The Keystone Fresh Farm to School Nutrition Act (HB 1768)

Pennsylvania schools serve more than 168 million lunches every year. That's an enormous amount of food, and right now most of it isn't coming from Pennsylvania farms. HB 1768 aims to change that by creating a grant program that helps schools buy more food from local farmers. This means fresher meals for kids, more business for local growers, and food dollars that stay right here in our communities.

HB 1768 takes a comprehensive approach to connecting schools with local food:

• Schools receive grants scaled to their size to purchase local fruits, vegetables, meats, grains, and more.
• Farmers and food hubs can apply for grants to get the equipment and infrastructure they need to supply schools.
• Nonprofits and colleges can receive funding to help schools learn how to source, cook, and serve more local food.
• Priority is given to schools serving lower-income students and to farms run by veterans or newer farmers just getting started.

The bill passed the Pennsylvania House with a 95% “yes” vote, one of the strongest bipartisan showings in recent Harrisburg history. Republicans and Democrats alike have recognized that getting fresh, local food into school cafeterias is common-sense policy. The bill now sits in the Senate, where it awaits action during the current budget season.

Farm to school programs have been shown to improve student nutrition, support local agricultural economies, and strengthen the connection between communities and their food supply. HB 1768 builds on that evidence with targeted investments across the entire local food supply chain, from the farm to the cafeteria.