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ST. PAUL -- The Minnesota Department of Agriculture recently awarded funding to schools for two new grants to increase the amount of healthy, local food in school meals.
New Ulm Area Catholic Schools received a $4,630 Full Tray Grant, including $1,630 for equipment. Such grants are intended for schools with Farm to School procurement experience.
Other area school districts receiving grants were $2,500 for Immanuel Lutheran School in Gaylord.
Butterfield-Odin Public Schools received a $5,000 First Bite Grant intended for school districts with little to no experience with local procurement in Farm to School funds.
Forty-six school districts received $741,619 for purchasing Minnesota-grown and raised food to be used in school meals.
Grants leverage an additional $624,619 in purchases of Minnesota-grown food for a total investment of $1,366,239.
"We've expanded our investment in new markets that directly benefit farmers and children through our Farm to School programs," said MDA assistance commissioner Patrice Bailey. "That means more schools participating for the first time, and longtime participants expanding healthy, nutritious, local food for students."
Applicants were also able to apply for funds to buy equipment to support Farm to School initiatives. Funding is available from the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) program.
Grant recipients may receive technical assistance to implement farm to school procurement activities from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy with funding from the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant.
Public or private schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and serve food to K-12 students are eligible to apply.
Projects eligible for First Bite Mini Grants include Great Lakes Apple Crunch, Local food taste tests, Farm to School October Meals with local food features, Minnesota Thursdays, and Lunch with a farmer.
There are no cash matches for mini grants. There is a 1-to-1 cash match required for Full Tray grants.
For more information, visit https://www.mda.state.mn.us/grants
(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).