Schools awarded for buying local farm products for meals

FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 7, 2026) – Kentucky school districts committed to purchasing food from Kentucky farmers are once again eligible for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s (KDA) Farm to School Stars Recognition Program.

The program, now in its second year, monetarily awards the top three school districts that demonstrate a commitment to increase their food purchases directly from farmers.

“Kentucky farmers grow some of the best food in the nation, and our schools play a vital role in getting that food onto the plates of our students,” Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell said. “When schools buy local, our students, our farmers, and our communities all benefit.”

By increasing purchases of locally grown produce and proteins, participating districts help strengthen farm income while improving the quality and freshness of school meals.

The Farm to School Stars program supports the goals of the recently passed Senate Bill 5 (SB5) by strengthening local food systems, expanding market opportunities for Kentucky producers, and ensuring more Kentucky grown products reach our classrooms. SB5 allows Kentucky school districts participating in USDA Child Nutrition programs greater flexibility in directly purchasing Kentucky-grown agricultural products without being subject to certain state competitive bidding laws – while still complying with all federal requirements. In some cases, the flexibility allows local farmers to compete with large conglomerates by allowing school food purchases to award contracts when the district considers the price reasonable based on prior experience, purchase history, or other relevant information.

The Farm to School Stars Recognition Program highlights districts that achieve the highest percentage of Kentucky grown or Kentucky raised products in their breakfast and lunch programs. To qualify, districts must participate in the USDA National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Only breakfast and lunch meals will be evaluated for award consideration.

KDA will announce the winning districts during Farm to School Month in October. Incentive awards, which are paid through Ag Tag funds, include:

• First place: $10,000

• Second place: $8,000

• Third place: $6,000

Districts must use award funds to purchase local foods during the following school year. Districts that receive an award are not eligible to participate again the next year.

Applications are due to KDA by July 31, 2026. Rules and application materials are available at: kyagr.com/consumer/documents/FD_FS_KDA_Star_Recognition_Application.pdf.