The Heartland Farm to School Institute aims to assist schools in incorporating Farm to School programming in the classroom, cafeteria, and community. The Kansas State Department of Education, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Nebraska Department of Education are leading this initiative.  

The year-long institute kicks off in May 2025 with a retreat where school teams will engage in action planning to set programmatic goals with the assistance of a coach and learn through educational sessions. Following the retreat, teams will implement their Farm to School action plans with the support of the institute’s network consisting of their coach, organizations across the three states, and the cohort of additional participating teams.  

The institute aims to promote the three tenants of Farm to School (procurement, school gardens and education) as well as the Three C’s (classrooms, cafeterias and communities) through school-led Farm to School initiatives. 

Click here for the Heartland Farm to School Institute application. Participation in the institute is free. 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: 

• Applicants must participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).  
• Teams must be comprised of one (1) nutrition/food service professional, one (1) administrator, and one (1) other representative from the three C’s.   
• Teams chosen to participate must attend the institute retreat at the Mill Creek Lodge at Volland Point and the Volland Foundation, May 28-30, in Alma, Kan.  
• Each team chosen commits to participating in institute activities as a team throughout the 2025-26 school year.   
• Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. CST, on Dec. 6. 

For more information or questions regarding the institute, contact Eryn Davis, public service executive, edavis@ksde.org, (785) 296-5060.