NH Farm to School Workgroup

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The NH Farm to School Workgroup is a short-term, time-limited workgroup convened to inform the future direction, priorities, and strategic focus of NH Farm to School as it transitions into its next phase. Over approximately five meetings, the workgroup will gather input from key stakeholders to assess current needs, opportunities, and gaps across education, agriculture, and food systems. Insights from this process will help guide programmatic, policy, and partnership decisions to strengthen farm to school efforts statewide and better support New Hampshire farmers, schools, and communities.

This workgroup is led by:

  • Laura Alimayu, NH Farm to School Coordinator, UNH Extension
  • Mike Smith, NH Ag in the Classroom, UNH Extension

The NH Farm to School workgroup will be launched in February 2026.  The four meetings of this time limited workgroup are as follows: 

  • February 16, 2026 1:00 to 2:30pm
  • March 16, 2026 1:00 to 2:30pm
  • April 20, 2026 1:00 to 2:30pm
  • May 18, 2026 1:00 to 2:30pm 

 If you are interested in joining this workgroup, please fill out the form linked below.

 JOIN THE WORKGROUP

Recommendation Status Brief Topic Type of Action
Conduct an assessment of federal and state poultry regulations, requirements, and exemptions for New Hampshire producers
This assessment will produce the end goal of identifying and clarifying points of confusion and offering guidance on needed legislative changes,…
Not Started Meat & Eggs Research/Study
Partner with Vermont to minimize fall slaughter bottleneck
In tandem with Vermont, convene the owners of existing cross-state slaughter facilities and explore ideas to minimize the fall bottleneck and create…
Not Started Meat & Eggs Program creation, support, or expansion, Coordination/Network development or support
Expand capacity for meat slaughter and processing
Expanding capacity for meat slaughter and processing can be achieved in one or more of the following ways: Invest in the construction of a USDA-…
Not Started Meat & Eggs Investment/Funding, Policy/Regulation
Launch an outreach and education program focused on wasted food awareness and prevention
Launch an ongoing, state-led public outreach and education program focused on wasted food awareness and prevention, housed within NHDES.
Not Started Wasted Food Program creation, support, or expansion
Replicate the Composting Association of Vermont’s program on farms
Locate, replicate, and scale the Composting Association of Vermont’s program on farms in New Hampshire, including toolkits, grants, and ongoing…
In Progress Wasted Food Resource/tool creation, support or expansion, Program creation, support, or expansion, Investment/Funding
Invest in commercial composting and anaerobic digestion
Invest in the development of in-state commercial composting and anaerobic digestion.
Not Started Wasted Food Program creation, support, or expansion, Investment/Funding
Expand the statewide food waste ban
The ban expansion could incrementally include all wasted food disposal (i.e., the Massachusetts Commercial Food Material Disposal Ban and the Vermont…
Not Started Wasted Food Policy/Regulation
Establish a Food Recovery and Diversion Working Group
The working group could be created by replicating the Solid Waste Working Group’s structure. The working group could increase food recovery and…
Not Started Wasted Food Program creation, support, or expansion, Investment/Funding, Policy/Regulation
Propose state policy to legally protect gardening on leased land
Introduce state legislation that creates built in legal protection for gardening on leased land by default (without extra permission), with…
Not Started Home & Community Gardens Policy/Regulation
Research the amount of food grown by home and community gardens
Conduct research to assess the amount of food grown in home and community gardens and identify the most pressing needs of home and community…
Not Started Home & Community Gardens Research/Study

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