New Jersey’s Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS) will strengthen the food systems for schools by helping to expand local food accessibility as well as engage local and socially disadvantaged growers. The funds necessary to undertake this groundbreaking work in our State will further build a resilient local food chain and expand purchasing domestic, locally grown foods from local producers, small businesses, and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers for distribution to schools – a longstanding goal of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA). The (NJDA) Division of Food and Nutrition, Food Distribution Program, will assist subrecipient School Food Authorities (SFA), participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or National School Breakfast Program (NSBP) with establishing partnerships with vendors, farmers, and ranchers within the state that best suit local needs, environmental and climate conditions, and seasonal harvests to ensure that agricultural products purchased through LFS are minimally processed & locally sourced. The Division of Food and Nutrition will work collaboratively with the NJDA’s Division of Markets Jersey Fresh team and the Division’s Farm to School Program to build those strong connections and sustainable partnerships
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