Our Mission
​
We strengthen community connections to fresh, healthy food and local producers by transforming how schools and preschools purchase food and approach food education.
Our Vision
​
Utah Farm to Fork works with community organizations to build a strong local food economy for all Utahns—leading to healthier children and adults, more connected communities, and thriving farms. We envision a future where:
​
-
Everyone has access to nutritious, local food;
-
School and community gardens offer spaces to grow food, educate, and bring people together; and
-
Teachers and caregivers are empowered to integrate food-based learning and agricultural education across all subjects.
Education
Food and agriculture are integrated into classroom learning to teach nutrition, sustainability, and where food comes from.
Local Procurement
Schools purchase and serve fresh, locally grown foods to support nearby farms and offer healthier meals.
School Gardens
Hands-on spaces where students grow food, learn about agriculture, and connect with nature.
​For more information about the National Farm to School Network, visit www.farmtoschool.org.
History of Farm to School
The farm to school movement has grown from a handful of schools in the late 1990s to over 42,000 schools in all 50 states, D.C., and U.S. Territories, and expanded to 1,516 preschools in school districts across 49 states. Farm to school has expanded to include other community institutions that serve children meals such as child care centers, adult care centers, and non-profit or religious organizations. Because farm to school is not just school anymore Utah has embraced the term "farm to fork"!
Utah's Timeline
2011-2015
The Utah Farm to School Network began forming, with conversations among schools and organizations. By 2015, a basic listserv and an initial conference were launched, primarily targeting school food service, but largely excluding farmers and producers.
2017
The network adopted a highly structured model with multiple roles and committees. Participation dropped as farm to school duties added to already full workloads.
2018
The network pivoted to focus on practical solutions—launching mapping and database projects, and creating a website to serve as a centralized hub of resources for schools and producers.
2019-2022
Worked with the Local Food Advisory Council to pursue legislative funding for future initiatives, including reimbursement programs and state support positions. Strategic planning was delayed due to the pandemic’s impact on USDA data.
2021
Despite pandemic-related challenges, the network secured grants to launch Harvest of the Season (with Utah Ag in the Classroom) and began a state-funded Local Food Reimbursement Program for schools purchasing Utah-grown unprocessed foods.
2022-2023
A Strategic Plan was developed through extensive stakeholder engagement, redefining the network as a collaborative effort—not a committee or coalition. Priorities and actions were set to strengthen farm to school across the state.
2023
A Farm to School Specialist was hired at the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) using USDA Formula Grant funds. This role focuses on growing the network and helping producers market their products to schools.
... more to come!
Stay tuned as we continue to grow the Farm to School network in Utah!
