The Network, established in 2007, began as a collaborative of the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute, Occidental College and the Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC). In late 2011, it was decided that the National Farm to School Network had outgrown its original home and it became its own organization under the fiscal sponsorship of the Tides Center. The Network coordinates, promotes and expands Farm to School at the state, regional and national levels. Eight regional lead agencies and national staff provide free training and technical assistance, information services, networking, and support for policy, media and marketing activities. Currently, the National Farm to School Program sponsors a competitive grants program, involving over 2,500 programs in all 50 states and over 10,000 schools.
The Network's six main priority areas are:
Policy development
Training and technical assistance
Information development and dissemination
Networking
Media and marketing
Research and evaluation