By Andi Anderson
October marks National Farm to School Month, a time when Iowa students celebrate local food by crunching into fresh apples during the annual Great Apple Crunch event.
But while schools encourage healthier eating, funding cuts are taking a bite out of local food programs that support farmers and nourish students.
Registered dietician Kaitlyn Scheuermann from Waukee Community Schools says local foods, while valuable, are often more expensive. “When you buy a local apple for 60 cents, it leaves just $3.65 for protein and milk,” she explains. “The school lunch program runs on a shoestring budget, and costs are up.”
After months of uncertainty, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced up to $18 million in revamped Farm to School grants for fiscal year 2026 — the largest funding in the program’s history.
Grants range from $100,000 to $500,000, but only 10 percent can be spent directly on food. For small schools and farms, this limits impact.
Farmers like Ashley and Zach Wenke of Pleasant Grove Homestead near Fremont once benefited from these programs but are now unsure about future participation.
Their farm, which supplied eggs and produce to food pantries and schools, lost predictable income after the Local Food for Schools (LFS) and Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) programs were canceled. Together, those cuts cost Iowa’s schools and food banks over $11 million in expected funding.
Food Bank of Iowa’s Emily Shearer says the loss of grants worsens food insecurity. “It’s not true that people don’t want to eat healthy — it’s just more expensive,” she says.
The food bank distributed 27.3 million pounds of food in 2025, an 8% increase from 2024, but funding shortfalls make consistent local purchasing difficult.
Local producers and schools are now facing a “crunch time” of their own — balancing shrinking budgets, rising demand, and uncertain support. Despite setbacks, Iowa’s farmers and food advocates remain determined to strengthen their communities and keep local food accessible for all.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-lisegagne
Categories: Iowa, General