Food Trails

Pilot Program

Pilot Program Overview

What is the NFS Challenge?

Massachusetts school districts are collectively committing to invest $6 million in local food by the end of 2026. The Northeast Food for Schools (NFS) Challenge tracks progress toward this goal through verified purchasing data.

As part of the pilot, participating districts will use FoodTrails, a food purchasing tracking platform procured and funded by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for the 2025–2026 school year. FoodTrails is used to collect and analyze purchasing data to document eligible local food purchases that count toward a school district’s NFS Challenge goal.

Participation Details

Districts are onboarded to FoodTrails as part of the NFS Challenge as well as the platform’s ongoing development process. Because FoodTrails remains in active development, some functionality may be limited during initial access.

The availability, accuracy, and completeness of distributor velocity reports directly affects the functionality and usefulness of the FoodTrails platform. As a result, pilot districts play a critical role in platform testing and refinement.

Feedback from pilot districts is essential and will inform:

  • Improvements to the FoodTrails platform

  • Identification of barriers to obtaining velocity reports from distributors

DESE’s Office of Food and Nutrition Programs, FoodTrails, and contracted partner Massachusetts Farm to School will provide multiple opportunities for pilot districts to share feedback throughout the pilot period.

Onboarding Next Steps

Step 1: Attend an Onboarding Session (Early January)
If you missed one of the live onboarding sessions you can watch the recording. Please follow the instructions at the end of the video to confirm you have watched the video and to gain access to your platform credentials.

Step 2: Receive FoodTrails Access (Mid-Late January)
Primary and secondary FoodTrails users receive platform credentials and login instructions via email.

Step 3: Request Distributor Velocity Reports (Late January)
Using sample language linked below, request velocity reports from all current distributors for purchases made between August 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025.

Step 4: Upload Velocity Reports (Throughout February)
Upload all available velocity reports into the FoodTrails platform.

In addition to technical support offered by FoodTrails, Massachusetts Farm to School will host an optional Velocity Report Upload Drop-In Session to support the upload process:

Step 5: Engagement Review (Early March)
DESE conducts a FoodTrails engagement review to confirm that pilot districts have made efforts to upload available velocity reports by the end of February.

Failure to demonstrate engagement with the FoodTrails platform, including the upload of velocity reports, may result in loss of user access as part of the DESE pilot program.

Step 6: Ongoing Monthly Reporting (March–June)
Continue requesting and uploading monthly velocity reports from all distributors, as available. DESE will conduct ongoing engagement reviews to confirm continued platform use.

Resources & Next Steps

Pilot participants receive access to the following supports throughout the NFS Challenge and FoodTrails pilot:

  • Communication tools highlighting participation in the NFS Challenge, including a profile on the NFS Challenge website

  • Technical assistance related to:

    • FoodTrails platform use

    • Requesting and obtaining distributor velocity reports

  • Monthly reminders supporting consistent report submission and platform engagement

  • Procurement technical assistance connecting school districts with local farmers, fishers, and food producers

  • Networking opportunities with other NFS Challenge participants

  • NFS Challenge marketing materials highlighting local purchasing commitments

Contact Information

For technical assistance related to platform functionality or velocity report requests contact: Food Trails at contact@foodtrails.org

For local procurement assistance and NFS Challenge communications support, contact: Abby Getman Skillicorn, School Nutrition Program Manager, Mass. Farm to School at abby@massfarmtoschool.org

For questions or feedback regarding DESE’s procurement of FoodTrails, enrollment in the NFS Challenge and Food Trails, or the FoodTrails pilot experience, contact: DESE Office of Food and Nutrition Programs at nutrition@doe.mass.edu