Farm to school program keeps NC kids fed and engaged

OBI | UNSPLASH

The NC Farm to School program keeps public school students from going hungry after federal budget cuts resulted in less money for campus meals.

RALEIGH – In the face of federal budget cuts, the NC Farm to School program could keep 1.1 million public school students from going hungry.

North Carolina Sen. Jay Chaudhuri and Wake County School System Superintendent Robert Taylor discussed the impact federal budget cuts would have on students that receive summer nutrition assistance.
Policy changes in eligibility for programs like SNAP and Medicaid will cause a 10% reduction for students receiving school meal programs in the school district and disqualifying 33 schools from providing free meals to all students.

“Let’s expand that across the entire state and think about the number of children that will be impacted,” Taylor said. “When children show up and hunger is not an issue, they can focus.”

October is National Farm to School Month, which celebrates local agriculture’s role in serving public school students while developing the local economy. This week is also National School Lunch Week, a campaign which spotlights the significance of a healthy lunch in a student’s life.

Rachel Candaso of Pitt County Schools, the 2025 North Carolina Teacher of the Year, said nutrition is tied to student performance.

“A hungry student can’t focus on equations or essays when they’re hungry. Fresh, healthy food that we provide students at school helps them to be ready to learn, to lead and to thrive, and that’s what we want for North Carolina students,” Candaso said. “When students in North Carolina enjoy sweet potatoes from Wilson County or Rice from Tidewater Grain, they’re not just eating lunch, they’re tasting the story of North Carolina agriculture.”

Tommy Wheeler, founder of Tidewater Grain Company based in Pamlico Sound, discussed the importance of tapping into North Carolina’s strong agricultural industry to feed public school students.

“Think of this as a future savings account that we’re investing in for many, many years to come. It’s not a one-time buy,” Wheeler said. “The Carolina Gold rice we served them at lunch today pays dividends for many, many years to come.”

North Carolina’s Farm to School program has no administrative costs, so the money goes directly back to the farms, schools and communities. By connecting public schools to local farms, Wheeler said the partnership is an opportunity to invest in the local economy.

Chaudhuri said it will be easy to gain bipartisan support in the General Assembly to get an additional $1.9 million in funding for the FTS program.

“I think the ask is quite reasonable and quite small in dollars and also illustrates the fact that asking for a small amount of dollars is gonna result in a lot more money coming back from the federal government.” Chaudhuri said the projected return on the small investment is $131 million.

“I think if we keep our request narrow and reasonable and focused on the kids, I think we’re trying to stay optimistic that the leadership in both chambers will see the benefit of doing so. This is not hundreds of millions of dollars that we’re asking for,” he said.

“Unless the state adds this funding, we will start having to wind this program down, and we know that’s bad for our kids and our families and our communities where those dollars are being spent,” said Abby Emanuelson, executive director of the N.C. Alliance for Health. “These are essential safeguards for nutrition and educational success.”

Comments