Grayson County extension agent asks for $11,124 cash match to pursue farm-to-school grant

Sandy Stone, Grayson County’s Agriculture and Economic Extension Agent, asked the board to provide $11,124 in county funds as a cash match so the county can apply for a VDACS AFFT infrastructure grant. Stone told the board the grant request would be $43,398 and that the total project value is $83,425, with additional in‑kind matches from the school system, the county and Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Stone said the project would buy commercial food‑processing equipment including a continuous‑feed processor, a commercial vacuum sealer, a portion filler and bagging system, transport containers and an additional three‑door refrigeration unit to allow the Gate Center shared‑use kitchen to handle local produce. “We’re going to purchase commercial food processing equipment that would be needed in order to process local produce,” Stone said.

The agent told the board the program is modeled on a Culpeper County example and would rely on trained volunteers and partnerships with school‑based culinary programs. Stone said Grayson County Public Schools has committed to increasing purchases of locally grown produce to at least 15% of the district’s annual produce procurement and that the county intends to start processing this summer, freezing and storing items for use in school menus later in the year.

Board members asked how producers would be recruited and paid, and whether the school would buy raw produce or processed, value‑added goods. Stone said the school will initially purchase directly from farmers and that volunteers will process produce in year one; she also said some farmers have already committed. On compensation she said, “they will be paid. They will be set up as a vendor, and the school system will pay them.”

Stone noted the grant deadline is April 30 and requested the board’s cash match in time to include it in the application. A member moved that the program proceed provided there is continuous child involvement with the schools; the motion was seconded, but the transcript does not record a formal vote or the board’s final action on the cash match.

If approved, Stone said the equipment and the Gate Center’s shared‑use kitchen would be available to community groups, 4‑H, farmers market vendors and food entrepreneurs after proper training. She also asked the community to offer volunteers and ideas as the county builds the farm‑to‑school program.