Peace Garden News

Applications are now open for Farm to School equipment grants, as announced by Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. These grants aim to support schools in acquiring equipment necessary for participating in the Farm to School program, which facilitates the purchase of local produce for school lunch menus.

Eligible applicants include North Dakota producers, K-12 school districts involved in the National School Lunch Program, and Early Childhood Education Centers participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program. "After holding meetings across the state, schools and producers indicated that they need more equipment to help ease the process of getting local foods to students," said Goehring. "This grant will assist in that process."

The funding originates from the United States Department of Agriculture Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Award. The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) is tasked with distributing $204,500 through a competitive process.

Goehring has advised interested parties that an information manual containing eligibility criteria, application instructions, scoring criteria, and important dates is available on NDDA’s website: https://www.ndda.nd.gov/farm-school-equipment-grant.

Electronic applications must be submitted by March 31, 2025. After submission, applications will undergo review and scoring before being presented to Commissioner Goehring for final approval.

For further information, Jenna Nieters can be contacted at (701) 328-2659 or jnieters@nd.gov.