Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) announced a new funding opportunity for school districts across New York State aimed at connecting them to local growers and producers to increase the use of locally grown specialty crops. Through the Farm to School program, $350,000 in grants is now available for projects that will help Pre-K through Grade 12 schools procure and serve healthy, locally grown foods on school menus.

The Farm to School program is aimed at developing and strengthening connections between farms and schools to help grow the agricultural economy and increase the amount and variety of specialty crops procured by schools for healthier meal options.

Applicants for the program can include Pre-K through 12 school food authorities, charter schools, not-for-profit schools, and other entities participating in the National School Lunch or Breakfast Programs and/or operating Summer Food Service Programs.

Projects eligible for grant funding across New York’s school districts may include:

• Employing of a local or regional farm to school coordinator.
• Training programs for food service staff to increase knowledge of local procurement and preparation of locally produced specialty crops.
• Purchase of equipment needed to increase capacity of school kitchen and food service staff to prepare and serve locally produced specialty crops.
• Capital improvements to support the transport and/or storage of locally produced specialty crops.

For more information on the Farm to School Grant program please visit: http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/RFPS.html.

The deadline to apply is 4:30 p.m. on October 19. Awards will be made in November 2015.