Farmer Visit Highlights End of Local Food Funding
Eastern Washington farmer Mark Rowley joined McMicken Heights Elementary students for lunch — and brought part of his farm with him.
Kitchen staff roasted his farm-fresh asparagus. Students munched on bright red Cosmic Crisp apples. Mark handed out samples of dried cherries and freeze-dried apple chunks. But a deeper message was also on the table: the $1 billion in federal funding that made these fresh, local foods possible in school cafeterias across the U.S. is being cut. The USDA is ending its Local Food for Schools (LFS) grant program, having a direct impact on Highline cafeterias.
Local Food for Schools Programs Cut
Farmer Mark's visit in April gave students a direct connection to the farms that feed them — just as schools across Washington prepare for the loss of multiple funding sources that have supported local purchasing this year.
Through the USDA Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement, Highline purchased dried cherries, Coho salmon, frozen berries, lentils and whole wheat flour this year — items that were 50% subsidized through the program. That funding is now ending for the next school year.
In addition to the LFS program, Highline received over $200,000 to purchase Washington-grown products through a Farm to School grant program. About $160,000 of that funding came from the federal USDA Farm to School grant, which will no longer be available after the 2024-25 school year. The program allowed Highline to purchase Washington-grown foods such as apples, salmon, beef, purple cauliflower, beets, goat cheese, mozzarella cheese and many more items.
“Because of this program, we were able to purchase more local foods — supporting Washington farmers and helping our team focus on healthy options and more scratch-cooked meals for students,” said Lisa Johnson, Highline’s director of nutrition services.
"This funding helped schools afford high-quality, seasonal foods that cost more or require preparation — something Highline is equipped to do with its production kitchens,” Mark said. “Buying from local farms gave schools access to items that school programs wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford.”
When a Farmer Comes for Lunch
During his visits, teachers introduce Mark to each grade, helping students connect the farm-fresh produce on their trays to the person who grew it. As he hands out samples, Mark explains the difference between tart and sweet cherries and describes his apple chunks as “crisp, healthy marshmallows” just as nutritious as a fresh apple. He challenges older students to name as many apple varieties as they can, rewarding them with Washington apple stickers and other prizes.
Impacts
Mark says he’s grateful for the opportunity to connect directly with schools through the Local Food for Schools and Farm to School grant program.
“Programs like this build a direct link between Washington farmers and the students we feed. It’s a win-win for the state,” Mark said. “I love connecting with kids, helping them understand where food comes from, and learning what they enjoy.”
“We'd love to find a way to save this direct link for Washington farmers to put healthy, local products on students’ meal trays in schools,” he said.
In March, the USDA announced the termination of the Local Food for Schools (LFS) program, along with the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program. This decision halts over $1 billion in federal funding intended for local food purchases by schools and food banks. While existing agreements will continue to be honored, no new funding will be allocated for the 2025–26 school year. Schools will need to cover the full cost of local food products, including shipping and warehousing, if they wish to maintain these offerings. The Farm to School Grant is expected to continue in Washington state, but with federal funding cut, many of these foods likely won’t fit into most school meal program budgets.
“USDA meal reimbursement rates are already not keeping up with increases in food and other program costs, so these additional cuts in funding will have a significant impact in Highline,” Lisa said.
More Information
Watch OSPI’s video series about LFS, including a November 2024 video featuring Mark Rowley.
Recent media includes a March 31, 2025, Seattle Times article, “WA schools served food from local farms. Then [the federal administration] cut the program.” Mark Rowley is quoted.
