Start Date: November 2016

ID #: 74129

Principal Investigator: Kristen Capogrossi, PhD, MA

Co-Principal Investigator: Anupama Joshi, MS

Organization: Research Triangle Institute

Funding Round: Round 10

See more related research

Share


In 2011, Oregon passed a Farm to School (F2S) bill which provided significant funding for F2S programs and explicitly prioritized F2S education grants for schools serving lower-income students. The aims of the study are to: 1) assess the effectiveness of Oregon’s F2S policy in increasing schools’ and districts’ perceived access to state funds and program support, and 2) estimate the reach and adoption of the program among schools/districts serving low-income, minority children. Researchers will use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to explore whether Oregon’s F2S policy has improved produce access among schools; early care and education centers; and schools and districts serving low-income children. Result will include descriptive statistics on reach and adoption measures, and an examination of the relationship between independent variables (school/district characteristics) and dependent variables (e.g., dollar amount of local products purchased) to identify traits of schools that participate in F2S and estimate the effect of program participation on produce purchases.

Related Research

October 2019

Farm-to-School Education Grants Reach Low-Income Children and Encourage Them to Learn About Fruits and Vegetables

For children from low-income families, school meals are a significant portion of daily caloric intake and hence an opportunity to address food insecurity. Many states have pursued legislation to institutionalize programs such as farm to school that aim to improve the quality of school meals and acceptance of healthy foods (fruits and vegetables) to address More

December 2025

From Policy to Plate: Implications of 2025 U.S. Federal Policy Changes on School Meals

School meals are a cornerstone of the United States’ nutrition safety net for children from low-income families, providing nearly 30 million lunches daily. However, recent U.S. policy actions may limit access to school meals for children who need them most. This commentary, published in the Nutrients Special Issue The Influence of School Meals on Children More

December 2025

Ultra-Processed Foods in School Meals: Challenges and Opportunities

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are ubiquitous in the U.S. food supply, while growing evidence shows that UPFs harm children’s health. Schools offer a promising setting to introduce UPF regulation and reduce the availability of UPFs. This brief explores the issue of UPFs in school meals and identifies opportunities and challenges to replace UPFs with more fresh More