School Supported Agriculture with LAUSD!

Last week, the Alice Waters Institute's (AWI) School Supported Agriculture team along with our partners at Shared Plate Strategies (SSP) brought together Los Angeles Unified School District and four regional food hubs for a two-day Farm to School planning gathering as part of the district’s CDFA Farm to School grant.

In the first phase of this work, AWI and SPS partnered with LAUSD to design a Farm to School Request for Proposals that created new pathways for regional food hubs to supply fresh produce directly to the district through a long term contract. Four food hubs were ultimately awarded multi-year contracts through the RFP, three of which are farmer-led and farmer-owned organizations. As the program moves into its next phase, AWI is now supporting long-term supply planning between LAUSD and these partners, helping food hubs work with farmers in their communities to coordinate planting schedules and school menus in advance.

The first day of the gathering took place at LAUSD’s warehouse, where teams from procurement, food services, culinary, warehouse, transportation, and operations joined the food hubs to reflect on early progress and begin planning together for the seasons ahead.

As part of the convening, LAUSD staff traveled to Fallbrook, California to visit Dickinson Family Farms, one of the program’s food hub partners and a certified organic multi-generational citrus, avocado, and passionfruit farm. For many participants, it was their first time visiting a farm that supplies the district. The group toured the orchards and Dickinson’s new packing and distribution facility, secured just five months ago and supported in part by the stability of their long-term contract with LAUSD. The visit offered a powerful reminder of how school food purchasing can help strengthen regional agriculture, connecting students more directly to California farms while supporting the farmers and infrastructure that make fresh, healthy food possible.