Local Foods for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS) activities will strengthen the Wisconsin food system and expand economic opportunity. There are two beneficiaries. The first are Public, Private, or Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs), referred to as School Food Authorities (SFAs) in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). Second, are socially disadvantages and/or small businesses farmers/producers. Funds will increase access to local, unprocessed, and minimally processed foods by March 2024.

The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) will purchase and provided unprocessed or minimally processed local and regional food products via a collaboration with Fresh Food Wyoming L3C. This organization will collaborate with WDE to facilitate the purchase and distribution of local/regional food products to Wyoming School Food Authorities (SFAs) that participate in the National School Lunch Program.

The Arkansas Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (ARLFPA), funded through the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA), will establish cooperative agreements between the state’s food distribution network and local farmers/producers to provide fresh, nutritious foods to underserved communities. The purpose of this program is to strengthen Arkansas’ local food system while, supporting local and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers through building and expanding opportunities.

The Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida) proposes to purchase 15,000 pounds of Pacific herring roe spawned on macrocystis kelp (roe on kelp) from 15 tribal citizen fishermen and women in Southeast Alaska. Tlingit & Haida will distribute the purchased roe on kelp to more than 3,000 tribal citizen households (approximately 12,000 individuals) in 18 rural Southeast Alaska communities, most of which are not connected to the U.S. highway system and experience food security concerns.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) will utilize LFPA program funds to strengthen its local and regional food systems, help to support local and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers through building and expanding economic opportunities, and establish and broaden partnerships with farmers/producers and the food distribution community and local food networks to ensure distribution of fresh and nutritious foods in rural, remote, and underserved communities.