WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kentucky Educational Development Corp. (KEDC) leaders recently attended the USDA’s launch of the Harvest to Hallways initiative, a series of efforts designed to strengthen school meals by connecting more American farmers with local schools, officials said.

On Aug. 24, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the initiative to “improve school kitchen infrastructure, and provide states and school districts with additional tools to serve healthier, more nutrient-dense meals.”

KEDC CEO Nancy Hutchinson, KEDC Deputy Director Jim Evans and KEDC Grants Director Wendy King were alongside Rollins and Kennedy during the announcement.

Rollins said the announcement brought together farmers, students, school nutrition leaders, athletes, chefs, parents and education representatives from across the country: “If we want to Make America Healthy Again, we have to start with our children, and that means improving what we put on their lunch trays every single day. Harvest to Hallways is about bringing more American agriculture into the school cafeteria.”

Kennedy said, “Every school meal should make a child healthier. We are putting the updated Dietary Guidelines into action by bringing real, nutrient-dense food back to school cafeterias, and giving schools the tools to serve it affordably.”

Harvest to Hallways includes several major investments and initiatives: Up to $70 million for school cafeteria equipment and infrastructure; up to $25 million in additional Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grants for fiscal year 2026, and expanded education and outreach for local food procurement options, the USDA said.

It also includes an increased support for healthier school meals aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030; and a $30 million HHS investment in research focused on practical, cost-effective ways to improve school meal nutrition, the USDA added.

“We are connecting schools with the farmers and ranchers in their own communities, investing in the kitchens and equipment school nutrition professionals need to prepare real food, and cutting through barriers that have made it too difficult to serve healthy, American-grown food,” Rollins said. “When we strengthen the connection between the farm and the lunchroom, everybody wins. Our children eat better, our farmers gain new markets, and our communities grow stronger.”

KEDC said the initiative highlights Kentucky’s leadership in connecting schools with local agriculture. For example, Union County school districts have used the Local Option School Procurement Program to purchase locally produced beef, demonstrating how schools can provide nutritious meals, while supporting farmers and strengthening local communities.

In a Sept. 1 joint statement, KEDC told Farm World this initiative will create more opportunities for Kentucky farmers by connecting them directly with school districts that are ready to purchase more locally grown produce, and Kentucky-raised proteins.

“Through KEDC’s 11-district pilot cohort, food service directors and superintendents can work together to identify demand, coordinate purchasing, and overcome barriers that often make it difficult for individual districts to source locally,” KEDC said.

KEDC said the Kentucky Department of Agriculture strengthens that work by providing resources, tools, supplier connections and policy support: “This coordinated approach gives farmers access to a larger, more dependable institutional market, while helping schools build consistent local purchasing practices.

“As the pilot demonstrates success and expands to additional districts, it can generate sustained demand, create new relationships between schools and producers, and keep more food dollars within Kentucky,” KEDC said. “Ultimately, it is a win for everyone: farmers gain new markets, districts strengthen their local economies, and students enjoy more fresh, locally produced food.”

Just as importantly, KEDC said, it creates new and more dependable markets for Kentucky farmers and producers: “We anticipate further expansion as we build upon the success of KEDC’s member districts, and the continued support of Kentucky’s agricultural community.

“KEDC is proud to have been represented at this important national conversation, and looks forward to exploring how these investments and opportunities can benefit Kentucky’s schools, students and communities,” KEDC added.