MARION, Ky.  – Six schools in Kentucky have received grant funding from the state to grow their farm-to-school programs. The recipient schools will use the money to purchase walk-in coolers, freezers and other equipment to improve their programs. The grants would also allow FFA chapters to purchase equipment needed to introduce or build upon the districts’ hydroponic systems, build on-campus gardens, deal in plasticulture and traditional agricultural practices.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) awarded the funds using money from the USDA’s Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program.

“This project is the next stop for growth in our Farm to School Program,” said Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell. “It gives us the ability to provide education and procurement training opportunities to our young future farmers as well as school food service professionals.”

Grant recipients were chosen by their adherence to the three “C’s” – classroom, cafeteria and community. Each of the schools contacted say they will use the grant money to purchase the equipment so they can store local produce.

Grant awardees are Barren County, Crittenden County, Graves County, Marion County, Taylor County and Union County. More than $181,000 in funding will be distributed among the schools.

“This grant empowers our team to cultivate a holistic approach to nutrition, education and community engagement,” said Shane Bosaw, director of food services at Union County High School. “With the support of this grant, we look forward to nurturing a sustainable and integrated Farm to School Program that not only enriches the quality of our cafeteria offerings but also fosters a deeper connection between our students, the classroom and the local community.”

Union County will receive $50,000 for a new hydroponics system for greens and a refrigerated trailer for storage and transport.

Crittenden County will receive $10,298 for hydroponic systems and walk-in freezers.

Gavin Grines, a Crittenden County High School sophomore, is no stranger to agriculture. Grines comes from a long line of farmers and her entire family supports FFA clubs in schools.

“It goes all the way back to my grandpa and my dad,” she Grines, a third-generation FFA member. “They were in the same shoes as I am, so it’s really just a family thing.”

Grines is her school’s FFA secretary. She said her heart jumped when she heard about the grant for her chapter.

“This is such a big deal for us,” Grines said. “We can grow plants, vegetables and fruits in the greenhouse and then serve them for breakfast and lunch for our students,” she said. “It’s a great learning opportunity for our students.”

Students at Crittenden High plant fruits and vegetables in the summer, and grow flowers like bridal veil flowers in the winter.

Food Service Director Baily Guess said they have more than 1,300 students. They feed roughly 900 students, using more than 900 pounds of produce each week.

“We’re trying to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables into our menu,” Guess said. “For a lot of parents in our district, it’s not feasible for them to afford fresh fruits and vegetables. So, when they come to school, that is the only time they can eat fresh fruits and vegetables.”

The school plans on purchasing a hydroponic tower. The towers cost about $5,000 apiece.

“The program that we’re purchasing these towers from comes with a toolkit called Formative,” said Jessica Abercrombie, agriculture instructor at Crittenden High. “It comes with an online curriculum that I can integrate into my classroom and forums where they can troubleshoot with industry experts, other students, and other schools with these kits.”

Graves County was awarded $49,588 for five hydroponic tower systems and four reach-in coolers for storage.

“The GCHS Plant Science students and FFA Chapter are excited about this new venture to learn and serve in our community,” said Grace Perdue, a plant science and agribusiness teacher at Graves County High School. “In our program, agriculture education comes first as the foundation of all student’s FFA experience. The goal is to introduce new ideas and new opportunities for students to become strong leaders in the local agriculture community and to be good stewards through serving others.”

Marion County was awarded $50,000 and plans for the school include three Flex Farm hydroponics systems, one pass-through refrigerator and one display case for grab-and-go.

“I’m super excited for this opportunity for the School Nutrition Department and the Ag Department to collaborate in order to give our students hands-on learning experiences focused on next generation agriculture production and to add Marion County High grown greens to our existing selection of locally sourced foods,” said Jennifer Wheeler, Marion County High School’s school nutrition director. “This will give them a greater connection to the foods they eat in our cafeteria.”

Barren County was awarded $46,206 for a hydroponic container farm and a walk-in refrigerator to store Farm to School products.

Taylor County was awarded $22,075 to establish a new one-acre, on-campus garden, install one hydroponics tower, and purchase one walk-in cooler for storage.

The KDA project is one of 103 across the nation that awarded a combined $10.7 million by the Food and Nutrition Service under the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program.

Farm to School opens opportunities for students to learn about nutrition and agriculture through hands-on experiences, such as planting, watering, harvesting fruits, vegetables and herbs. Since the grant program’s inception in 2013, USDA has awarded $75 million through Farm to School Grants in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.