Prince Edward Island (PEI) may be Canada’s smallest province, but that doesn’t mean it lacks for enthusiasm for putting more healthy, local and sustainable food in its institutions. In particular, Farm to School activities are burgeoning in the province and, as a result we’re thrilled to announce the appointment of F2CC’s brand new Regional Lead...Read More

Photo: École Cambridge-Narrows, Cambridge-Narrows (N.-B.), Marcy Malloy On June 13, 2018, New Brunswick’s Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) released its newly enhanced public school nutrition policy (Policy 711) to ensure all New Brunswick students have access to healthier foods and moreover, creating healthier school food environments in all New Brunswick public schools. “Offering healthier food choices...Read More

In the spring we shared that Farm to Cafeteria Canada will be hosting a National Farm to School Conference in beautiful Victoria, BC in May 2019. We’re pleased to be working with our BC provincial partners, the Public Health Association of BC, who is leading our local conference planning team. This conference will build on...Read More

Eastdale Collegiate Institute is a small, inclusive high school with a focus on individual support and vocational skills for students in grades 9-12. Many of the students have special needs or learning exceptions, and Eastdale’s garden program is a valuable tool for life lessons and job training. “About half of our students are not earning...Read More

2018 US National Farm to Early Care and Education Survey The National Farm to School Network, in partnership with Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, launched the 2018 National Farm to Early Care and Education Survey in the spring of 2018. We heard from 2,030 respondents serving 255,257 children in 46 states about current farm to ECE initiatives, including...Read More

Photo: Karim Wadood, a senior, pulls weeds with Abby Wallace, a sophomore, at The George Washington University’s GroW Garden. (Photo by Calla Kessler/The Washington Post) University students root themselves in the larger world On Wednesday afternoon, when the city felt trapped inside a soup cauldron, Yvana Petros, 21, crouched alongside H Street NW and dug her...Read More

Photo: Dr. Tara Moreau, a plant scientist and lead researcher and educator at the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research. She helps people focus on real-life solutions to help prop up place-based food systems. Our F2CC team attended the Place Based Food Systems Conference in August, with the opportunity to connect with thought leaders...Read More

A “farm-to-school” movement is growing fast across Canada. More than 40,000 students were eating local fruits and vegetables at 150 Ontario schools during 2017-18, via the Tasty Ontario Tuesdays program. Led by the southwest branch of the Ontario Student Nutrition Program (OSNP), supported by the Greenbelt Foundation and Foodland Ontario, this program has purchased and delivered over $55,000 of local...Read More

Research out of the US is suggesting that school gardens could lead to healthier lifestyles in students. Below are stories on two such studies. We here in Canada are starting to see the same evidence emerge but it’s going to be important to capture this in Canadian schools. Gardens at School Might Boost Availability of Vegetables...Read More

Photo: An Indigenous foods garden is being created at the Rare Charitable Research Reserve in Cambridge. Leading the project is Andrew Judge, a a professor and co-ordinator of Indigenous studies at Conestoga College.(Submitted by Andrew Judge) The sounds of birds and insects envelop Andrew Judge as he stands in a new garden at the Rare Charitable Research...Read More