Governor Hochul announces new $10 million investment during Farm-to-School Month to bring more fresh New York food directly to students across the state

New York – As October marks Farm-to-School Month, New York’s governor, Kathy Hochul, unveiled a major initiative aimed at tightening the connection between local farms and school cafeterias. At the core of the announcement: the third round of the Regional School Food Infrastructure (RSFI) Grant Program, with $10 million now available to encourage schools throughout the state to serve more fresh, locally grown food to Kindergarten through Grade 12 students.

The program, administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM), is part of a broader commitment by the governor’s administration to reduce food insecurity, bolster local agriculture, and strengthen the state’s food system. The RSFI initiative, first introduced in Governor Hochul’s 2023 State of the State address, is structured as a five-year, $50 million effort. It is designed to help eligible school districts and partner organizations invest in the infrastructure necessary to prepare and serve fresh meals from scratch, using New York–grown products.

Governor Hochul stressed the dual purpose of the grant program: supporting students and supporting farmers. “As this irresponsible federal government shutdown continues following the Trump administration’s dangerous cuts to food programs, I’m proud to say that here in New York State, we’re continuing to advance our goals of reducing food insecurity while increasing market opportunities for farmers,” she said. “Our Regional School Food Infrastructure program brings our farmers and our schools together, supporting our agricultural industry while ensuring that our children have enough local, fresh meals they need to learn and thrive. The funding for these projects will provide the much-needed support to help schools prepare delicious, fresh foods from scratch for our students in their own facilities, further strengthening the resiliency of our food system.”

A Program with Purpose: Schools, Farmers, Infrastructure

At its heart, the RSFI Grant Program supports capital investments that enable schools and school-related organizations to expand or improve on-site food processing, aggregation, storage, and preparation capabilities. According to the details: funding may be used for aggregation hubs, storage facilities, commissary-style kitchens, and other infrastructure that support fresh meal preparation and local product utilization. Equally important, the program incorporates workforce development: schools, communities, and students may receive training in culinary arts, food processing, safe handling and storage, logistics, and delivery systems, based on local needs.

Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, local municipalities, school districts, and Boards of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES). The grants are regionally focused: each year, funds will be directed to two different regions of the state, $5 million per region per year, over the five-year lifespan of the initiative. Round 1 targeted Western New York and the North Country; Round 2 went to Long Island and Central New York. Round 3 is now open, with applications due by January 20, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.

Projects must serve multiple school districts, reduce food insecurity, increase market opportunities for New York producers, and strengthen the resilience of the food system. The broader vision: when schools purchase more local product, farmers have more stable markets, and students receive fresher, healthier meals—all while the state’s food infrastructure becomes more robust.

On the Ground: An Example in Progress

To put this program in context, officials visited a live project on Long Island. The gathering took place at the East End Food Institute, which already received $5 million in Round 2 funding for a food-hub project. The institute’s under-construction Food Hub will function as a centralized facility for aggregation, processing, and distribution of local food products in the Long Island region. The hub is intended to address practical logistical challenges that schools and institutions often face when attempting to source local foods—things like bidding restrictions, pricing constraints, and distribution inefficiencies.

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During the tour, the institute’s staff and state officials planted herbs for the institute’s planned community food-garden, underlining the broader educational and community-building aspects of the project. NYS Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball, who joined the visit, emphasized that this kind of public-private partnership is exactly the kind of initiative the RSFI grant is meant to fuel. “One of our priorities at the Department is ensuring that New York farmers can get their fresh, local food items directly into our communities, and ensuring our schools have the equipment they need to cook from scratch and use ingredients made by our farmers and producers is a crucial part of that effort,” he said. “Through the first two rounds of the program, we are already seeing some exciting progress on projects like a new Food Hub spearheaded by the East End Food Institute that will benefit farmers and students alike. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued support of this critical program and encourage all eligible applicants to consider applying for Round 3, which provides an opportunity to strengthen our food system and provide delicious, healthy and locally sourced meals to our students while supporting our farmers.”

For the East End Food Institute, the project represents more than just a facility. Executive Director Marci Moreau explained, “The ongoing support from Governor Hochul and Commissioner Ball through the Regional School Food Infrastructure program is transforming food systems in New York and helping to build more resilient local food networks. All of us at East End Food are deeply grateful for this partnership, which brings our farmers and schools together, supporting local agriculture while ensuring that every child has access to fresh, nourishing meals. At East End Food Institute, we believe that when we bring farmers and schools together, the process of education itself is enhanced and students gain not only healthier meals, but also a deeper understanding of where their food comes from and the people who grow it. These funds are pivotal in helping us build a stronger, more connected food system, one that feeds body, mind, and community. We are grateful for this opportunity and remain committed to honoring it through our work every day.”

At a more local level, the Southampton Schools Director of Food Services, Regan Kiembock, offered a practical perspective: “As a school food service director for over 25 years with a strong passion for farm-to-school, I am thrilled about the investment that New York State and our Governor have made to increase access of local foods to our students in our schools here on Long Island. The East End Food Institute will be a valuable resource for all who are committed to providing our students with fresh, local, and healthy food in our schools’ cafeterias by not only making it easier for us to connect and purchase from our farmers and local producers, but also allowing us to have a workforce development program to train staff on more scratch food preparation. This is a true win-win for all.”

Additionally, local farmers and educators voiced their enthusiasm. Program Director and herb-farmer Kayla Barthelme, owning Soul Creations Apothecary and Herb Farm on the East End, said, “It’s an honor to welcome Commissioner Ball and our community to the East End Food Hub. As a small farmer and herbalist on the East End, I grow medicinal herbs and work alongside other local growers, producers, and educators who share one mission: to keep our community healthy, connected, and nourished from the ground up. For those of us who farm out here, this project represents so much more than a building — its hope for the future of local agriculture. The East End Food Hub will give growers the infrastructure we’ve long needed to process, store, and distribute our products efficiently and affordably. It will help keep food grown on Long Island on Long Island — feeding our schools, hospitals, and families, while giving farmers the stability to keep doing what they love. We often talk about ‘growing community,’ and that’s exactly what this project does. It strengthens the roots between farmers and neighbors, and reminds us that when we invest in local food, we’re really investing in people — in resilience, sustainability, and the shared story of this land.”

Why This Matters: Food Security, Local Economy, and Education

This program intersects at the crossroads of public health, local economics, and education. At a time when federal budgets and food-security programs are under strain—especially with mention of “reckless cuts” and an ongoing federal government shutdown—the state is stepping in with a bold local-first strategy. In her remarks, Governor Hochul referenced these national pressures: the federal government shutdown and previous cuts to food programs under the Trump administration set the backdrop for New York’s proactive response.

By directing investment to school food infrastructure, New York is doing more than supporting local farms or school cafeterias in isolation. It is investing in multiple cascading benefits:

• Students gain improved access to nutritious meals made with local ingredients. Better meals contribute to better learning, health, and overall school-day experiences.
• Farmers and producers get more stable markets and demand for their products, a key part of keeping agriculture viable and local food systems resilient.
• Schools and districts receive infrastructure upgrades that allow them to shift from highly processed or outsourced food models to fresh, scratch-based meal preparation—which can foster healthier eating habits and stronger connections to food.
• Communities benefit when local food is grown, processed, and consumed in the same region. This strengthens logistics, reduces waste and transportation burdens, and bolsters economic activity close to home.
• The broader food system becomes more resilient when schools, farms, and processors are linked through regional hubs and infrastructure rather than relying entirely on distant supply chains.

In short: this is an investment not only in food, but also in place, people, and purpose.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Round 3 and Beyond

With $10 million on the table for Round 3, schools and partner organizations across New York State now have a window to apply and reimagine how they serve students. As stated, the proposals must focus regionally and meet the program’s larger goals: improving meal-preparation capacity for K-12 students, reducing food insecurity, expanding market opportunities for New York producers, and making the food-system more resilient.

Applicants should be aware of the key requirements: the facility must support multiple school districts, link to local food markets, and include workforce development (such as culinary or logistics training for school staff and students). Funds may cover capital costs like building or upgrading commissary-type kitchens, storage facilities, aggregation hubs, or other infrastructure for fresh meal preparation and distribution. The state is encouraging eligible entities—including school districts, non-profits, municipalities, and BOCES—to participate.

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The timeline is firm: proposals are due by January 20, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Prospective applicants can find full details at agriculture.ny.gov/Funding-Opportunities, where an informational webinar is also available. With previous rounds covering Western New York, the North Country, Long Island, and Central New York, the state intends to reach every region by deploying $5 million per region per year across five years.

Beyond the RSFI program, Governor Hochul is supporting a suite of other food-system initiatives: the Nourish New York program, the 30 Percent NYS Initiative for school meals, the Farm-to-School program, FreshConnect Fresh2You, the Food Access Expansion Grant Program, the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs, the Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grants Programs, and more. These investments build on her Executive Order 32, which directs state agencies to increase the percentage of food sourced from New York farmers to 30 percent of total state food purchases within five years. Additionally, the state committed $25 million toward the NY State Grown & Certified Infrastructure, Technology, Research and Development Grant Program and earlier in June announced $13.7 million for the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grant Program to connect mid-supply-chain actors and improve access to markets for farmers.

Voices from the Field: Farmers, Educators, and Community Leaders

When it comes to this program, those closest to the work describe a blend of hope, practicality, and promise. In addition to the quotes above, Assemblymember Donna Lupardo commented: “The Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program has helped schools and other institutions incorporate fresh, local produce into the meals they serve. The program supports NY’s hardworking farmers, encourages the consumption of healthy and nutritious foods, all while strengthening local food systems. I encourage school districts to apply for this third round of funding; these critical infrastructure investments will pay dividends for years to come.”

State Senator Michelle Hinchey added: “The result of federal cuts to food security programs is that children and families across New York will not have access to the meals they need. Everywhere the state can make a difference to protect people and expand food access, we are taking action. That includes supporting the Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program, which gives schools the capital funding to store, cook, and serve fresh, healthy food—while also helping New York farmers get their high-quality products onto students’ plates. I thank Governor Hochul and Commissioner Ball for prioritizing this critical program, and encourage all eligible applicants to apply.”

For farmers like Barthelme, the hub is more than an economic opportunity—it’s an investment in local identity, connection, and future generations. For food service leaders like Kiembock, the change is practical and immediate: fresh produce, local vendors, trained staff, and stronger cafeterias.

The Broader Lens: Why This Initiative Is Timely and Important

The timing of this announcement matters. With national food-security programs under pressure, and federal funding facing shutdowns or cuts, states are increasingly stepping in to fill gaps. New York’s RSFI program is one example of how state-level investment can create resilience and local control in the food system. Schools are anchor institutions in communities; when they buy local, the ripple effects go beyond lunch trays.

Moreover, from a public-health perspective, shifting toward fresher and more nutritious meals supports children’s growth, learning, and health outcomes. From an agricultural perspective, creating more reliable markets for farmers helps sustain production, preserve farmland, and reduce reliance on long supply chains. Environmentally and economically, strengthening regional food systems reduces waste, transportation burdens, and dependence on distant suppliers.

Additionally, incorporating workforce development and educational elements—culinary training, processing skills, logistics know-how—means the program connects food to jobs, skills, and civic engagement. This alignment between education, nutrition, agriculture, and local economy is a powerful model for other states.

In many ways, the RSFI Grant Program embodies a shift from “just feeding kids” to building a system where schools, farms, and communities are interdependent in positive ways. When students know where their food comes from, when farmers know there’s a dependable market, when infrastructure allows local product to move smoothly into cafeterias—these are the building blocks of a more sustainable food future.

Challenges and Considerations

While the goals are ambitious and the potential benefits substantial, the actual work of implementing these projects can be complex. Schools and districts must navigate bidding, procurement, food-safety regulations, staffing, equipment upgrades, and vendor relationships. Local farmers may need to scale up, coordinate logistics, or adjust to institutional requirements. The aggregation and distribution hubs must manage perishables, seasonality, storage, and transportation.

Because the program emphasizes serving multiple districts and regions, successful applicants will need to collaborate, often across traditional administrative or geographic boundaries—a challenge in itself. Furthermore, infrastructure upgrades require upfront capital, and even with grant support, schools may need to coordinate district budgets, maintenance, and staffing changes to make the most of the new capabilities.

The state’s emphasis on rounding through regions suggests that some parts of New York may receive funds later than others—so timing and readiness become important. While the $10 million for Round 3 is substantial, it must be carefully allocated to ensure meaningful impact across diverse regions with different needs.

Still, many stakeholders believe the potential gains outweigh the challenges. With the foundational work laid in Rounds 1 and 2, Round 3 offers an opportunity to scale impact and refine implementation. The inclusion of workforce training and regional hub infrastructure suggests the program is evolving in response to lessons learned.

What Success Looks Like

If the RSFI Grant Program delivers on its promise, several measurable outcomes are possible—and desirable. Schools will be able to prepare more meals from scratch in-house or regionally, using fresh New York-grown ingredients. Students will receive healthier meals, with less reliance on processed foods or long supply-chains. Local farms will have increased access to institutional markets—school districts, hospitals, cafeterias—thus generating more stable revenue and supporting agricultural viability. Food-hub facilities and aggregation centers will optimize aggregation, storage, processing, and distribution for local product, reducing wastage and improving supply-chain efficiency. Workforce development will yield a pipeline of trained staff—kitchen managers, processors, logistics coordinators, student interns—linking food systems to job pathways. The food system itself will be more resilient, better equipped to absorb federal funding fluctuations or supply-chain disruptions by relying more heavily on regional production and distribution. Community ties will be strengthened—students and educators will have greater visibility into the origins of their food, local farmers will feel more connected to institutional demand, and neighborhoods will gain economic and nutritional benefits.

Stories like the East End Food Institute hub serve as prototypes: a facility where growers, processors, educators, and cafeterias function in partnership; where food is grown, processed, and distributed locally; where students may participate directly in food culture, and where local economic ecosystems are strengthened. If similar projects take root across New York’s many regions—rural, suburban, urban—the cumulative effect could reshape how children are fed, how farmers market their products, and how food systems are designed.

Final Reflections

The announcement of $10 million in funding for Round 3 of the Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program during Farm-to-School Month is more than a headline—it’s a statement of intent. New York is signaling that it believes in a food system where local production, community growth, and student nutrition are interlinked. Governor Hochul’s remarks highlight this dual commitment: “Our Regional School Food Infrastructure program brings our farmers and our schools together, supporting our agricultural industry while ensuring that our children have enough local, fresh meals they need to learn and thrive.”

This initiative doesn’t just serve schoolchildren, or farmers, or even schools alone—it serves the broader community. It underscores that food access, economic opportunity, education, and public health are all connected. And it suggests that states can play a proactive role in strengthening their food ecosystems when federal support falters.

It’s an ambitious program, with infrastructure, logistics, training, and regional planning all riding on its success. The challenges are real—but so are the rewards: fresher meals for students, stronger markets for farmers, and a local food system less vulnerable to external shocks.

For schools, this means envisioning cafeterias not just as places to serve food, but as places to teach about local agriculture, resource flow, and healthy living. For farmers, it means seeing schools as reliable buyers rather than distant markets. For communities, it means investment in local infrastructure and local food culture.

As the state moves forward, the success of Round 1 and Round 2 will help inform Round 3 and beyond. The goal is clear: serve more fresh New York-grown food in schools, train more young people in food-service skills, support more farmers, and build a stronger, more resilient food system. With Round 3 now open, eligible organizations have an invitation—and a responsibility—to help shape the future of food in New York’s schools and communities.

In the words of Commissioner Ball: “Through the first two rounds of the program, we are already seeing some exciting progress … I encourage all eligible applicants to consider applying for Round 3, which provides an opportunity to strengthen our food system and provide delicious, healthy and locally sourced meals to our students while supporting our farmers.”

And as the East End Food Institute’s Marci Moreau reminds us: “These funds are pivotal in helping us build a stronger, more connected food system, one that feeds body, mind, and community.”

Ultimately, the real measure of success will not be how many dollars are awarded—but how many meals are made fresh, how many farmers expand their markets, how many students eat healthier, and how many communities become stronger, more resilient, and more interconnected because of this program.

The clock is now ticking toward the January deadline. For those schools, districts, nonprofits, and municipalities ready to embrace the challenge and opportunity, a new chapter in the story of New York’s food system is unfolding—right at the intersection of the cafeteria table and the farmland field.