Arizona Farm to School

Farm to School is an initiative based on connecting local farmers and schools in an effort to enhance school food. The growing movement to increase access to local foods has been evident for years. Now, Arizona is coordinating its efforts to ensure that children have access to Arizona grown products in school meals. Benefits include:

1. Helping meet the needs of Child Nutrition Programs by providing access to fresh and healthy food
2. Supports education initiatives by providing innovative learning techniques in and outside of the classroom
3. Investing in Arizona’s local ranchers and farmers thereby supporting our local economy

Teachers’ Resources

Courses

Incorporating Agriculture Education In Your Classroom 

• This work-at-your-own pace course is designed for K-12 grade classroom teachers to easily earn 45 professional development “seat hours” online while increasing their knowledge about Arizona-grown food. Course content will provide teachers with research-based strategies to implement concepts on Arizona-grown food into their current curriculum while meeting Arizona’s Academic Standards in mathematics, language arts, and science which will include nutrition.
• The University of Arizona’s Agriculture Literacy Program

Arizona Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom

• The Arizona Farm Bureau Agriculture in the Classroom program develops and implements curriculum and programs, aligned to state learning standards to help students and teachers be successful, while increasing agricultural awareness in K-6 classrooms and beyond.
• Arizona Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom

Summer Agriculture Institute

• The Summer Agricultural Institute is a five day tour designed to teach K-12 teachers about the food and fiber grown in Arizona. Participants visit a variety of agricultural operations, spend an entire day at the University of Arizona’s research farm, visit schools with active agriculture education programs, and spend one night with a family on a modern-day working farm or ranch. Teachers are provided with free classroom materials that are aligned to Arizona Academic Standards throughout the tour.
• The University of Arizona’s Agriculture Literacy Program

Contact Information

Ashley Schimke
Farm to School and School Garden Programs Specialist
(602) 364-2282
Ashley.Schimke@azed.gov

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