{"id":60713,"date":"2025-10-06T12:43:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T16:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sustainableagriculture.net\/?p=60713"},"modified":"2025-10-06T12:48:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T16:48:10","slug":"guest-blog-post-the-patrick-leahy-farm-to-school-grant-fy-2026-cycle-is-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainableagriculture.net\/blog\/guest-blog-post-the-patrick-leahy-farm-to-school-grant-fy-2026-cycle-is-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Blog Post: The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant FY 2026 Cycle is Open!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo Credit: National Young Farmers Coalition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Editor\u2019s Note: <\/em><\/strong>This blog post is a guest post<\/a> authored by the National Farm to School Network, which is an NSAC member.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program has had an incredible reach, providing $100 million in awards to 1,275 projects since 2013<\/strong><\/a>. On September 10, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced<\/strong><\/a> it was opening applications for the FY 2026 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program<\/strong><\/a>. National Farm to School Network applauds USDA for this new launch, especially after two key farm to school programs were canceled in March: the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program<\/strong><\/a> and the $660 million Local Food for Schools and Child Care<\/strong><\/a> (LFSCC) program. LFSCC, which directly funded food purchases from local farmers, has not returned. The Patrick Leahy Program supports farm to school efforts broadly but offers little funding for local ingredients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We would like to thank all the legislators who expressed concern and asked questions to USDA Secretary Rollins through a joint letter<\/strong><\/a> and through multiple hearings. We also want to thank our local and state partners who shared their stories<\/strong><\/a> about the impact of the recent cut and advocated for its continuation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are also incredibly grateful to USDA for making farm to school a priority, which was featured in the agency\u2019s recent Small Family Farms Policy Agenda<\/strong><\/a>. We urge USDA to continue to find ways to bolster local procurement, school gardens, and agriculture education. Farm to school is truly a triple win for our nation\u2019s farmers, kids, and communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Good News: <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s ample time to submit gather and submit an application<\/strong>
<\/strong>Farm to school champions have just under three months \u2013 until December 5th \u2013 to submit applications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s up to $18 million on the table<\/strong>
<\/strong>USDA has shared it will award up to $18 million, subject to availability of funds. While this amount is less than what we hoped given the cancellation of the $10 million fiscal year (FY) 2025 cycle, if fully awarded, this would be the largest annual round of awards since the program began in 2013!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

USDA is providing more technical assistance that ever<\/strong>
<\/strong>This technical assistance takes the form of a webinar and several office hours:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Edit: The government shutdown on October 1 will likely affect USDA’s office hours\u2014it is unclear whether they will be postponed or cancelled.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n