Healthy Communities

Children enjoying school lunch in the cafeteria.

Farm-to-School Initiatives Support Farmers and Students

New York's Farm-to-School program continues to lead the nation.
Healthy Communities in New York
Increasing Food Access and Supporting Economic Opportunities

The Department is committed to helping New Yorkers increase their access to fresh, local, healthy foods, and supporting new economic opportunities for farmers, through programs such as the Community Gardens program, the Council on Hunger and Food Policy, and the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.

Community Gardens and Urban Agriculture

The Department aims to empower New Yorkers growing food in community gardens and urban agriculture settings by leveraging resources across state agencies that can help in the identification of vacant public land for community gardening purposes; coordinating on behalf of interested community groups and state or local agencies to facilitate the use of vacant public lands for community gardens; and supporting and encouraging networking among community garden programs around the state.

Click the links below to learn more:
Image: Community Gardens

Statewide Initiatives Innovating Across New York State

Nourish New York reroutes surplus agricultural products to populations who need them most through NY's network of food banks.

Increasing Brooklyn residents' access to nutritious food through the Food Insecurity Screening Pilot Program and more.

Council on Hunger and Food Policy

The Council on Hunger and Food Policy was established in 2016 to expand on New York State's existing programs to provide food assistance for New Yorkers in need, and to establish a permanent focus on fighting hunger in the state. The Council advises on strategies to address hunger needs and expand the availability of fresh, locally grown foods for New Yorkers living in communities with limited access.
hand holding an apple
New York Food Supply Working Group
Improving the Resiliency of New York’s Farm and Food Systems

The New York Food Supply Working Group was created to define recommendations and make other observations relating to New York State’s food supply resiliency and self-reliance.

Made up of representatives from farming, food processing, food retail, academia, and more, the Working Group will develop a report on the state’s farm and food supply chain logistics to address market disruptions that occurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, food shortages, and food waste.