Below are common questions about Farm to School and Early Care food safety.
Q: Can schools buy food directly from local farmers?
A: Yes! See the fact sheets below for more information about how to safely and legally serve local food.
Q: Can schools buy from a local food hub or aggregator?
A: Yes. An aggregator is an entity that is combining and distributing products from multiple farmers. Aggregators need to have a food handler license from the MDA. You can request for the license number to be listed on your invoice.
Q: What are the specific legal requirements for schools when purchasing local food?
A: The factsheet below from the Minnesota Department of Education provides a brief overview of what you need to know about legal requirements for buying local food, and how farmers meet food safety requirements.
Q: What are good food safety questions to ask farmers?
A: Having a conversation with a farmer is a great way to learn about their food safety practices and ensure the produce you receive is grown, harvested, and packaged using best food safety practices. The resources below have a list of questions you can ask farmers and helpful things to listen for when having a conversation.
Q: My school is ready to learn more about buying local food. Where can I find more information, resources, and support?
A: There are several agencies and organizations that collaborate to support Farm to School in Minnesota:
Farm to School & Early Care Office Hours
The Minnesota Farm to School Leadership Team hosts Farm to School Technical Assistance (TA) Office Hours on the second Wednesday of each month, 2:30-3:30 p.m., on Zoom.
Register to join these virtual calls and get answers to your questions related to Farm to School and local food purchasing.
