Local Food Procurement Pathways: Key Drivers of Farm to School Participating Authorities Buying Directly from Farmers

Farm to School (F2S) programs are a widely adopted component of U.S. school food systems, with 74 percent of school food authorities (SFAs) participating in at least one F2S activity during the 2022–2023 school year. Total local food purchases by SFAs reached $1.8 billion during the 2022–2023 school year, highlighting F2S as an important source of demand for regional producers. This report draws on nationwide USDA, Food and Nutrition Administration surveys to examine how SFAs engaged in F2S programs source local foods, and to identify institutional and infrastructural factors influencing procurement sourcing decisions. Findings show that rural and smaller SFAs, along with those demonstrating higher levels of engagement and experience, are significantly more likely to purchase directly from producers or through direct marketing channels. Direct procurement is associated with access to local food infrastructure, such as farmers markets and refrigerated warehouses, as well as with reported challenges like product availability and staffing capacity. External support, including grant funding and part-time F2S staffing, is linked to increased likelihood of direct sourcing from producers. These results highlight opportunities to strengthen direct purchasing at SFAs through targeted support, while also indicating that regional conditions play a key role in shaping the feasibility of direct sourcing of local foods.