Unlock Local Food Purchasing

Specifically, NFSN proposes adding a new pathway in addition to the existing purchasing formats to open stable markets for small and mid-sized producers and give schools more control over what they buy and where it comes from. Congress can make this possible by amending existing statute 42 U.S.C. § 1755(c) to allow schools to use a portion of their USDA Foods entitlement funds to purchase minimally processed, locally sourced foods. Schools that prefer the current system can continue using it. This proposal simply provides an additional option for those that opt in.

USDA’s Local Food for Schools (LFS) program demonstrated existing strong demand and helped schools forge new relationships with local farmers. This proposal is complementary to efforts to permanently fund a program like LFS. Rather than requiring new appropriations, this proposal gives schools greater control of their existing entitlement dollars for local purchases within infrastructure already in place.

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