About
Farm to fork enriches the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers by changing food purchasing and education practices at schools and preschools.
Children gain access to healthy, local foods as well as educational opportunities such as school gardens, cooking lessons and farm field trips. Farm to fork empowers children and their families to make informed food choices while strengthening the local economy and contributing to vibrant communities.
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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"!
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Members of the Utah Farm to Fork Task Force also partner with the National Farm to School Network. Learn more about the national farm to school movement and how our work supports it at www.farmtoschool.org.
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We recently underwent an in-depth strategic planning process. The goal of this process was to develop a five-year plan for farm to fork in Utah that address the true root cause barriers to improving our food system, and create a sustainable model for our network to carry out this plan. We are excited to now be moving on to the implementation phase of this plan. Our reports on the process are available below.
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Phase One of the strategic planning process was supported by a team from the USDA Division of Community Food Systems.
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Phase Two of the strategic planning process was led by USBE Child Nutrition Programs staff and supported by USU Extension.
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Finally, we contracted with Shawn Peterson Consulting to develop a five-year action plan based on the information gathered in the first two phases of the project.
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Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the strategic plan or our current work.
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Our Mission
Enrich the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers by changing food purchasing and education practices at schools and preschools.
Our Vision
The Utah Farm to Fork Task Force collaborates to build a strong local food economy for all Utahns, resulting in healthy children and adults, interconnected communities, and prosperous farms. We envision a life where:
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All people have access to nutritious, local food;
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School and community gardens provide space for growing food, educating people, and connecting communities; and
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Teachers and caregivers are empowered to integrate food-based learning and agriculture education in all curriculum areas.
