New Jersey Department of Agriculture

NJ Department of Agriculture is not seeking new Corps Members for the 2025-2026 term.

The NJ Department of Agriculture’s Division of Food and Nutrition Services administers a number of programs devoted to improving the quality and provision of food to New Jersey residents, in particular those most in need. The NJDA houses the NJ Farm to School Program & the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program. Both of these Programs directly tie into FoodCorps’ mission of “Together with communities, FoodCorps serves to connect kids to healthy food in school.”

Through the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School Program, schools throughout New Jersey can partner with NJ farmers to source more than 100 types of Jersey Fresh produce grown here in the Garden State. Opportunities exist for New Jersey farmers to provide agricultural products to school food service departments throughout the growing season. The object of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias is to improve student nutrition, provide healthy options and nutrition education opportunities that will last a lifetime, as well as support local farmers. Additionally, the Farm to School Program includes schools garden activities, which help teach students where food comes from by growing it themselves. Students benefit by learning the science behind farming and the nutritional values of fresh products and gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the environment. Educators can use school garden programs to teach any subject – math, science, language arts, health and nutrition, art or social studies. Farm to School programs promote and create a sense of community for all involved.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture also has developed a Harvest of the Month program, “Jersey Tastes!”. This program provides schools with monthly activity sheets, recipes, recipes videos and educational videos. The goal of this program is to engage the entire school community in promoting healthy New Jersey produce. The USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is a federal grant offered to elementary schools with 50 percent or more students eligible for free or reduced price meals. Each year the New Jersey Department of Agriculture accepts applications from schools interested in participating in this program. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program exposes school children to fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snacks on a routine basis. The goal of the program is to increase children’s consumption of these nutritious foods and to make a difference in children’s diets to impact their present and future health. Schools that are awarded the FFVP grant are encouraged to serve locally grown fruits and vegetables for this program. As a special incentive in New Jersey, schools that agree to serve locally grown Jersey produce receive additional grant money. Schools that receive this funding have more resources to spend per portion on produce, providing them unique purchasing opportunities for locally grown. The FFVP program allows schools to showcase and expose children to the wonderful flavors and varieties of produce available from New Jersey farmers. Our community consists of schools throughout the state of New Jersey. Our Department of Agriculture consists of staff working with schools to ensure they are following state and federal child nutrition program regulations. It is a great place to serve and hope you join us in making a difference in the lives of children by promoting healthy lifestyles and positively impacting their future well-being!

Situated between two major cities, New York and Philadelphia, New Jersey is aptly named the Garden State and home to nearly 10,000 urban and rural farms producing over 100 crops enjoyed nationwide! Connecting New Jersey kids to local agriculture reinforces our agricultural roots, economy, and unites communities with a shared vision of improving child health and wellbeing. In partnership with our network of service sites, we strive to positively impact the ways New Jersey children experience food in school by using a variety of action-driven and scientifically-backed farm to school efforts including promoting local procurement and student voice and choice in cafeterias, leading hands-on lessons in classrooms and school gardens, and by supporting our community partners to foster the culture of health that’s right for them within each unique school building we serve across the state.