Broomfield, Colo. (Sept. 29, 2026) – October kicks off Colorado Proud Farm to School Meal Month, and students across the state are getting a front-row seat to how their meals journey from local fields to cafeteria plates. As part of the state's broader "Setting Colorado's Table" celebration, this month-long initiative—led by Colorado Proud at the Colorado Department of Agriculture alongside the Colorado Department of Education and Nourish Colorado—inspires kids to discover where their food comes from while fueling healthy habits that benefit local farmers, school communities, and the entire state economy.

Governor Jared Polis recently signed an executive order directing state agencies to encourage healthy eating, expand access to healthy foods, and support outdoor activity statewide.

"Connecting our schools with local farmers helps Colorado kids to get nutritious meals to power classroom learning. Colorado's agricultural industry plays an important role in supplying all Coloradans with healthy and nutritious foods. Celebrating Colorado Proud Farm to School Meal month is about helping all Coloradans make healthy choices and educating younger Coloradans on the importance of supporting farmers and setting your table with healthy, locally grown products," said Governor Polis.

Colorado Proud Farm to School Meal Month takes on greater meaning this year as Colorado marks its 150th anniversary and builds on the state's deep farming and ranching roots. Colorado was an agricultural powerhouse even before it became a state, and today 35,000 farms and ranches covering 30 million acres produce the fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meats, and dairy products that are essential to every student's diet.

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"Colorado Proud Farm to School Meal Month gives schools a tangible way to connect students directly with the farmers and ranchers who grow their food and help their communities thrive season after season," said Danielle Trotta, Colorado Proud program manager. "We want young Coloradans to discover how and where their food is grown and appreciate the important role agriculture plays in their everyday lives while learning that healthy eating can be fun, creative and delicious."

New to this year's campaign, participants can nominate their school for outstanding farm-to-school programs as part of the Colorado Proud School Meal Month Showcase Awards sponsored by Nourish Colorado.

The awards include five categories, each recognizing a rural and urban winner. The winner of each category will receive a $1,000 stipend toward its school food service program. The categories are:

• Top "Meet Your Farmer" Event
• Top Locally Focused Recipe
• Top Promotional Campaign
• Top Student-Developed Recipe
• The Governor's Award - awarded to the school program demonstrating overall excellence, vision, and comprehensive commitment to farm-to-school success during Colorado Proud School Meal Month.

The application for the Showcase Awards can be accessed here.

How Schools Can Participate More than 800 schools are already signed up, but it's not too late for schools and districts interested in participating to sign up through Colorado Proud's school registration form.

The program offers schools free program support to identify the right activities, connect with local producers, access educational materials in English and Spanish, and promote their events. Here are a few ways schools are celebrating:

• Colorado Proud Farm to School Lunch — Special cafeteria menus featuring Colorado-grown ingredients, with opportunities to connect students to local farmers and ranchers.
• Crunch Off! — A friendly, regional competition to get the most "crunches" into local produce and proteins per capita, pitting Colorado against other states.
• Farm Tours — Field trips connecting students to local farms and ranches for hands-on agricultural learning.
• Ag in the Classroom — Bingo cards, coloring pages, STEM resources and other educational activities that teach students about agriculture and healthy eating.

This initiative is part of "Setting Colorado's Table", a celebration of the state's agricultural story and the people, land, and resources that have sustained it for generations. Farm To School Meal Month continues that tradition by expanding the use of local food in schools while building understanding of a resilient food system.

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According to the latest USDA Farm to School Census, nearly 80% of schools in Colorado participate in Farm to School programs, which have gained momentum over the past decade. Additionally, 68% of respondents reported including local foods on their school lunch menus.

About Colorado Proud

Colorado Proud is a program of the Colorado Department of Agriculture that promotes food and agricultural products grown, raised or made in Colorado. The program's more than 4,000 members include growers, processors, schools, restaurants and retailers statewide. Visit ColoradoProud.com to learn more.

About the Colorado Department of Education

The Colorado Department of Education's vision is to create equitable educational environments where all students and staff in Colorado thrive. Our role is to improve student outcomes and ensure students and families across Colorado have access to high-quality schools by serving, guiding, and elevating our state's 178 school districts and BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services).

About Nourish Colorado

Nourish Colorado strengthens connections with and between farms, ranches, and communities so that all Coloradans have equitable access to fresh, nutritious foods. As the statewide training and technical assistance provider for the Local Food Program, we support K12 schools, producers, and food businesses in bringing more Colorado-grown food into school cafeterias through culinary training, agriculture supply chain coordination, food safety training, contracts and bidding support, small equipment grants, and much, much more. Learn more at https://nourishcolorado.org/. Media Visuals

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