Farm to School

Bismarck Public Schools receive fresh, locally grown produce through the Farm to School program! This year, BPS has partnered with 10 ten local growers and producers to provide a variety of nutritious fruits, vegetables, and protein. This includes cucumbers, carrots, celery, peppers, tomatoes, corn, melons, and beef.

With the help of these producers, your BPS Child Nutrition team provides nutritious meals to nearly 14,000 students in Bismarck, every day. In early August, staff and volunteers worked for weeks to shuck, prep, and process 1,000 dozen (approximately 7,000lbs) of sweet corn to serve in school cafeterias by fall. As of October, they had processed an additional 4,000lbs of healthy, local food!

If you are a farmer who would like to partner with Bismarck Public Schools, please contact the Child Nutrition office!

Farm to School enriches the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers by changing food purchasing and education practices at schools and early care and education sites.

Students gain access to healthy, local foods as well as educational opportunities such as school gardens, cooking lessons and farm field trips. Farm to School empowers children and their families to make informed food choices while strengthening the local economy and contributing to vibrant communities. Studies have shown that Farm to School not only increases food security and knowledge of local food sources, improves test scores, self-esteem and other types of personal growth for students, but also lowers the cost of school meals, improves the morale of both educators and food service staff, and generates economic activity!

Farm to School initiatives include procurement, or purchasing, or local foods that are then promoted and served in schools; educational activities related to agriculture, food, health or nutrition, and hands-on student learning through school gardens.

For more about Farm to School, please contact our Child Nutrition at 701-323-4090.