California’s Farm to School program is now permanent. Here’s how local schools are benefiting.

By Darrielle Fair

California’s Farm to School program was recently made a permanent part of state law, cementing an initiative that has helped schools serve more locally sourced, nutritious meals to students while investing millions of dollars in campus kitchens.

The program first launched in 2021 alongside California’s Universal Meals Program, which guarantees free breakfast and lunch to all public school students regardless of income.

Supporters of the program gathered Tuesday to highlight its impact, saying the initiative has expanded access to fresh, California-grown foods while helping schools improve their kitchen facilities and nutrition education.

“It’s completely addressed the barriers,” said Dr. Betty Crocker, director of Nutrition Services for the Lodi Unified School District.

The Farm to School program encourages schools to purchase food from California farmers and producers while incorporating nutrition education and agricultural learning into the classroom.

Shannon Young, officer of initiatives, education and engagement for the Dairy Council of California, said research shows school meals play a critical role in children’s health and academic success.

“Research has shown that children who consume school meals actually have healthier eating patterns,” Young said. “They’re also the ones that have more nutrition security as well as higher academic success.”

California was the first state to implement a statewide Universal Meals Program. Schools participating in the program also receive state reimbursements for meals that meet nutritional standards, helping districts improve the quality of food they serve while supporting local agriculture.

The newly signed legislation guarantees nearly $25 million in state funding for the Farm to School program in next year’s budget.

For districts like Lodi Unified, that investment is already making a difference. Crocker said the district renovated six school kitchens over the summer, installing new flooring, upgraded equipment and commercial appliances that allow staff to prepare fresher meals on campus.

“We put in equipment that my team has never had access to, like combi ovens and slicers, so that we can elevate our culinary offering to our kiddos every school day,” she said.

Crocker said the funding has also allowed the district to complete expensive construction projects needed to install the new equipment, improvements that would have been difficult to afford otherwise.

According to the California Department of Education, the state’s Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Fund has provided nearly $900 million to schools to upgrade kitchens, purchase equipment and hire and train nutrition staff. State officials have also approved an additional $400 million for the upcoming school year.