The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) announced that eight organizations will receive grants through the Wisconsin Farm to School Program. A total of $250,000 will be awarded.
These grants were awarded through a competitive review process, with amounts ranging from $10,000 to $40,000. This one-time funding, provided by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program, will be used to improve access to local foods in eligible schools through comprehensive farm to school programming, including local procurement and agricultural education efforts.
The goal of the Wisconsin Farm to School Grant Program is to enable communities to develop farm to school partnerships, implement farm to school initiatives, and strengthen Wisconsin’s statewide farm to school network. Piloted for one year, projects will gather impact and outcome data, measure demand for this grant program, and capture success stories to leverage ongoing support and for a permanently funded grant program.
DATCP received 31 funding requests totaling more than $685,000 dollars. Among the eight grant recipients are the following from the Madison area:
- Kids Forward;
- Mad Local Food Group LLC (Pasture and Plenty); and
- Wisconsin Early Childhood Association Inc.
