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Thu October 02, 2025

By Press Release

Politics State

Sanders Announces the First Harvest from Farm-to-School Pilot Program Delivered to Marion School District

#FarmtoSchool #Pilot Program #Marion School District #Child Nutrition #Governor Sanders #Agriculture #Community Programs
Sanders Announces the First Harvest from Farm-to-School Pilot Program Delivered to Marion School District
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture today announced that the Farm-to-School pilot program reached its first milestone last week as more than 3,000 pounds of fresh sweet potatoes were delivered to Marion School District.   Approximately 30 inmates from the Arkansas Department of Corrections participating in a regional work detail program harvested 3,100 pounds of sweet potatoes at Matthews Sweet Potato Farm in Wynne, Arkansas. The produce was delivered directly to Marion School District staff to be served in student meals.  
“My administration is laser-focused on combating food insecurity among Arkansas’ kids, and today’s announcement affirms that we are moving in the right direction,” said Governor Sanders. “Not only are our students receiving fresh, nutritious foods thanks to this program, but our prisons are positively contributing to their communities and actively fighting childhood hunger in our state. Today, we celebrate the first harvest and look forward to those to come.” “Governor Sanders’ Farm-to-School Pilot Program is already providing a great example of what can happen when agricultural producers, state agencies, and local school districts work together,” said Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward.
“Arkansas’s farmers are not only some of the best producers in the world, they are also some of the most generous as evidenced by their commitment to provide safe, nutritious, and healthy food directly from the farm to the school kitchen and student plates.” "The Department of Corrections is pleased to be part of the first harvest in Governor Sanders' Farm-to-School Pilot program, and I am appreciative of our staff for their efforts in assisting with this program,” said Arkansas Secretary of Corrections Lindsay Wallace. “The generosity and hard work of local farmers, in partnership with our staff, will continue to provide nutritious meals to Arkansas students."
"We’re excited to be a part of this Farm-to-School program and bring locally grown fruits and vegetables straight to our students’ plates," said Marion School District Child Nutrition Director Melissa Lace. "This is a great way to support our ongoing commitment to providing healthy, nutritious meals that help students learn, grow, and thrive. When kids have access to fresh, high-quality food, it supports not only their physical health but also their academic success.”   The Farm-to-School pilot program was created through Governor Sanders’ Faith-Based Initiatives Office in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Corrections, Arkansas Department of Agriculture, and Arkansas Department of Education. Marion School District is serving as the pilot site for the 2025-26 school year.
Thanks to the Good Neighbor Act – a law signed by Governor Sanders earlier this year expanding liability protections for food bank donors – any produce not used by the school may be donated to food pantries or other organizations, helping ensure food doesn’t go to waste. Governor Sanders also signed SB59
this past legislative session as part of her comprehensive strategy to combat food insecurity. This critical piece of legislation requires all Arkansas public schools to provide one free breakfast to students per school day, regardless of their federal eligibility for free meals. Arkansas is the first state in the South to create such a program. Additionally, Governor Sanders previously signed legislation providing free school lunches for eligible students who qualified for reduced-price meals, and announced Arkansas will continue its Summer EBT program this year, ensuring Arkansas’ students have access to food in the summer months.
Governor Sanders launched the Faith-Based Initiatives Office to unite Arkansas’ diverse faith communities around issues facing the Natural State. Since its inception, the faith-based initiatives team has hosted roundtables and fostered important conversations with faith communities that have led to the development of critical programs to address issues like childhood hunger, maternal health, foster care, and more.
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