Students here in Charlotte and the surrounding counties, will get some help from a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant.

The $14.3 million Farm to School grant was given to multiple states, including Virginia. These funds will help 1.9 million children eat more nutritious foods in schools while supporting farmers in their communities.

“Farm to school is a huge win for children, schools, farmers, producers and communities,” said USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “When schools have access to fresh, local food options with homegrown flavor, they can serve delicious, healthy dishes that kids are excited to eat, while also supporting the local economy.”

Farm-to-school programs help child nutrition program operators incorporate local foods into meals served through USDA’s National School Lunch Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program and SUN Programs: USDA’s Summer Nutrition Programs for Kids. They also create opportunities for students to learn about nutrition and agriculture through hands-on experiences.

“When we support children in establishing good eating habits, we’re setting them up to reach their full potential,” said Cindy Long, USDA food and nutrition service administrator.

Since the program’s inception in 2013, USDA has awarded more than $98 million in Farm to School Grants, funding more than 1,200 projects that have reached more than 28 million students.

“These grants continue our work to address both food insecurity and nutrition insecurity, ensuring that we’re not only feeding kids, we’re feeding them well,” Vilsack added.

Here in Virginia, a number of food banks in Central and Southside Virginia benefitted from the funding, along with United Charitable. The goal is to help provide fresh greens to schools and offer students a cross-curricular educational program.

Funding awarded to United Charitable will aid ReTreeUS in a multi-state effort to implement school orchard programs. The project aims to enhance student access to local produce and agricultural education opportunities in school orchards.