Study Finds Infrastructure Key to Farm-to-School Food Procurement

A study examining school food procurement during the 2022-23 school year found that schools are more likely to buy food directly from farmers when they have grant support, local staff, and nearby storage or processing infrastructure, according to a report co-authored by Cornell University. The analysis noted that rural school food authorities were 10 percentage points more likely than urban authorities to purchase directly from individual producers, though limited supply and thin staffing still restrict local purchasing.

The findings examine how schools participating in farm-to-school activities sourced food, providing insight into the operational challenges and requirements for local food systems. The report utilized data from 12,559 of 18,833 invited school food authorities.