Arkansas Dept. of Agriculture announces school grant winners

Chris Counts
·1 min read

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has announced the winners of the 2024 Farm to School Kitchen Equipment Grant Program.

Through the program, the department will provide $41,250 in grants to 11 public and private K-12 schools, early childhood education facilities and alternative learning environments.

Officials said the funds will directly impact 3,993 students in 11 counties across the state.

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The winners announced are:

  • Batesville High School, Independence County

  • Good Morning Sunshine Preschool, Yell County

  • Gurdon Public Schools, Clark County

  • Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center, Washington County

  • Marshall High School, Searcy County

  • Mountain View School District, Stone County

  • Mrs. Krystal’s Preschool, Sharp County

  • Rivercrest School District, Mississippi County

  • Salem High School, Fulton County

  • Shirley School District, Van Buren County

  • University District Development Corporation/Oak Forest Community Garden, Pulaski County

“Farm to school is most impactful when schools are able to connect all three pillars – school gardens, education, and local procurement,” Arkansas Farm to School Coordinator Jessica Chapman said.

“We are pleased to administer the new Farm to School Kitchen Equipment Grant Program to provide an opportunity for schools to start or expand on local procurement efforts in their school cafeterias,” Chapman continued.

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The Farm to School Kitchen Equipment Grant was started in 2023 to increase schools’ capacity to process and serve more specialty crops to students through school cafeterias and other school feeding programs.

Selected Arkansas schools will receive grants of up to $5,000 to purchase equipment, improve school meal quality, and increase student consumption of specialty crops.

For more information on the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, visit Agriculture.Arkansas.gov.

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