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). 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: Watch the Onboarding Webinar
A FoodTrails Onboarding Webinar recording (approximately 45 minutes) is available to review asynchronously. Please follow the instructions made available during the recording to confirm that you have completed the onboarding training and are ready to receive platform credentials.

Step 2: Receive FoodTrails Access
After an SFA confirms completion of the onboarding training, primary and secondary FoodTrails users identified through the NFS Challenge registration process will receive platform credentials and login instructions via email. 

Step 3: Request Distributor Velocity Reports
On July 1, 2026, reach out to all distributors requesting velocity reports for purchases made between August 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026, using sample language linked below. 

Step 4: Upload Velocity Reports
Upload all available velocity reports into the FoodTrails platform.

In addition to technical support offered by FoodTrails, Massachusetts Farm to School will host monthly, optional FoodTrails Office Hour Sessions to provide platform updates and triage questions, concerns or feedback regarding FoodTrails. The next scheduled FoodTrails Office Hours session is:

Step 5: Engagement Review
DESE will conduct periodic FoodTrails engagement reviews to confirm that pilot districts have made an effort to upload available velocity reports upon receiving access to the platform as well as on a monthly cadence following an SFA’s initial onboarding.

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.

Additionally, SFAs that use the FoodTrails platform to track non-domestic food purchases — either to comply with the Buy American Provision Food Cost Cap or to request approval for aBuy American Provision Accommodation Plan — must show that they have requested velocity reports from all distributors they purchase commercial food from and must upload any reports they receive into the FoodTrails platform. 


Step 6: Ongoing Reporting
Upload your June velocity reports from all distributors, as available. DESE will conduct ongoing engagement reviews to confirm continued platform use. 

In Fiscal Year 2027, velocity report requests will transition from monthly to quarterly. Further guidance will be provided to prepare for this transition, however, for reference the following quarterly time spans will be used:

  • Quarter 1: July 1st - September 30th

  • Quarter 2: October 1st - December 31st

  • Quarter 3: January 1st - March 31st

  • Quarter 4: April 1st - June 30th

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 as well as recognition at select FNP hosted events, such as the Healthy Kids, Healthy Programs Summit

  • 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: FoodTrails 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 FoodTrails, or the FoodTrails pilot experience, contact: DESE Office of Food and Nutrition Programs at nutrition@doe.mass.edu