Lakes Region schools will receive grant to serve local, farm fresh food

More farm fresh food will appear on the lunch trays of students at schools in seven Lakes Region districts this year with money from a new U.S. Department of Agriculture grant. 

A grant of $558,989 from the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement to the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food will be distributed to schools across the state who qualify based on their students’ eligibility for free and reduced lunch. 

Schools in Laconia, Inter-Lakes, Tuftonboro, Kingswood, Belmont, Franklin and Winnisquam Regional districts will receive grant funding to purchase farm fresh products for school breakfasts and lunches during the upcoming school year, joining a list of more than 40 districts statewide. Not every school in every district is listed as a recipient. 

Funding will be divided based on the schools’ eligibility for free and reduced lunch, but a list of participating schools shows each of the Lakes Region schools getting approximately between $1,000 and $6,000 for the year. 

Three food system organizations, NH Hunger Solutions, NH Farm to School, and the NH Food Alliance have partnered with the state to help districts build relationships with providers.

“These funds are incentivizing schools to buy local and will establish farmer and producer relationships that hopefully can continue beyond the next school year,” said Stacey Purslow, state coordinator of NH Farm to School. “It is widely known that Farm to School programs promote sourcing school meal ingredients from local farms, in turn getting students to eat more nutritious, locally-sourced meals and learn about their communities’ food and agricultural systems.”

Schools must follow USDA guidelines on what they purchase, and the money must be spent with local farms or food hubs on fresh products such as dairy, meat and produce. But schools can choose for themselves which sources they buy from. 

According to a release from NH Hunger Solutions, the USDA’s goal for the grant is to help schools deal with supply chain issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The partner organizations hope facilitating relationships between schools and farms will also connect students with more nutrition education and an understanding of food systems in their area. The grant is just for this year, but partners hope the links formed between schools and farms will be fruitful beyond that period.

“Farm to School programs provide healthy, locally sourced meals, nutrition education, and help build an understanding of our food system,” said Jessica Gorhan, NH Hunger Solutions’ Social Impact and Development Director. We are excited that this opportunity is available to support local food producers and NH students' health and learning.”