South Carolina Farm to School originated in 2011 as a two-year project funded from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In 2015, the umbrella organization South Carolina Farm to Institution was founded to encompass a wide variety of institutional sites beyond preschools and schools. South Carolina Farm to Institution was a collaborative partnership between the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA), South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE), South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS), and Clemson University. Farm to Institution sought to increase the number of farmers providing locally grown products into institutions, such as schools, childcare centers, food banks, hospitals, military installations, and other businesses.
In 2019, the program returned its focus solely to schools as a partnership between SCDA, SCDE, and Clemson University with the following core goals:
- Cultivating relationships among SC schools, farmers, and communities
- Increasing the availability of healthy, local food for schools
- Promoting agriculture and nutrition education
- Providing experiential learning opportunities for students