ranges from $1-75 million. You can learn more about the original projects, how much funding your area received for Round 1 (R1), and was set to receive in Round 2 (R2) on our Program Matrix.

Why Was this Program Terminated – Is this Legal?

Round one agreements that were already in place are not affected. This funding was through the Commodity Credit Corporation which can be used at the discretion of USDA Secretary Rollins. It is within USDA’s rights to terminate agreements if they provide state agencies a contractually-obligated 60 days notice. The letter sent to state agencies stated that “AMS has determined this agreement no longer effectuates agency priorities and that termination of the award is appropriate.” 

Why Do We Need This Program?

LFSCC is a common-sense program that delivers real economic and community benefits while improving child nutrition. Here’s why we can’t afford to lose it:

• Smart, Targeted Investment in Local Economies
  LFSCC directed food dollars straight to farmers, ranchers, and food businesses. This has already changed lives by forging new connections between local buyers and producers and strengthening rural economies.
• Ensures High-Quality Food for Kids
  Funding for this program can only be used for fresh and minimally processed foods. If we want to “Make America Healthy Again,” this program is a shining example of serving kids locally grown, high quality, dye-free, scratch cooked meals while supporting American farmers.
• Empowered Local-Decision-Making
  Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, LFSCC allowed states to design their own strategies for getting local food on the lunch tray, ensuring solutions that fit their unique needs.
• Transparent and Accountable Spending
  Federal law requires strict financial oversight entities receiving over $750,000 annually in federal funds. LFSCC funding was subject to audits that reviewed operations, internal controls, and financial accountability, ensuring taxpayer dollars were spent efficiently, effectively, and only on local food spent in schools.

One of the most commonly reported challenges by schools is food cost. Without this program, schools will struggle to afford local food among rising food costs, and small farmers will lose a critical market. The loss of LFSCC threatens the progress we've made in strengthening local food systems, supporting small farmers, and ensuring kids have access to fresh, healthy meals—now is the time to speak up and demand a better solution.

On December 10th, USDA Agricultural Marketing Service announced its plans for the next phase of the Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program. Agencies (including Guam and the US Virgin Islands!) have until April 30th to apply, but are strongly encouraged to apply before the deadline. Tribal governments are ineligible for LFS, but can apply for Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) funds.

$660 Million on the table: Over the next three years, agencies will have $471.5 million for K-12 schools and $188.6 million for early care and education (ECE) settings to purchase local food. This funding will be transformative for local food systems, prioritizing Historically Underserved producers, farmers, fishers, and small businesses.

There will be one agreement per state with a single agency lead, and two distinct buckets of money: There will be funding for schools and separate funding for ECE facilities (awards on p. 10). For the first time, dedicated funding is available for ECE programs through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) (excluding adults) opening the door for significant and sustained growth of Farm to ECE. 

Similar to the first round, there are still no funds for administration: States may leverage other funding sources such as the Farm to School State Formula Grants, Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grants (deadline January 10th), or another source to aid with administration costs - See the Farm to ECE Federal Funding Guide. Agencies can also strategically design their programs to reduce administrative burden (see Program Matrix). 

‍> See the Request for Applications here

> Review Q&A, Presentation Notes, and Recording from USDA 12/10/24 presentation

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How You Can Support This Effort Right Now

‍

1. Urge Your State Agency to Participate

• Make Contact: The most important thing advocates can do right now is to reach out to your state agency and let them know that participation in this program is important to you. Agencies do not have to accept funding for ECEs if they are accepting funding for schools and vice versa.
  • Note: Agencies that don't deal with ECEs will need to either a) figure out who has the skill set/capacity in their state and then b) determine whether to set up an MOU or subaward. Advocates can help make these connections.
• Share Your Experience: If you benefited from the first round of LFS, share your story with agency staff to highlight the program's value for your school, farm, or community.

2. Provide Input on Program Design

• Share Feedback: If you have insights from the first round, offer suggestions on what worked and what could improve.
• Suggest Models or Design Features: States used a range of implementation models in Round 1. If you have a preferred model or approach, share it with your state agency.See the section below for more information about program models. 
  
  If you have distributed local foods to ECEs or have a distribution plan to ECEs share that with your state agencies. Start collaborating to help build a plan for ECEs.
  
  Note: The most important step is for states to submit a cooperative agreement application before the deadline. In the first round, many agencies adjusted their program models during the project period to better fit their state’s needs and administrative capacity. NFSN expects USDA will allow similar flexibility in this round, providing opportunities to refine programs as they roll out.

3. Spread the word

• Amplify the Call: Share this opportunity with your network and encourage others to get involved. More voices mean stronger advocacy for equitable, effective program design.

Tools & Resources for Advocates

‍

LFS Program Profiles & Case Studies 

Developed by the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic with guidance from NFSN

LFS Program Matrix: This matrix provides state LFS profiles, including:

• Round 1 and 2 funding awards
• State agency contacts
• Round 1 program descriptions, program model types, and unique features
• Links to implementation resources 
• Reports and stories on program outcomes

Note: This matrix was released early to align with USDA’s funding announcement, and will continue to evolve. Check back periodically for updates.

Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program (LFPA) Implementation Stories from the Wallace Center

• State Spotlights: Learn from LFPA state experiences in IA, OR, OH, MI, RI, VA, CA, and NM.
• Report & Webinar: Check out Wallace Center's 2023 report and webinar on LFPA’s initial outcomes, opportunities, and recommendations

Equity in LFS & LFPA

Operationalizing Equity: See how state agencies are advancing equity through program design in LFS and LFPA, as documented by the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems (October 2023)

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Stay Connected with NFSN

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NFSN will host additional programming in January 2025. Stay tuned for event details. NFSN will continue to share updates about USDA presentations via its Partner listserv and This Week newsletter. Need more guidance? Contact NFSN Policy Specialist Cassandra Bull (Cassandra@farmtoschool.org) for support on program design, state incentives, and more.

Together, we can leverage this federal funding to support our kids, farms, and communities, and make a real impact for historically underserved local farmers, fishers, and ranchers.

For Immediate Release

‍

Press Contact: Jiyoon Chon

National Farm to School Network

Communications@farmtoschool.org

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National Farm to School Network Celebrates USDA’s Investment in Local Food Systems

CHICAGO, IL – The National Farm to School Network (NFSN) applauds the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s October 1 announcement to invest $1.7 billion from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to support the purchase of locally and regionally produced foods. This funding builds on the success of the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, which initially received $200 million, by adding $500 million for schools and $200 million for child care facilities participating in the national Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Notably, this is the first time CCC funds have been specifically allocated to support CACFP facilities, according to the National CACFP Sponsors Association.

NFSN has been a strong advocate for expanding this program since its inception, contributing research on program design and early implementation, while highlighting innovative incentive models from state-level partners that directly support food hubs, distributors, and individual farmers. 

“We're thrilled that programs across the country feeding our kids every day will get more fresh, local food in their communities—and that the hardworking producers in their states and Tribal nations will have this market opportunity. It's a crucial moment for USDA to address urgent needs and build the long-term resilience of our food supply with this investment,” said Karen Spangler, NFSN policy director.

“We’ve seen firsthand that these programs are effective. More than a dozen states have already adopted similar local food purchasing incentives, demonstrating multifaceted positive benefits for economic development, equity, public health, and education. Establishing the Local Food for Schools program at the federal level ensures that these benefits reach communities across all regions of the US, extending the positive impact to even more farmers, families, and children,” said Cassandra Bull, NFSN policy specialist.

This new funding will help prevent local farmers, ranchers, and producers—who have expanded their operations to meet increased institutional demand—from being negatively impacted by the end of the temporary Local Food for Schools program. However, Congress must act quickly to make this program permanent for schools, child care settings, and emergency food providers. As the next round of funding is distributed, NFSN remains committed to supporting state and local partners with implementation, researching effective program models, and building the movement’s capacity to advocate for a long-term federal solution.

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About National Farm to School Network

National Farm to School Network is the leading voice for the U.S. farm to school and farm to early care and education movement, working as an information, advocacy and networking hub for communities to bring local food sourcing, gardens, and food and agriculture education into schools and early care and education settings. Learn more at: http://farmtoschool.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS CONTACT:

Jiyoon Chon

National Farm to School Network

jiyoon@farmtoschool.org

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October 1, 2024 – This October, schools and early care and education sites across the country are celebrating National Farm to School Month, a 31-day campaign to recognize the benefits that farm to school and farm to early care and education bring to youth, families, farmers and communities. National Farm to School Network advocated for the creation of National Farm to School Month in 2010, and it was officially recognized by Congress shortly after.

Farm to school is a movement that builds just and equitable food systems through the ways kids eat, grow and learn about food in school and early care and education settings. Farm to school is a win for kids when they eat nourishing food in meals and snacks, participate in hands-on activities and learn about the importance of where our food comes from; a win for farmers when school market opportunities provide reliable and consistent sales and fair pay; and a win for communities when food is grown, distributed, prepared and consumed for the benefit of every community member. To ensure all communities see the benefit of these wins, farm to school activities must be firmly centered in equity.

This year’s National Farm to School Month theme is “From Soil to Sea: Nourishing People and Planet.” This embodies our commitment to honoring the vital role of producers in our food system. From dedicated farmers and ranchers to fishers, their work and expertise lay the foundation for a thriving farm to school movement. We also celebrate the invaluable traditional knowledge of Indigenous and BIPOC communities in stewarding the land and seas—honed over generations, their wisdom is crucial to building a resilient, equitable, and sustainable food system that will continue to nourish both people and planet. 

Throughout October, National Farm to School Network’s activities will be focused on celebrating achievements, sharing stories of farm to school programs and highlighting progress toward racial equity in farm to school, so that we can continue to grow stronger, together. 

National Farm to School Network’s October celebrations also include the annual Movement Meeting on October 17 from 3 - 4:30 pm ET. The Movement Meeting is a gathering point for advocates in the farm to school and farm to early care and education realms, providing an invaluable opportunity to come together, rejoice in our shared achievements, foster meaningful connections, ignite inspiration and collectively nurture our growth. This event is free to register and open to the public—we invite anyone interested in farm to school and ECE to join us. 

National Farm to School Network offers dozens of free resources for celebrating National Farm to School Month on our website, http://www.farmtoschoolmonth.org. People can find resources such as a celebration toolkit, posters, bookmarks, suggested activities and more. Participants are encouraged to share their excitement through social media with the hashtags #F2SMonth and #farmtoschool. 

We thank and acknowledge this year's National Farm to School Month sponsor, CoBank.

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About National Farm to School Network

National Farm to School Network is the leading voice for the U.S. farm to school and farm to early care and education movement, working as an information, advocacy and networking hub for communities to bring local food sourcing, gardens, and food and agriculture education into schools and early care and education settings. Learn more at: http://farmtoschool.org.

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By Karen Spangler, NFSN Policy Director

On April 25, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the final rule for its updates to the Child Nutrition Program (CNP) standards. This rule will impact meals served in schools and early childhood settings by setting the requirements for important nutrients, meal patterns and types of foods, operations, and purchasing that programs must meet to be reimbursed by USDA. 

Specifically, this update covers the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, summer food programs, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program for early childhood, after-school, and adult care settings. 

National Farm to School Network (NFSN) is proud to see that a number of our longtime policy priorities were adopted in the rule, including buying local, strides in equity, and better career access. This major win is an outcome of many years of NFSN and our movement’s collective advocacy to advance farm to school and an equitable food system, and we are excited to share these updates.  

Below are some top takeaways from this comprehensive update. Over the next few months, NFSN will continue to promote awareness and support our Partners in these important changes.

• Timing: This rule will be in effect as of July 1, 2024. However, many requirements specifically phase in over time to give child nutrition program operators and vendors time to prepare. Programs will not be required to make new menu changes until School Year 2025-2026.
• Local Procurement: Starting in July, child nutrition programs will now be able to use “locally grown,” “locally raised,” or “locally caught” as a specification requirement for fresh and minimally processed food items. Under current rules, local food can be preferred in bid scoring criteria but bids cannot specify a food must be local. This change simplifies the geographic preference process for child nutrition programs, making it easier to purchase local foods.
• Native Foods: USDA strengthens its previous guidance that traditional Indigenous foods may be served in reimbursable school meals by including it in this rule. The regulation’s definition of “traditional” means any food that has traditionally been prepared and consumed by an American Indian Tribe, including wild game meat, fish, seafood, marine animals, plants, and berries. It also finalizes the proposal to allow vegetable substitution for grains in programs serving American Indian or Alaska Native students, and in Guam and Hawai’i.  
• Nutrient Targets: This rule lowers sodium limits in 2027 (15 percent for lunch and 10 percent for breakfast) and establishes limits on added sugars for the first time in yogurt, cereal, and flavored milk, as well as a weekly limit of no more than 10 percent of calories from added sugars in school lunch and school breakfast. This rule does not include their proposed limit on added sugars for grain-based desserts at breakfast in items like pastries or granola bars; USDA will continue to seek input on how to address these items. 
• School Nutrition Profession: The rule finalizes the proposed flexibility for hiring an individual without a bachelor’s or associate’s degree as a school nutrition program director, if they have at least 10 years of school nutrition program experience. 
• Buy American: The rule strengthens the requirement for school meals to buy domestic products by providing greater specificity on how product exceptions may be applied, sets documentation and contract requirements, and creates a phased-in limit on non-domestic food purchases.
• Plant Proteins: It supports flexibility to include plant proteins such as beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds, or prepared foods like hummus, in reimbursable meals and snacks. This change not only supports a healthy variety of protein options, but can also help programs better serve students with religious or dietary needs.

As with the proposed rule, the final regulation covers many detailed areas of Child Nutrition Program compliance. For more information on specific requirements, consult these USDA resources:

• USDA has provided a chart broken down by topic to compare the final rule to the provisions of last year’s proposed rule: Comparison Chart of the 2023 Proposed and 2024 Final Rule Requirements for School Meal Programs
• Their summary by topic area provides information to understand the current standards, what will change under the new rule, and how USDA took stakeholder feedback into account: Summary of Provisions in the Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Final Rule

This rule is the culmination of a decade-long process to bring the nutrition standards for meal programs in alignment with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ recommendations on components like salt, sugar and fat. This alignment has been required by law since 2010 but is only now being fully implemented through this final durable rule (“durable” is a term in regulation to differentiate from a transitional rule that is expected to be replaced). 

We applaud USDA for its careful consideration of the more than 100,000 comments it received in response to the proposed rule during the comment period last year, and appreciate the challenge of crafting an approach that supports children’s health and recognizes the constraints under which programs operate.   

We look forward to hearing from our Partners and other stakeholders in the farm to school movement about how this rule will impact you. If you have a story you would like to share with NFSN to help us communicate how these updates will affect local purchasing, the meal patterns you offer, or the success of Child Nutrition Programs, we would like to hear from you! Please reach out to Policy Director Karen Spangler (karen@farmtoschool.org) or Policy Specialist Ryan Betz (ryan@farmtoschool.org) to get in touch.