DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will provide $2,000 grants to 137 participating school districts including Union Community School to purchase meat, eggs, produce, dairy and other local foods from area farmers. Launched in 2022, Local Food for Schools pairs school lunch programs with a local food hub to connect to area farmers.

This latest and final round of Iowa LFS will run from August through December of 2024. The 137 public school districts or private schools are all participants in the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs.

Through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts, the program facilitates direct relationships between schools, food hubs and farmers. To find out more information about LFS or how to participate as a vendor, visit the Farm to School and Early Care Network website.