The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services awarded 11 school food authorities for their outstanding Farm to School programs with the 2017 Florida Farm to School Award, which provides resources to further expand Farm to School programs. As part of the Farm to School initiative, the department recognizes school food authorities that purchase at least 10 percent of the food they serve from local Florida farms.
Eligible school food authorities that participate in the National School Lunch Program and implement a successful Farm to School initiative can apply for three award levels depending on their school meals consisting of either a minimum of 10, 15 or 20 percent of Florida commodities. Once awarded, the department works one-on-one with the school food authorities to assess the progress of their programs and implement Farm to School Best Practices.
Below are the 2017 Florida Farm to School Award recipients:
- School Board of Alachua County- $20,000
- Basilica School of St. Paul- $5,000
- Collier County Public Schools- $60,000
- FAMU-DRS- $7,500
- School District of Lee County- $40,000
- Liberty County School Board- $15,000
- Sarasota County School Board- $30,000
- St. Lucie County School Board- $40,000
- The School District of Palm Beach County- $75,000
- Pinellas County School Board- $50,000
- St. Peter Claver Catholic School- $5,000
For more information on the Farm to School program, visit the department’s Farm to School program webpage.
