The New York State Education Department (SED) has entered into a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), to administer the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS). 

Through the LFS, SED has been allocated $11,891,161 in total funding to sub-award to eligible School Food Authorities (SFAs) for the purchase of unprocessed or minimally processed domestic, locally grown foods from local producers, small businesses, and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers.

Program Goals

• Increase local school food purchases
• Strengthen local food systems
• Support local, small, and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers
• Establish and broaden partnerships between farmers/producers and schools