Know Your Region’s Farm Fresh Market

These regional profiles use data collected from districts statewide to capture a snapshot of each regions activity. Information included on the regional profiles include food budget ranges, local food purchasing habits, and meal components most often bought from Texas producers/ranchers. Become familiar with your region’s Farm Fresh market!

Enroll in the Texas Farm Fresh Network
Gain exposure to schools and child care centers in Texas that are interested in purchasing local products through this free tool maintained by TDA. Joining the network is quick and easy. The only information needed to join is current contact information, distribution radius, and a list of products available to sell to schools and child care centers. Watch this short video to learn how to enroll today!

Producer Checklist
Use this checklist to prepare for meeting with a contracting entity to discuss establishing a purchasing relationship. The checklist includes pre-meeting considerations such as reviewing seasonal availability of produce, establishing price structures, and submitting a vendor application. The checklist also includes tips and discussion topics when meeting with a contracting entity. 

Farm to School Videos

These videos, produced by the University of Minnesota Extension program, feature local producers and distributors sharing tips for building successful farm to school programs. Topics include Marketing Your Farm Fresh Products, Partnering with Schools — Advice for Farmers, Local Farms & Distributors Working Together and Partnering with a Distributor — 5 Tips for Farmers.

 

School Food Service: A Market Place for Producers
Farm to School thrives because of great agriculture partners. If you’re a producer interested in selling to schools, this resource will help set you up for success.
 

 

Additional resources for producers can be found on USDA’s Farm to School Web pages.

Agricultural producers considering sales to schools, child care centers, and summer meal program sponsors, should review these applicable federal and state regulations and policies related to selling products wholesale. This list may not include all regulations applicable to your business.

Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
FSMA shifts food safety regulations from a system that focuses on responding to contaminations to one that focuses on preventing them. FSMA was enacted on January 4, 2011, and authorizes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take a preventive approach to food safety.

FSMA - Produce Safety Rule
TDA's specific role is through a cooperative agreement with FDA to advance efforts for a nationally integrated food safety system through the planning, establishment, and/or enhancement of state produce safety programs that encourage the safe production of fresh fruits and vegetables, and to promote understanding and compliance with the requirements of FDA’s Regulation “Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption” (commonly referred to as the Produce Safety Rule). TDA is creating the necessary infrastructure and conducting grower outreach, education and inspections based on the FSMA regulation. Visit TDA’s FSMA – Produce Safety Web page for more information, resources and agency contact information.

FSMA - Preventive Controls for Human Food and the Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food 
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is the regulatory agency for implementation of FDA rules related to manufacturing, warehouse storage, and transportation of food for human consumption. More information about the related policies is available through the DSHS website.

Meat Safety
An individual who contemplates engaging in a business slaughtering livestock and/or processing meat or poultry or meat or poultry food products should contact the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Meat Safety Assurance (MSA) Unit to determine whether the proposed business is required to have a Grant of Inspection. A Grant of Inspection is an authorization from DSHS to engage in a meat or poultry related business. More information is available through the DSHS website.

Bottled and Vended Water for food manufacturers, wholesalers, and warehouses
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) licenses businesses that process and bottle water in sealed containers. More information about the required Food Manufacturer license is available through the DSHS website.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Food Safety Program
This website, developed by Texas A&M’s AgriLife Extension Service, includes a variety of food safety resources, as well as information about upcoming training and events.

Additional resources can also be found on USDA’s Farm to School Web pages.