Farm to School Institute Statistics Citations
Our kids face the challenges of a lifetime. Farm to School is making a difference.
Obesity & Chronic Disease
1 in 3: number of American children overweight or obese
Healthy Choices
33%: percentage of students eating more fruit and vegetables when schools serve local food*
Food Insecurity
15 million: number of US children living in food insecure households
Food Access & Equity
17%: increase in school meal participation with Farm to School
30 million: number of students participating in the National School Lunch Program
Loss of Farms & Local Economies
45%: percentage drop in net farm income for America’s farmers and ranchers since 2013
Local Purchasing
$789 million: dollars spent by schools on local food
Food Waste
30-40%: percentage of American food supply that is wasted
Sustainable Behaviors
18%: percentage drop in food waste with Farm to School activities
Disconnect from the Land
41%: percentage of kids under 8 who don’t know that eggs come from chickens
Food & Farm Literacy
7,101: number of school gardens nationally, where kids are learning how fruits and veggies are grown
31%: percentage of Farm to School schools that bring kids on field trips to meet their farmers