About the Census

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the Farm to School Program in order to support and promote the use of local foods in Child Nutrition Programs. USDA accomplishes this by providing grants, training, and technical assistance to Child Nutrition Program operators interested in initiating or expanding their farm to school efforts. USDA also conducts and disseminates research on existing farm to school activities and opportunities for expanding the use of local food products in Child Nutrition Programs, including the USDA Farm to School Census.

The Farm to School Census is conducted periodically to assess the state of farm to school activities across the U.S. The Census surveys all school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program. USDA conducted the first Farm to School Census in 2013, 2015, and again in 2019. The most recent Farm to School Census was conducted in the fall of 2023 and findings are largely based on farm to school participation in the 2022-2023 school year. You may read further about the Census data and how we gathered it.