USDA makes American children healthier, agriculture stronger with more farm to school investments

(Washington, D.C., July 7, 2026) - Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced the second cohort of fiscal year (FY) 2026 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grants, completing the largest ever single-year financial investment in the history of the grant program. This year, USDA awarded a total of nearly $20 million to 68 projects that will empower more American farmers, producers, ranchers, and fishers to serve their local foods in school meals, summer meals, and childcare settings.

"Without a doubt, farm to school is one of the most powerful ways to Make America Healthy Again by bringing real food back to the heart of America's food culture and onto kids' lunch trays," said Secretary Rollins. "Our historic investment in farm to school projects is a win-win-win for kids, farmers, and communities - students are nourished with farm-fresh, nutrient-rich foods; producers access dependable markets through schools; and local economies are strengthened. USDA is committed to putting American agriculture at the center of our nutrition programs and that starts with our children."

The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program increases the availability of local foods in child nutrition programs and connects children to the sources of their food through local procurement, education, taste tests, school gardens, and field trips. A few spotlights from the grantees in Cohort 2 include:

• Jefferson County School District will establish a comprehensive farm to school program serving high school students in Mississippi's Delta region. This project transforms underutilized greenhouses into thriving hydroponic production systems where students grow fresh vegetables and herbs year-round for school cafeteria meals. Beyond student-grown food, the school's child nutrition programs will establish purchasing relationships with four local farms, which students will visit for educational field trips. This initiative prepares students for careers in Mississippi's number one industry, agriculture, while immediately improving their daily nutrition through increased access to fresh local foods.
  
• The WSBZ Farm to School Implementation Project will fully integrate farm to school practices across all 11 schools within Bryant Public Schools. By embedding Arkansas-grown specialty crops into child nutrition program menus, the project will result in increased access to fresh, locally produced foods in school meals, improved nutrition and agricultural literacy among students, and strengthened economic opportunities for more growers in Arkansas.
  

USDA announced the first cohort of FY 2026 grantees in April. Project descriptions for all of this year's grantees can be found on the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program website.

USDA reimagined the FY 2026 Farm to School Grant program to prioritize innovative, large-scale projects built on strong partnerships, resulting in the highest number of applicants and the most money awarded in a single year of the program. Since the Farm to School Grant program first launched in 2013, USDA's Food and Nutrition Administration has awarded more than $119 million in grants, funding more than 1,265 projects throughout all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

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