Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal 
In this audio interview, Ohio Ag Net catches up with Senator Sherrod Brown on recent work from the Senate Ag Committee, on which Sen. Brown currently serves. The discussion deals with a recent bipartisan push to expand the Farm to School Program as well as recent efforts to help reduce reliance on foreign fertilizer sources. The talk also delves into the ongoing Farm Bill and how recent changes in the political landscape impact its progress.
The Farm to School Act would increase the program’s mandatory funding from $5 million to $15 million per year, and increase the maximum grant award to $500,000. The act would also reduce barriers to applying for Farm to School Grants by granting USDA the authority to modify or waive the current 25% non-federal matching requirement. This legislation would also help grantees improve procurement and distribution of local food, and expand the scope of the program to include pre-schools, summer food service and after-school programs.
