Insights Into the Stories of 10 Cents a Meal Farmers

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February 7, 2025 - Megan McManus<mcmanu60@msu.edu>, May Tsupros<tsupros1@msu.edu>

In October 2024, a series of discussions took place among team members of the 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan’s Kids & Farms program (10 Cents a Meal) and eight individuals representing small farms and businesses around the state. All participating farms and businesses had been reported as sources of 10 Cents a Meal grantee purchases over recent years.  

The purpose of the discussions was to gather and listen to the unique stories of farmers and their experiences with the 10 Cents a Meal program and the farm to school market. This publication shares key needs and themes from the farmer discussions which include: 

  • Farmers need funds to scale up their businesses to better serve 10 Cents a Meal grantees. 
  • It takes a significant time to build relationships and connect to 10 Cents a Meal grantees. 
  • It takes a significant time to support the education of 10 Cents a Meal to purchase and serve local foods. 
  • There are regional influences on the infrastructure needs of farmers. 
  • There is a desire for more collaboration with farmers, including across sectors. 

10 Cents a Meal provides schools, early care and education centers, and other organizations participating in USDA Child Nutrition programs with grant funds to pay for Michigan-grown food item costs, local food transportation fees, and food service labor expenses. The goals of the program are to strengthen the local food supply chain and enrich nutrition and educational experiences for children in Michigan. 

Suggested Citation:
McManus, M. & Tsupros, M. (2025). Insights Into the Stories of 10 Cents a Meal Farmers. Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems. https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/insights-into-the-stories-of-10-cents-a-meal-farmers 

Learn more about the evaluation of the 10 Cents a Meal program over the years here:

 

 

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  • 10 cents a meal,
  • center for regional food systems,
  • michigan farm to school

Center for Regional Food Systems

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