News Summary
The USDA revealed an $18 million investment for the Farm to School Grant Program, the largest in its history. This funding aims to enhance access to local food in schools, but changes to the grant process may limit support for smaller projects. Experts express concerns over the impact of funding cuts and the consolidation of grant categories, which could hinder equitable food access in education. Stakeholders are urging better engagement from the USDA to address challenges faced by farmers and schools in sourcing nutritious food.
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Thursday that it will provide $18 million for the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program for 2026. This funding marks the largest single-year investment in the program’s history and aims to improve access to fresh, local food in schools across the United States.
The USDA’s announcement included significant changes to the grant application process. While the total funding has increased, the program will support fewer projects that are larger in scale. This decision has prompted discussions about the potential impacts on smaller entities that historically benefited from the program.
Experts express skepticism regarding whether this new funding can adequately compensate for the $10 million funding cut the USDA implemented in March 2025. The previous funds had already been allocated and applied for by schools and organizations, which raises concerns about the ability of educational institutions to source local foods amidst these challenges.
The USDA’s farm-to-school grant program has been operating for over a decade, established under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010. Since its inception in 2013, the program has awarded approximately $100 million to over 1,200 projects aimed at increasing access to healthy foods in schools. Initially, the annual funding for the program was set at $5 million, but it has typically received supplemental funding from Congress every year.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins emphasized that the new funding will benefit small family farms and enhance access to nutritious foods in schools. However, the revised grant criteria could disadvantage smaller projects, as they now require partnerships and a minimum grant award of $100,000. In the past, many smaller projects received funds under $50,000 for initiatives such as establishing school gardens, which have been critical for hands-on learning experiences.
Additionally, the USDA consolidated the program’s seven grant categories into a single category, removing a scoring system that previously favored equitable funding allocation to underserved communities. This shift has raised alarms among experts in the field, as it could hinder the progress made towards equitable food access in schools.
Organizations such as the National Farm to School Network have voiced both support and concern regarding these changes. While they acknowledge the importance of continued funding for nutrition programs, they argue that the reductions in other vital programs—including SNAP-Ed and the Local Food for Schools program—cannot be overlooked. Experts feel these reductions may reverse significant strides made in school nutrition and local food sourcing initiatives.
Stakeholders involved in farm-to-school policies are urging the USDA to engage directly with farmers and school food service directors to understand their needs. The lack of response from the USDA regarding the implications of the recent funding changes and the agency’s strategic direction for local food sourcing initiatives remains a point of concern.
The USDA’s decision to allocate $18 million in 2026, despite earlier cuts and the narrowing focus of grant projects, has resulted in mixed responses from the community. While the increased funding could lead to more impactful projects, the potential elimination of support for smaller initiatives could stymie the efforts of many local schools and farmers striving to provide healthier food options.
As the landscape of federal support for school nutrition evolves, the USDA’s forthcoming actions and stakeholder engagement will be critical in determining the future effectiveness of farm-to-school initiatives across the nation.
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- Civil Eats: USDA’s Regional Food Business Centers Caught in Federal Funding Freeze
- Wikipedia: Food Security
- Farm Progress: US Risks Food Security by Cutting Agricultural Research Funding, Expert Warns
- Google Search: Agricultural Research Funding
- Brownfield Ag News: Potential Return of RFSI Funding
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Mother Jones: Trump SNAP Cuts Big Beautiful Bill for Food Aid
- Google News: Food Aids
- New York Times: Farmers, Food Bank Budget Cuts
- Google Scholar: Food Bank Funding Cuts
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