As a new school year begins, 137 public school districts or private schools will receive grants to purchase local meat, produce, eggs, dairy and other food from area farmers 

DES MOINES, Iowa (August 26, 2024) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will provide $2,000 grants to 137 participating school districts or schools to purchase meat, eggs, produce, dairy and other local foods from area farmers. Launched in 2022, Local Food for Schools (LFS) pairs school lunch programs with a local food hub to connect to area farmers.

This latest and final round of Iowa LFS will run from August through December of 2024. The 137 public school districts or private schools are all participants in the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. 17 schools are new to LFS for this round of funding. Through the first two rounds, more than $1.7 million has been awarded to 162 Iowa schools, and more than 110 farms and food businesses have sold products to schools through the program. 

“With another school year off and running, I’m excited to see more connections being made between school lunch programs and local farmers,” said Secretary Naig. “These grants provide yet another way that we can assist our schools with providing fresh and nutritious meals while also fortifying supply chains and building market demand for Iowa farmers. Because of Choose Iowa and programs like Local Food for Schools, many Iowa farmers are building long-term capacity to serve larger buyers like schools. As a result, these established connections between schools, food hubs and farmers can continue on well into the future.”

Through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts, the program facilitates direct relationships between schools, food hubs and farmers. To find out more information about LFS or how to participate as a vendor, visit the Farm to School and Early Care Network website. 

The Iowa LFS program is managed by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship with strategic contributions from the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and Iowa Valley Resource Conservation & Development. It is funded in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture – Agriculture Marketing Service.