The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, with funding from the 2024 Patrick Leahy Farm to School State Agency Grant provided by the USDA, is launching the Produce Safety for School Gardens Training Program. This initiative aims to increase safe access to school-grown produce for educational and wellness purposes by educating preschool through fifth-grade students on produce safety and training school staff to implement the program effectively.

This program adapts the Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course for young learners and provides a robust suite of tools, including a Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Garden Safety Toolkit, a picture book, Farm to School (K–5) Garden Safety Toolkit, instructional videos, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for integrating garden produce into child nutrition programs. These resources will cover six key safety topics: produce safety basics, student health and hygiene, soil safety, wildlife prevention, water safety, and harvest handling and sanitation.

Eligible applicants include sponsors of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in good standing, with at least one year of program participation. Applicants must already operate an edible outdoor school garden and plan to maintain it throughout the grant period. The program will select up to five pilot organizations—three NSLP and two CACFP sponsors—to co-develop and test these educational tools. Pilot organizations will participate in a Produce Safety Workgroup, contributing to curriculum design and evaluating its implementation with students.

Applicants may apply to serve:

Kindergarten through 5th Grade students (minimum 15 students required)

Ages 3–5 (minimum 15 children)

Or both groups

Each pilot organization must commit at least two staff members per age group to the Workgroup, with roles including classroom educators, food service staff, or garden coordinators.

Funding amounts vary based on the age group served:

Up to $10,000 for K–5

Up to $5,000 for preschool-aged children (ages 3–5)

Up to $15,000 total if serving both age groups

Funding is non-matching and may be awarded partially. Applications must include a Cost Estimate Plan, signed verification letters from school leadership, and documentation of eligibility or priority status (e.g., rural location, high free/reduced lunch rates). All documents must be uploaded to a shared Google Drive or OneDrive folder, with access granted to the Department before submission.

Applications are due by May 12, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.. A webinar will be held on April 29, 2025 (9–10 a.m.) to assist applicants. Award announcements will be made in June 2025, and projects must conclude by April 30, 2026. Questions should be directed to Hannah Hart at Hannah.Hart@education.ohio.gov or (614) 965-3742. Email subject lines should include “IRN, Produce Safety for School Gardens Training Program.”