How The Common Market is helping schools leverage Local Food for Schools (LFS) Funding

by Rachel Terry, The Common Market National Partnership Director

A new program from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Local Food in Schools (LFS), provides dedicated funds to connect school food operations with local farmers, ranchers and producers across the state.

The one-time funding opportunity is a tremendous way to build new relationships with producers, generate excitement in school cafeterias, and utilize school districts’ purchasing power to drive meaningful economic impact across the local food system.

The Common Market has already supported nearly 20 school districts receiving LFS funding throughout New Jersey, and sees opportunities on the horizon in Georgia, Maryland, Illinois, and Texas. How is your state taking advantage of LFS funds?

Inspiration from the Field

Sal Valenza, Food Service Director at West New York Public Schools in New Jersey, began utilizing his LFS funding in winter of 2023 to menu local, grass-fed beef on a weekly basis.

Provenance Farms is a women-owned operation based out of White House Station, New Jersey. Martha Kimmerly, the farm’s owner and operator, was in need of a steady market for her ground beef. Restaurants and high end buyers were interested in her primal cuts, but that still left about 40% of the animal unsold. That’s where LFS funding came through. Martha worked with The Common Market to identify a product SKU and price point that would work for schools.

The Common Market shared a list of New Jersey offerings with its school partners that met the requirements of LFS and that could be delivered consistently. Sal made a weekly commitment to Provenance Farm’s product, which allowed the farm to diversify their market channels. In turn, the students at West New York are now eating the famous S'Mushburgers, a mix of Beef and Mushrooms grilled fresh before each lunch period.

"This funding has allowed our district to diversify the local offerings we can provide to our student community,” shared Valenza. “To consistently source and menu a New Jersey beef item is amazing. We sell out of the burgers every day, and I love knowing that these resources are going back to farmers here in our state.”