Food System Economic Partnership

The FSEP Farm to School Program will facilitate the establishment of viable farm to school programs in Southeast Michigan.  Specifically this will occur by working directly with school food service directors to increase the amount of locally grown fruits and vegetables in the school meal program.  In addition the Farm to School Program will work to improve the health and education of children and their families through classroom education, school garden opportunities and community engagement.

FSEP works collaboratively to bring together school officials, food service directors, contracted food service providers, parents, distributors, processors, and producers to establish mutually beneficial relationships that result in locally produced food being consumed by students in our schools. 

Tool Kit

The FSEP Farm to School Tool Kit has been developed for use by those who are interested in starting a Farm to School program in their school district.  The Tool Kit has been designed so that it can be used by parents, teachers, school administrators and food service personnel.  Please click on the link below to download the tool kit.  Note: This toolkit is in its initial stages, and is not yet complete.  Since the information contained in the toolkit may still be helpful or useful, FSEP has chosen to post the toolkit in its early form.

Tool Kit

Presentations

How to Sell to Schools

This workshop was designed for farmers in Southeast Michigan and covers how school lunch programs work, typical produce purchases, how to market your farm and food safety.  Click here to view this presentation and supporting documents.

How to Start a Farm to School Program

How to Start a Farm to School Program is an informational presentation for those interested in starting a farm to school program in their community.  This workshop covers various ways to implement a program, how to connect to farmers, how to highlight local food days and discusses ways to engage community members in the project.  Click here to view this presentation.

Market Potential for Farm to School in Southeast Michigan

This presentation highlights the market potential for farm to school programs in Southeast Michigan based on research conducted in 2006 by FSEP.  It also covers how school districts are implementing farm to school programs and highlights additional opportunities as the farm to fork movement continues to grow and more institutional buyers get involved.  Click here to view this presentation.

Internship and Volunteer Opportunities

The success of the FSEP Farm to School Program is made possible through the efforts of our volunteers and interns.  Each new school year brings with it exciting new opportunities for volunteer support and we are always looking for more help.  If you are interested in helping a farm to school program in your community please fill out the VOLUNTEER form and fax to: (734) 222.3990 or email to: Michaelle Rehmann, Farm to School Program Director. 

Resources

There are a number of resources available on-line for farm to school programs.  We hope you find the following documents and websites useful.

Michigan Farm to School Website

National Farm to School Website

Massachusetts Farm to School Cookbook 

Contact Us

For more information, contact the FSEP Farm to Food Service Program Director, Michaelle Rehmann at (517) 490-6912.