The Weekly Update ·
USDA Updates, Farm to School Stickers & CRUNCH Day
Here’s what you need to know this week:
USDA Updates
Earlier this week, USDA announced the new Harvest to Hallways program. This initiative will provide:
- $50 M for kitchen infrastructure grants. This is in addition to $20 M in Equipment Assistance Grants.
- $30 M for school nutrition research
- $25 M in Farm to School Grant funding
- Promotional materials for Farm to School programs
- Encouragement for states and food vendors to Pledge for Healthier School Meals
USDA also released these new promotional materials for school lunch and school breakfast that more closely align with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines. And we are all anxiously awaiting the release of the new meal pattern, which could be published as early as next week!
Free Stickers Celebrating Farm to School
And hey, just for fun, USDA is providing FREE stickers to schools as a way to promote local foods! Order now to get these in time for Farm to School Month this October!
🥕 Crunch Day
Speaking of F2S, have you ever participated in a "Crunch Day" event? Many states are organizing Crunch Days this Farm to School Month, as a way to bring the F2S community together by taking a bite out of a locally grown fruit or vegetable. Learn more by visiting the NFSN website or reaching out to your state Farm to School lead. Even if you can’t coordinate your whole district to participate, it’s a fun thing to share on social media to highlight some of the yummy local produce your kids are munching on this fall!
Folks in California: register here to receive free stickers and CA Crunch Day content!
⭐️ Resources
- August Checklist
- SY 26-27 Federal Reimbursement Rates Chart
- SY 26-27 California Reimbursement Rates Chart
- SY 26-27 Adult Meal Pricing Tool
- Training Library Course Catalog
- ICYMI! The Lunch Break Aug. 6 Recording
📆 Upcoming Events
- Aug. 27: Afterschool Meals Matter: Strategies & Practical Takeaways - FRAC
- Aug. 27: CA Farm to School Network Call - CDFA
- Aug. 28: Procuring with Efficiency:Forecasting & Cost Management for Smart Spending - ICN
- ✨ Sep. 3: SY 26-27 SNP AR Kick-Off Call on The Lunch Break!
LunchAssist is an allowable use of the Cafeteria Fund, KIT Funds, and R&R Grant. 🥳 Schedule a demo to learn more.
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