The 2026 California Farm to School Summit took place at Soil Born Farms, a 55-acre Rancho Cordova urban farm and education center. Photo courtesy of the California Farm to School Summit

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - California has spent five years making sure public school students can eat breakfast and lunch for free. Now, the question is what goes on their trays.

That was the focus Thursday, Oct. 15, as farmers, school nutrition workers and state leaders gathered at Soil Born Farms for the 2026 California Farm to School Summit. The summit celebrated free school meals and examined how districts can serve more fresh, locally grown food.

Local students helped bring that mission to life. Cordova Gardens Elementary School students opened the morning program with a performance of "Dirt Made My Lunch." At the farm's animal barn, designed for regenerative farming and agricultural learning, Cordova High School FFA members demonstrated how milk fat affects ice cream texture and discussed wool quality, safe animal handling, poultry and fresh egg care, rabbit care and competition preparation, and animal branding and identification.

A second morning panel, “Farm to School in the Kitchen: From Ultraprocessed to Fresh School Meals,” brought together, from left, Sunny Baker of the National Farm to School Network, Stella Ndahura of Azusa Unified, Ambrosia Allen of Elk Grove Unified School District and Moderator Mara Fleishman of Chef Ann Foundation. Photo courtesy of the California Farm to School Summit

Cordova High's FFA floral class also hosted "Big Smiles and Little Blooms," showing visitors how to arrange flowers and discussing the benefits of floral design for mental well-being. Both schools are part of Folsom Cordova Unified School District, which partners with Soil Born Farms to provide hands-on agricultural education.

The local involvement was one piece of a statewide effort. In 2021, California became the first state to adopt free breakfast and lunch for all public school students, regardless of family income. Schools have since served approximately 3.5 billion free meals, according to summit organizers.

California has also invested $86 million in its Farm to School Incubator Grant Program, supporting 375 projects benefiting 4.2 million students. The grants help schools buy from local growers, improve menus and teach students where their food comes from.

"What we have achieved in school meals and farm to school is something that many did not think was possible five years ago," said Abby Halperin, senior policy and evaluation manager at the Center for Ecoliteracy, opening the first panel.

Farmers, school nutrition workers and state leaders gathered at Soil Born Farms for the 2026 California Farm to School Summit. Photo courtesy of the California Farm to School Summit

The discussion, "Farm to School in Policy: California as a Model for the Nation," brought together farmer Anna Nakamura Knight of Old Grove Orange, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District nutrition director Kat Soltanmorad and Food Insight Group co-founder Beth Katz.

Soltanmorad said free school meals have helped remove the divide between students whose families could afford lunch and those who could not.

"There was no difference when you came through the line," Soltanmorad said. Her district has also expanded scratch cooking and purchasing from regional farms.

For Knight, the partnerships make a difference at the other end of the food chain.

"For us, farm to school is what helps small farm families like mine keep farming forever," she said.

Cordova High School FFA members students spent time in Soil Born Farms' animal barn, talking with attendees about agriculture and livestock. Photo courtesy of Folsom Cordova Unified School District

Knight described how selling directly to school districts gives her family farm steadier income and opportunities to host student field trips.

But getting fresh food onto the lunch tray is not as simple as changing a menu.

A second morning panel, “Farm to School in the Kitchen: From Ultraprocessed to Fresh School Meals,” focused on staffing, equipment and the practical work behind healthier meals. Panelists included Ambrosia Allen, nutrition services director for Elk Grove Unified School District; Stella Ndahura of Azusa Unified; and Sunny Baker of the National Farm to School Network.

When asked about priorities Allen said districts need realistic timelines, equipment and training to buy and prepare more local food. Ndahura described a problem many smaller districts face: “Kitchens are old and dated. We need refrigeration space.”

Cordova Gardens Elementary School students opened the morning program with a performance of "Dirt Made My Lunch." Photo courtesy of the California Farm to School Summit

The discussion comes as California prepares to implement Assembly Bill 1264, a 2025 law requiring certain ultraprocessed foods to be phased out of school meals. Allen said school nutrition staff need a clearer definition before they can plan menu changes.

“But first, tell me what ultraprocessed is. If I don't know, I can't move away from that,” Allen said.

Baker warned against replacing restricted products with newly formulated versions of the same foods. "We can't have reformulation stand in for real food. Kids know the difference," she said.

A California Department of Public Health representative told attendees the agency is working with the Department of Education to gather input from food service directors about what districts can realistically prepare and serve. A public survey on the new definitions is open through Nov. 15, and a separate survey for school nutrition directors is expected early next year.

The summit included California Food for California Kids Leadership and Innovation Awards honoring 10 school nutrition leaders statewide. Photo courtesy of the California Farm to School Summit

The afternoon program examined how schools can create dependable markets for farmers in "Farm to School in the Field: Climate-Smart, California-Grown School Food," with representatives from Esperanza Community Farms, the Yurok Tribe Food Sovereignty program and Los Angeles Unified School District. The session examined how hands-on learning about food production helps students better understand the food system and encourages curiosity about trying new foods.

“Since coming to Cordova, I have gained more experience and knowledge of production, process, and the specific sciences behind plant and animal production through opportunities at Soil Born Farms,” Rubio Shared.

A later panel, “Farm to School in the Classroom: Hands-on Food Education” featured Cordova High student and FFA chapter president Victoria Rubio alongside educators from the Agricultural Institute of Marin and Rio School District, discussing learning through gardens, farms and cafeterias.

Cordova High's FFA floral class hosted "Big Smiles and Little Blooms," showing visitors how to arrange flowers and discussing the benefits of floral design for mental well-being. Photo courtesy of Folsom Cordova Unified School District

The summit also included California Food for California Kids Leadership and Innovation Awards honoring 10 school nutrition leaders statewide. Elk Grove Unified's Michelle Drake received the Food Access and Equity Award for expanding nutrition education, farm visits and hands-on learning opportunities.

"These leaders are proving that fresh and local school food is possible at scale," said Center for Ecoliteracy Executive Director Alexa Norstad in a statement.

A full list of recipients is available at cafarmtoschoolsummit.com/awards.

At Soil Born Farms, a 55-acre Rancho Cordova urban farm and education center, those ideas came together. Founder and co-director Shawn Harrison encouraged visitors to see how gardens, kitchens and farm experiences work together.

“When you bring them together, magical stuff starts to happen,” Harrison told attendees.