CN farm to school grant

The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service awarded Pennsylvania Beef Council $199,870 on July 10, 2026, under the Farm to School Grant Program (CFDA 10.575), an Implementation Grant track project extending through June 30, 2028. The award funds farm-to-school initiatives serving Bedford, Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Beef Council is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization based in Bedford, Pennsylvania, that operates exclusively as a federal grant sub-recipient. The organization delivers intensive, hands-on biosecurity planning workshops targeting beef producers, veterinarians, and veterinary students across Pennsylvania and neighboring Northeast states. Work centers on the National Beef Quality Assurance program and the Secure Beef Supply foreign animal disease response initiative, with curriculum covering disease prevention, biosecurity plan development, and operational risk mitigation for cattle operations.

The Farm to School Grant Program assists eligible entities through grants and technical assistance in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in USDA Child Nutrition programs. Implementation grants help schools, school districts, local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, agricultural producers or groups of agricultural producers, and nonprofit entities scale or further develop existing farm to school initiatives. The grant award period runs for 24 months with assistance released by letter of credit. Grantees may apply for a one-time six-month no-cost extension upon demonstrating bonafide need. Records must be retained for three years after final report submission for the applicable fiscal year.