MDA Awards More Than $1.3 Million to Expand Farm to School Programs
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded more than $1.3 million to schools and early care providers through its Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Farm to School and Early Care grant programs to increase purchases of Minnesota-grown and -raised foods.
“Since becoming Commissioner in 2019, the MDA has awarded more than $9 million through Farm to School grants and cost-share funding,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “These investments create new market opportunities for Minnesota farmers and give Minnesota kids access to local meals that support their learning, growth, and understanding of where their food comes from.”
The MDA received over $2.1 million in requests and awarded $1,154,532.11 to 59 school districts and 11 early childhood education (ECE) centers located in 40 of Minnesota’s 87 counties. The awarded amount includes a total of $137,464.71 for equipment purchases to support farm to school initiatives. Recipients were awarded one of two grant types:
- Farm to School First Bite Grant: For school districts and ECE centers new to local purchasing and looking to start small.
- Farm to School Full Tray Grant: For school districts and ECE centers with some Farm to School purchasing experience that are ready to expand their efforts.
The individual grant awards range in size from $2,500 to $30,000 and when combined with required matching contributions from grantees, the program's total investment in local foods will exceed $1.9 million, providing a significant boost to Minnesota’s local food economy.
In addition, the MDA awarded just over $199,000 to 311 family daycare providers through the Local Tots Cost-Share program. Each provider received up to $647 to serve more Minnesota-grown and raised-foods as part of their meal and snack programs. This is the second year this program has been offered.
A list of all grant and Local Tots Cost-Share recipients can be found on the Farm to School and Early Care programs webpage. Funding for this program is made available through the MDA’s Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) program, which administers grants to farmers, agribusinesses, schools, and more throughout Minnesota to advance the state’s agricultural and renewable energy sectors.
First Bite Grants
| FY26 First Bite Grantee | City | Type of Grantee | First Bite Award | Equipment Award | Total Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bagley Public Schools | Bagley | School | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| Bloom Early Learning and Childcare | Plymouth | ECE | $5,000 | $4,603 | $9,603.00 |
| Circle of Life Academy | White Earth | School | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| Creative Kids Academy - Wayzata | St. Paul | ECE | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| Faribault Lutheran School | Faribault | School | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| Grand Meadow Public Schools | Grand Meadow | School | $3,000 | ----- | $3,000.00 |
| ISD 2898 Westbrook Walnut Grove School | Westbrook | School | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| Lower Sioux Early Head Start/Head Start | Renville | ECE | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| Lyle Public School | Lyle | School | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| New London Spicer Schools | New London | School | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| Ogilvie Public Schools | Ogilvie | School | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| Pine Point Public School District #25 | Ponsford | School | $2,500 | ----- | $2,500.00 |
| Quarry Kids Childcare Center | Sandstone | ECE | $4,500 | ----- | $4,500.00 |
| Rochester Central Lutheran School | Rochester | School | $3,000 | $12,500 | $15,500.00 |
| St. Johns Area School | Foley | School | $5,000 | $2,490 | $7,490.00 |
| Star of the North Academy | East Bethel | School | $4,000 | $9,630 | $13,630.00 |
| Stephen-Argyle Central | Stephen | School | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| Wee Folksgarten Child/Itasca County Family YMCA, Inc. | Grand Rapids | ECE | $5,000 | $1,401 | $6,400.98 |
Full Tray Grants
| FY26 Full Tray Grantee | City | Type of Grantee | Full Tray Award | Equipment Award | Total Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agape Child Development Center | Minneapolis | ECE | $5,000 | $1,975 | $6,975.00 |
| Barnesville, ISD 146 | Barnesville | School | $24,545 | $20,795 | $45,339.00 |
| Brooklyn Center Community Schools | Brooklyn Center | School | $25,000 | ----- | $25,000.00 |
| Cannon Falls Schools | Cannon Falls | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley Schools | Clinton | School | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| Columbia Heights Schools | Columbia Heights | School | $30,000 | $25,000 | $55,000.00 |
| Dassel-Cokato Public Schools, ISD 466 | Cokato | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Public School | Dilworth | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Fond du Lac Ojibwe School | Cloquet | School | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| Foley, ISD 51 | Foley | School | $27,000 | ----- | $27,000.00 |
| Hastings Public School | Hastings | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Holy Trinity Catholic School, SSP | South Saint Paul | School | $4,650 | $5,188 | $9,838.00 |
| Hopkins Public Schools | Hopkins | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Hutchinson Public Schools, ISD 423 | Hutchinson | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Independent School District 139 | Rush City | School | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| ISD 0281, Robbinsdale Area Schools | New Hope | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| ISD 4, McGregor Public School | McGregor | School | $6,223 | ----- | $6,223.00 |
| ISD 738, Holdingford Public Schools | Holdingford | School | $16,192 | ----- | $16,192.00 |
| ISD 196, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan | Rosemount | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Kid Zone Early Learning Center | Hopkins | ECE | $7,060 | $437 | $7,497.00 |
| Kingsland Public School | Spring Valley | School | $10,000 | ----- | $10,000.00 |
| Lake City Public Schools | Lake City | School | $14,785 | ----- | $14,785.00 |
| Lanesboro Public Schools | Lanesboro | School | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| Litchfield Public Schools, ISD 465 | Litchfield | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Little Falls Community Schools | Little Falls | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Little Rubies | Pemberton | ECE | $5,000 | $2,934 | $7,934.00 |
| Menahga Public Schools | Menahga | School | $15,000 | ----- | $15,000.00 |
| Mesabi East Schools | Aurora | School | $23,005 | $3,923 | $26,928.45 |
| Minneapolis Public Schools | Minneapolis | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Minnesota Valley Action Council | Mankato | ECE | $7,000 | ----- | $7,000.00 |
| Morris Area Schools | Morris | School | $18,175 | ----- | $18,175.00 |
| New Ulm Area Catholic Schools | New Ulm | School | $8,536 | ----- | $8,536.00 |
| Nisse Treehouse LLC | Mabel | ECE | $3,974 | $10,000 | $13,974.00 |
| NMJC, Northwestern MN Juvenile Center | Bemidji | School | $5,000 | $320 | $5,320.00 |
| Northfield Montessori | Northfield | ECE | $5,000 | ----- | $5,000.00 |
| NRHEG Public Schools | New Richland | School | $21,559 | ----- | $21,559.00 |
| Pine Island Public Schools | Pine Island | School | $10,000 | ----- | $10,000.00 |
| Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools | Prior Lake | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Riverway Learning Community | Winona | School | $2,700 | ----- | $2,700.00 |
| Roseville Area Schools | Roseville | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Schoolcraft Learning Community | Bemidji | School | $5,265 | ----- | $5,265.00 |
| St. Anthony/New Brighton Schools | St. Anthony | School | $10,000 | $22,500 | $32,500.00 |
| St. Cloud School District, ISD 742 | Waite Park | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| St. Croix Prep Academy | Stillwater | School | $24,292 | $8,739 | $33,031.00 |
| St. Paul Public Schools | St. Paul | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Stillwater Area Public Schools | Stillwater | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| The Journey School | St. Paul | School | $5,226 | $913 | $6,139.00 |
| Vermilion Country School | Tower | School | $5,000 | $4,118 | $9,118.00 |
| Wayzata Public Schools | Wayzata | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| White Bear Lake Area Schools | White Bear Lake | School | $30,000 | ----- | $30,000.00 |
| Wrenshall, ISD 100 | Wrenshall | School | $6,050 | ----- | $6,050.00 |
| Yinghua Academy | Minneapolis | School | $23,831 | ----- | $23,831.00 |
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Media Contact
Nikki Warner, MDA Communications
651-238-7909
Nikki.Warner@state.mn.us
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