Farm to School Act of 2021
This bill modifies and expands the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Farm to School Program. The program currently provides grants and technical assistance to schools, state and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, agricultural producers, and nonprofit entities to improve access to local foods in schools.
Among other things, the bill
- reauthorizes the program through FY2027;
- permits USDA to provide land-grant colleges and universities with grants, research, evaluation, and technical assistance under the program;
- expands the purposes for grants awarded under the program to include implementing educational activities relating to agriculture, nutrition, or food;
- requires USDA to provide technical assistance, research, and information to increase awareness of and participation in farm to school programs among agricultural producers, including beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged farmers;
- directs USDA to seek to improve local food procurement and distribution options for agricultural producers and eligible institutions;
- authorizes USDA to fund projects that include innovative approaches to aggregation, processing, transportation, and distribution;
- establishes new limitations on the amount and duration of grants; and
- limits funds that may be used for administrative costs.