North Carolina has been allocated $5,947,218 in federal grant money from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). The USDA allocated a total of $231.5 million to the participating states.
“The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is an incredible initiative that allows us to offer this additional critical support for North Carolina’s students,” State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said in a press release. “Exposing our youngest learners to a wide variety of fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables not only nourishes their bodies and minds but also paves the way for healthy eating habits into adulthood.”
For the 2024-25 school year, 212 schools participated in the program, and every North Carolina school that applied was accepted. These schools represent 34 public school units and two charter schools, accounting for approximately 84,233 students.
On October 1, the state agencies will receive the total funding for the year.
The main goal of the FFVP is to create a healthier school environment by providing more nutritious food choices. To accomplish this goal, the program assists schools in expanding the variety of fruits and vegetables offered to children, increasing their consumption, and impacting children’s diets.
“A USDA study found that FFVP students eat more fruits and vegetables than students who do not participate in the program,” according to the USDA. “Schools deliver FFVP snacks along with bite-sized nutrition lessons. This encourages children to try new foods, learn about seasonal produce, and set healthy eating habits to last a lifetime.”
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), which began in 2008, is a federal grant program that provides free fruits and vegetables to elementary school children deemed eligible during the school day. The program has public and private partners at the state and local levels, who contribute to its success by offering healthier snacks to local schools, prioritizing schools with the “highest percentage of economically disadvantaged students.”
The FY25 funding includes $36.5 million in carryover funds from previous years. However, the total budget is down from FY24, when the total allotment in federal funding was $253.2 million, including $191 million in new funding and $62.2 million in carryover funds, according to the fiscal report for 2025. This year’s carryover is almost half last year’s, as increased expenditures have decreased carryover funds and reduced recovery, causing an overall decline in available funds.
“School meals in North Carolina offer students a variety of fruit and vegetable choices each day, many of them grown in our state,” Dr. Lynn Harvey, senior director for the Offices of School Nutrition and Auxiliary Services at NCDPI, said in a press release. “Oftentimes, many students are unfamiliar with these fruits and vegetables and do not choose them as part of their meal, but this is one of the many benefits to the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. We are so pleased to see so many elementary schools introducing fruits and vegetables to students while also providing nutrition education that will nurture students’ bodies and encourage healthy habits for a lifetime.”
The program increases access to fresh fruits and vegetables and assists with education. Principals, teachers, and nutrition personnel are encouraged to promote the healthy dietary habits. Materials such as storybooks, activity guides, fact sheets, and posters featuring fruits and vegetables are shared with FFVP schools to assist in educating students.
“I think this is a step in the right direction, however this doesn’t change the fact that the meals children eat at school are not the most nutritious,” said Kelly Lester, policy analyst at John Locke Foundation’s Center for Food, Power, and Life. “I think more needs to be done regarding the ingredients put into the food children in North Carolina eat at school to begin with. Purchasing locally should be a priority as well in order to support our state’s agriculture sector and small and midsize farmers.”