October is National Farm to School Month

October 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of National Farm to School Month, first designated by Congress in 2010 to “recognize, appreciate and celebrate the connections happening across the country between kids, families and their community food systems.” This can include a variety of programs, from teaching kids about where their food comes from, to helping school cafeterias serve healthier and more sustainable meals, to working with communities to provide kids with healthy meals over the summer.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s website includes resources such as a Colorado agriculture map for kids and other links. They also offer a video, Sourcing Local for Your Schools, for administrators and school nutrition professionals. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) also offers resources and links on their school nutrition website. CDE also administers a Farm to School Task Force which publishes a biennial update to the Legislature. Finally, the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at Colorado State University has published a brief on Understanding the Effectiveness of Farm to School Programs through Food Service Professionals.