Public Health Association of BC

 

About Farm to School BC
Farm to School BC brings healthy, local and sustainable food into schools across British Columbia and provides students with hands-on learning opportunities that develop food literacy, all while strengthening the local food system and enhancing school and community connectedness.

Farm to school activities differ by school, but always include the following three elements:

  1. Healthy, Local Food
  2. Hands-on Learning
  3. School and Community Connectedness

F2SBC is a program of the Public Health Association of BC.

 

Our Vision

Healthy, local, and sustainable food on the plates and minds of all students in BC.

Our Mission

Working with communities and partners, Farm to School BC seeks to empower and support schools in building comprehensive farm to school programs that support vibrant, sustainable, regional food systems, develop student food literacy, and enhance school and community connectedness.

Our Goals

  1. Support the development of sustainable regional food systems in BC by bringing more healthy, local, and sustainable food into BC schools.
  2. Promote healthy eating in schools by increasing access to healthy food and encouraging fruit and vegetable consumption.
  3. Advance experiential, hands-on learning opportunities related to food systems and the development of student food literacy.
  4. Enhance school and community connectedness.
  5. Develop promising farm to school practice models that are sustainable, self-financing, eco-friendly, and have the potential to be implemented elsewhere.

 

Examples of Farm to School BC activities

  • school and community gardens
  • microgreens
  • tower gardens
  • hot lunch programs
  • salad bars
  • native plant gardens
  • greenhouses
  • school farms
  • farm visits
  • cooking classes
  • fruit gleaning programs
  • tool/equipment purchases

 

 

Our History

  • Farm to School BC started in 2007 with one pilot farm to school salad bar program at Dragon Lake Elementary School in Quesnel, BC, in collaboration with Northern Health.
  • In 2014, the first Farm to School BC Regional Hubs were established in three regions: Capital, Kamloops, and Vancouver.
  • In 2018, three more Regional Hubs were established: Surrey, Northwest, and Nanaimo North (renamed Central Island in 2020/21).
  • In 2021, Farm to School BC expanded to include a North Central Regional Hub and a pilot Regional Hub in the Sunshine Coast.

Quick Stats

As of 2026:

  • Farm to School BC has been active for 19 years
  • Farm to School BC has funded over 400 farm to school programs across BC
  • Farm to School BC has engaged over 53,000 K-12 students