There has never been a better time to buy local! The Tray Team is here to support you in utilizing micro-purchase thresholds, geographic preference, seasonal recipes and building relationships with CT farms.
Tray can help you:
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Serve a CT Grown Taste Tests in your Cafeteria
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Support you in Connecting with Local Farms
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Provide Communications & Outreach Materials for Promotion & Education
Our seasonal campaigns will help you further celebrate farm-to-school in the cafeteria, and we offer a suite of materials to download or order.
Reach out to Abby at abigail.dubois@uconn.edu to get started
Maximize your Local Food for Schools Incentive Program dollars to bring CT Grown to your cafeteria - the Tray team is here to help you with LFSIP!
Find Farms Near You with our Farm to School Directory!
This map features farms that have expressed interest and have the ability to work with school districts.
If you would like support in reaching out to a farmer, or if you have any questions about local procurement, Please email
Shannon at shannon.raider@uconn.edu
We offer a suite of educational materials to K-12 public schools and Early Care providers. The materials are most suited for 2-12 years old.
Materials include posters and stickers corresponding to various products that are in season throughout the year in Connecticut. School that have taken the Put Local on Your Tray Pledge receive these for free, but you also have the option to download PDFs of our images.
Click the image to browse!
Tray Resources
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Conversation Guide for Farmers and School Buyers - This is a Q&A resource to support conversations between Food Service Directors and Farmers
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Information on the 'Local Food for School Incentive Program- With Funding through AMS-USDA the CT Department of Education will be dispersing $1.8 million dollars to districts for SY2023/24. This funding is for LOCAL PURCHASING only. Learn more here!
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Local Food for Schools Incentive Program - Fact sheets, how-tos, and guides to support schools and farmers participating in Local Food for Schools Incentive Program, created by Put Local On Your Tray
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Put Local On Your Tray Monthly Newsletter - Sign up for updates on new resources and materials, tools, programming, and partner updates
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What’s Growing in CT? - Downloadable PDF calendar for Eating Seasonally in K-12 Schools
USDA Resources:
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Farm to School Planning Toolkit - Check out this comprehensive ToolKit that covers a range of Farm to School topics
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Farm to School Fact Sheets - Fact Sheets on everything from Food Safety to hosting Field Trips
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USDA DoD Fresh Program: A Source for Locally Grown Produce - DOD and Local Procurement
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Local Procurement decision Tree - How will you bring Local into your purchasing?
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Geographic Preference - Geographic preference and how to use it!
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National Farm to School Resources
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Webinar Archive: Advancing Equity Through Farm to School - WATCH farm to school practitioners share their successes and challenges with advancing equity through farm to school
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Benefits of Farm to School - Research-based fact sheet
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Getting Started with Farm to School - Simple first steps to start your farm to school program!
Other Great Partner Resources
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Connecticut Farm-to-School Program - CSDE Resource
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Tips for Buying from Local Farmers & Producers - Vermont FEED resource