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Friday, February 5, 2010

Child Nutrition Reauthorization Conference Call with USDA Secretary Vilsack, 2/10

Hi all,

Please see the email below about a conference call with USDA Secretary Vilsack regarding Child Nutrition Reauthorization next Wednesday, February 10th . I will send another email with the conference call time as soon as I receive it, but feel free to join in!

 

An update I received regarding the budget for Child Nutrition Reauthorization indicated that Farm to School funding was NOT included in the President's budget released recently. (If you wish, you can review the budget here - http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collectionGPO.action?collectionCode=BUDGET&searchPath=BUDGET-2011-TAB&oldPath=&selectedYearFrom=2011&isCollapsed=true&ycord=585.) However, language to support funding of USDA Farm to School Tactical Teams is still included. This conference call with Secretary Vilsack may clarify some of these budget issues and concerns.

 

Best,

Colleen

 

From: Etienne Melcher [mailto:emelcher@frac.org]
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 11:17 AM
To: Colleen Matts
Subject: Conference Call with USDA Secretary Vilsack, 2/10

 

We urge you to join a conference call with USDA Secretary Vilsack on Wednesday, February 10th.  The time has not been determined yet, but we will send you an e-mail as soon as we know the exact time. 

What:  Conference Call with USDA Secretary Vilsack on Child Nutrition Reauthorization

When:  Wednesday, February 10th, Time TBD

Call-In Information:  1-800-369-1790 and provide the participant pass code 3769722

Please see below for details:

Dear Partners:

On behalf of Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack, you are invited to be a part of an important upcoming conference call. Please join Secretary Vilsack on Wednesday, February 10, for a call about the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. Further details on the specific time will be forthcoming to registered participants.

On Monday, Secretary Vilsack will speak at the National Press Club in Washington, DC about the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.  The Secretary will call on Congress to act swiftly to pass a strong reauthorization bill to improve the health and nutrition of America's children and make it easier for eligible children to participate in these programs.

This conference call with the Secretary is an opportunity to discuss the Obama Administration's priorities for Child Nutrition Reauthorization in greater depth.  The call will also include an update on the First Lady's Childhood Obesity initiative, which was highlighted in the President's State of the Union address.  Finally, this call will be an opportunity for the Secretary to answer your questions and explore how your organizations can best amplify the President and the First Lady's efforts to provide access to healthy food for all American children.

The Obama Administration is committed to making sure every child in America has the opportunity to grow up healthy and strong, and a strong Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill is an important step towards that goal.  That is why the President's Budget included an additional $10 billion investment to strengthen these important programs in the future.  We sincerely hope that you can join us to learn more.

To receive final time details for the conference call, please register by clicking on this link:http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/17fb9g42d82

To participate in the conference call, please dial 1-800-369-1790 and provide the participant pass code 3769722

Thank you for everything that you are doing to assist our nation's children and we look forward to having you join Secretary Vilsack on the call Wednesday, Feb 10, 2010.

 

With best wishes,

Max R. Finberg

Director,

Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Office of the Secretary

US Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Room 544A

Washington, DC20250-0122

202-720-2032 dir

Collaborate@usda.gov mailto:Collaborate@usda.gov

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Whole grain bread products in school meals?

Greetings school food service professionals,
If you have experience introducing whole grain bread products into your school meals program and are willing to share some insights, please see the questions below from my colleague David Conner and respond directly to him (contact info below as well).
 
Thanks so much,
Colleen
    
 
    -Which products did you intoruce?
    -What percent of whole grain did those products have?
    -Did students accept these products?
    -How did you measure acceptance of these products?
    -Did you try to increase acceptance of these whole grain products through any particular strategies?
    -Any other important insights?
    
 

David S. Conner, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

Department of CARRS

309 Natural Resources Bldg

Michigan State University

East Lansing MI 48823

Voice: 517-353-1914

Fax: 517 353-3834

Email: connerd@msu.edu

 

MottLogo1web

 

Friday, January 22, 2010

January News

 

Here are the latest farms to school news bites!

NEWS

USDA announces $25 million in school kitchen equipment grants These grants will help schools that are part of the National School Lunch Program replace outdated equipment with new, energy efficient food service equipment.

Michelle Obama to Unveil Anti-Obesity InitiativeAs childhood obesity increases, first lady Michelle Obama is reaching out to the nation’s mayors to take more steps towards obesity prevention.

Kids, Good Food, and the White HouseCheck out this blog post by Diane Conners of the Michigan Land Use Institute about White House Chef Sam Kass and the Obama Administration’s efforts to support good food, and some key initiatives and legislative efforts.

 

EVENTS

Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference
Saturday, January 30, 2010 with keynote speaker, Melissa Hemmelgarn, on Friday, January 29th
Grayling High School in Grayling, MI
http://www.msue.msu.edu/portal/default.cfm?pageset_id=26792

Michigan Good Food Summit
February 25, 2010 in Lansing, MI
www.michiganfood.org

2010 Michigan Organic Conference
Sponsored by Michigan Organic Food & Farm Alliance (MOFFA)
March 5-6, 2010 in East Lansing, MI (Kellogg Conference Center)
For more information, see
attachment.

Choices 2010, Collaboration: There's Room at the Table 
Wednesday, March 10 -11, 2010 in East Lansing, MI
Registration opens Jan. 11, 2010 
http://web7.anr.msu.edu/choices/Home.aspx

Farm to School: Setting the Table for Wellness
Sponsored by the Michigan Land Use Institute (MLUI)
Monday, March 15, 2010 at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme, MI
localdifference.org/farmtoschool
and see the brochure attached

National Farm to Cafeteria Conference
May 17-19, 2010 in Detroit, MI
Farm to Cafeteria Conference website

 

RESOURCES

A new farm to school manual from Oklahoma - School Tips, Tools & Guidelines for Food Distribution & Food Safety - is intended to provide information, insight and useful tools for farmers and school food service directors interested in FtS program participation, distribution and food safety.

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to School Specialist

CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

Michigan State University

303 Natural Resources Building

East Lansing, MI 48824-1222

517.432.0310

www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

 

 

Thursday, January 21, 2010

FW: Advanced GAP and GHP Workshops Tackle Food Safety Certification on Feb 2, 9 & 16

Hi all,

Here’s an opportunity that may be of interest to some of our growers!

 

Colleen

 

From: Linking growers, consumers, and all those in-between [mailto:FOODSPEAK@LIST.MSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Emily R. Beutel
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 10:10 AM
To: FOODSPEAK@LIST.MSU.EDU
Subject: Advanced GAP and GHP Workshops Tackle Food Safety Certification on Feb 2, 9 & 16

 

Please distribute widely!  I apologize for any cross-postings.

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 21, 2010

 

CONTACT:

Amanda Segar, 517-432-3381

Michigan Food & Farming Systems

 

Advanced GAP and GHP Workshops Tackle Food Safety Certification

 

EAST LANSING, Mich. – An advanced workshop series on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) is reaching out to Michigan produce growers trying to tackle food safety certification, which is being required by regional grocery stores and wholesale distributors looking to source local products.

 

“These workshops are diving into the key risk areas of concern for fruit and vegetable farmers as they understand certification standards and practices that wholesale and retail buyers are requiring to ensure safe food for their customers,” said Elaine Brown, Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS). Each workshop will offer an overview of audit considerations and expectations, lessons learned and perspectives from auditors, as well as from growers who have become certified, and the buyer’s perspective on the importance of food safety certification.

 

These three workshops will take place on Feb. 2 at the Starting Block, Inc. kitchen incubator in Hart, Feb. 9 at the Southwest Michigan Research and Education Center (SWMREC) in Benton Harbor, and Feb. 16 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in the Eastern Market District of Detroit from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day.

 

In addition to an auditor panel and GAP certified growers, industry representatives from groceries and distribution centers, like Sysco, will share their retail perspective on the importance of good practices.

 

There is no cost to attend, but the value is more than $50 per person and includes lunch. Participants will have the opportunity to purchase the revised, 240-page “Wholesale Success: A Farmer’s Guide to Selling, Post-Harvest Handling and Packing Produce” Manual for only $25, which retails for $75. FamilyFarmed.org developed this “Wholesale Success” manual to build the capacity of Midwest farmers to meet the burgeoning demand for local food. It features comprehensive sections on issues like building buyer relationships, food safety and calculating return on investment, along with crop profiles with specific harvesting, cooling, storage and packing information on fruits and vegetables grown in the Midwest.

 

For more information or to RSVP, please contact the Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) office at (517) 432-0712 or miffs@msu.edu. A flyer is also available for viewing and download at http://www.miffs.org/media/GAP GHP Workshops10.pdf.  Space is limited, so register early to save your spot, as participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration is required in advance to ensure adequate meals and materials.  Please register by the following dates for each session: Thursday, Jan. 28 for the session in Hart; Wednesday, Feb. 3 for the session in Benton Harbor, and Wednesday, Feb. 10 for the session in Detroit.

 

These workshops are funded by a Specialty Crop Block Grant. Other sponsors include: MIFFS, the Michigan State University Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University Extension, the Michigan Department of Agriculture, the Starting Block, Inc. regional kitchen incubator, SWMREC and the Eastern Market Corporation.

 

####

 

Founded in 1998, MIFFS is a statewide membership organization (501c3) whose purpose is to promote diverse efforts that foster and sustain food and farming systems that improve economic, ecological and social well-being.  MIFFS has been effective at establishing successful partnerships among producers, markets and institutions that have created more profitable, environmentally friendly food systems in Michigan.    

 

The organization’s vision is based on the premise that agricultural productivity, environmental stewardship and profitability reinforce each other for the benefit of Michigan’s rural and urban communities.  To learn more, please visit www.miffs.org or call (517) 432-0712.

 

 

Emily (Buckham) Beutel
Communications Specialist

Michigan Food & Farming Systems - MIFFS
Bringing Farmers and Communities Together

PLEASE NOTE NEW ADDRESS (effective 6/10/2009)
172 Natural Resources Building
East Lansing, MI 48824
Ph: (517) 432-0712
Fx: (517) 353-7961
www.miffs.org

MIFFSelogo 

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

FW: APPLY NOW - Team Nutrition Grants!

Hello again,

Please see the attached document for additional information, including funding amount, requirements and review process, for the Michigan Team Nutrition Mini-Grants.

 

Colleen

 

From: Colleen Matts
Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 11:01 AM
To: 'MIFARMTOSCHOOL@list.msu.edu'
Subject: APPLY NOW - Team Nutrition Grants!

 

Greetings all,

Please see information below about applications for Michigan Team Nutrition Mini-Grants, which will help support school gardens and training for school food service professionals. Spread the word to schools that may be interested!

 

Thanks,

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to School Specialist

CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

Michigan State University

303 Natural Resources Building

East Lansing, MI 48824-1222

517.432.0310

www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

 


From: Sarb, Kevin J (MDE)
Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 10:25 AM
To: 'MDE-TEAM-NUTRITION@LISTSERV.MICHIGAN.GOV'
Subject: School Garden Grant

 

Michigan Team Nutrition School Garden Mini-Grant Opportunity

 

This is a competitive grant program targeting school buildings participating in the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National School Lunch Program (NSLP).  Applicant schools must contain at least one of the following grades:  5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12.  We encourage schools in your district to apply.  The application deadline is January 29, 2010.

 

To Apply

 

All applicants must submit an application using the Michigan Electronic Grants System (MEGS):

 

  • Complete your application online using MEGS at

     http://megs.mde.state.mi.us/megs.  Note: only a MEGS Authorized

     Official (Level 5) may initiate the School Garden Mini-Grant application in MEGS.

  • To find out who your MEGS Authorized Official (Level 5) is, please contact
    Tina Ray at 517-373-1806 or ask your district office.

 

Questions regarding the content of this memo may be directed by email to
MDE-schoolnutrition@michigan.gov or phone 517-373-3347.

 

APPLY NOW - Team Nutrition Grants!

Greetings all,

Please see information below about applications for Michigan Team Nutrition Mini-Grants, which will help support school gardens and training for school food service professionals. Spread the word to schools that may be interested!

 

Thanks,

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to School Specialist

CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

Michigan State University

303 Natural Resources Building

East Lansing, MI 48824-1222

517.432.0310

www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

 


From: Sarb, Kevin J (MDE)
Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 10:25 AM
To: 'MDE-TEAM-NUTRITION@LISTSERV.MICHIGAN.GOV'
Subject: School Garden Grant

 

Michigan Team Nutrition School Garden Mini-Grant Opportunity

 

This is a competitive grant program targeting school buildings participating in the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National School Lunch Program (NSLP).  Applicant schools must contain at least one of the following grades:  5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12.  We encourage schools in your district to apply.  The application deadline is January 29, 2010.

 

To Apply

 

All applicants must submit an application using the Michigan Electronic Grants System (MEGS):

 

  • Complete your application online using MEGS at

     http://megs.mde.state.mi.us/megs.  Note: only a MEGS Authorized

     Official (Level 5) may initiate the School Garden Mini-Grant application in MEGS.

  • To find out who your MEGS Authorized Official (Level 5) is, please contact
    Tina Ray at 517-373-1806 or ask your district office.

 

Questions regarding the content of this memo may be directed by email to
MDE-schoolnutrition@michigan.gov or phone 517-373-3347.

 

Friday, January 15, 2010

DEADLINE TODAY - National Farm to Cafeteria Conference Proposals!

Hello again,

This is just a quick reminder that the deadline for workshop and poster proposals for the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference is today! The conference will be held in Detroit on May 17th-19th, with short courses and field trips planned for May 17th and workshops for May 18th and 19th. If your workshop is selected, up to 3 workshop presenters will be given 50% discount on the conference registration fee (excluding short courses and field trips). Please see the email below for more details and the link to electronically submit a proposal if you wish.

 

Thanks,

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to School Specialist

CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

Michigan State University

303 Natural Resources Building

East Lansing, MI 48824-1222

517.432.0310

www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

 

From: Emily Becker [mailto:emily@foodsecurity.org]
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 7:42 PM
To: Colleen Matts
Subject: Call for Proposals - Farm to Cafeteria Conference May 17 - 19

 

Dear 2009 Farm to Cafeteria Conference Attendee:

 

We hope to see you again at our 2010 Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit, Michigan.  Below you will find the Call for Workshop Proposals, and would appreciate your help in circulating it to others who might be interested.  This is a one-time email; to receive additional updates about our upcoming conferences, please sign up for our conference email list at http://communityfoodconference.org/13/email-list

 

Sincerely, 

 

Emily Becker 

Membership Coordinator & Conference Planner

Community Food Security Coalition

(503) 954 - 2970

 

3830 SE Division St

Portland, OR 97202

 

TAKING ROOT, 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference, Detroit, MI,  May 17 - 19, 2010

 

14th Annual CFSC Conference, New Orleans, LA,  October 17 - 19, 2010

 

 

CALL FOR WORKSHOP AND POSTER PROPOSALS

 

“Taking Root: Fifth National Farm to Cafeteria Conference”

Detroit Michigan, May 17 – 19, 2010 

 

Presented by:

The National Farm to School Network

The Community Food Security Coalition

The Center for Food & Justice, Occidental College

 

Proposal Period: December 15 - January 15

No proposals will be accepted after January 15

 

 

 

The National Farm to School Network seeks proposals for workshops and a poster session at its 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit, Michigan, May 17 – 19, 2010.

 

Presentation Formats

We are accepting proposals for the following presentation formats:

 

a.   Poster Session 

b.   Workshop Sessions (90 minutes)

 

Workshop and Poster Session: Topics

Please note that the overarching goal of the conference is to include information on all forms of institutional food purchasing. The majority of topics below are meant to apply to Farm to Cafeteria in its broadest sense, including but not limited to K-12 schools, pre-schools, day care centers, colleges, hospitals, prisons and other institutions. 

 

* Distribution, processing, and infrastructure development

* Farm to cafeteria as a “green” issue 

* Experiential education including field trips, cooking classes, schools gardens, college farms,

   and curriculum development

* Youth-led initiatives

* Food service-led initiatives

* Grassroots voices, community initiatives

* Advocacy at the local, state, regional and/or national level

* 2010 Child Nutrition Authorization: issues, framing, collaborations, outcomes

* Food safety issues, concerns and innovative approaches

* Farm to cafeteria as economic development 

* Research and evaluation

* Grant writing and funding for farm to cafeteria

* State-level farm to cafeteria policies – what’s worked, what hasn’t, innovative ideas

* Farm to cafeteria and public health issues

* How to make farm to cafeteria work for farmers

* Skill building, such as facilitation skills, community assessments, survey design, etc.

* Food service, farmers, price and profit

* Farm to cafeteria – a social justice agenda

* Farm to school and wellness policies

* Farm to Cafeteria work and issues in the Great Lakes region

* How to work with institutional buyers 

* The role of Farm to Cafeteria in healthy eating campaigns and nutrition messaging

* Public private partnerships - what works, what doesn’t

* Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food – USDA efforts around Farm to School 

* Changing scale from local to regional - when it is needed, how it is done

 

Poster Session

In addition to those listed above, topics may include results of evaluations or studies, describe a new farm to cafeteria program or approach, or describe and/or analyze an experiential learning component of farm to cafeteria.

 

Session format

Workshop Sessions: Interactive sessions that provide opportunities for significant audience participation are encouraged. These sessions may include individual or group role playing, small group work, or hands-on tasks.  Power point presentations are not required, and if used, we encourage a creative approach.  We are cognizant that people learn in different ways and encourage a variety of workshop interactions and approaches.

 

We are also seeking workshops that build specific skills such as grant writing, policy advocacy, facilitation, working with farmers, working with children etc.  Sessions that lead to a specific outcome, that are linked to the activities of the National Farm to School Network, or that build the farm to cafeteria movement, are also desired. We encourage session organizers to include a diverse group of leaders, such as youth, farmers, food service staff and community members. Introductory and advanced level workshops are also welcome. Since we have a limited number of workshop slots, we urge workshop planners to avoid proposing workshops that only highlight a specific program, instead we suggest connecting with similar programs from across the country to create a more comprehensive joint workshop on the topic.  These workshops will be given priority during the review process. If you need assistance in identifying projects to co-present with, please contact Marion Kalb at marion@foodsecurity.org or 505-474-5782. 

 

Audience

Expect a very diverse audience in terms of occupation. Attendees typically include food service, policy-makers, public health workers, farmers, environmentalists, community based organization advocates, community residents, parents, school administrators, nutritionists, teachers, sustainable agriculture advocates, food system representatives, researchers/academics, students, funders, and others engaged in building a sustainable food system. Please try to use plain language and limit the use of acronyms and jargon to make your session accessible to all participants.

 

Session details

Workshop sessions will be 90 minutes in length. Expect approximately 30-50 attendees per workshop session. 

 

Submission  of Proposals and Deadlines

Please go to http://farmtocafeteriaconference.com/5e/  to submit your proposal online. Deadline is January 15, 2010. 

 

Audio-Visual

We will contact you regarding your AV needs, if your session is chosen. 

 

Registration Fees 

Up to three presenters per workshop are entitled to a 50% discount off their registration fees (excluding field trips and short courses). Poster session presenters do not receive a discount.  Presenters that want to attend their session only can do so free of charge. All presenters must register for the conference. 

 

Travel Costs

Presenters should plan on covering their own travel costs to participate in the conference.

 

You'll Hear Back From Us Soon

Submission of a proposal is not a guarantee of its acceptance.  All proposals will be reviewed by a planning committee.  Notification of your proposal's status will be provided by February 15th, 2010. Please contact Emily Becker (emily@foodsecurity.org) if you have not heard from us by this date. 

 

For information concerning workshop content, please contact Marion Kalb at marion@foodsecurity.org, 505-474-5782.  

 

For information on the submission process, please contact Emily Becker at emily@foodsecurity.org or 503-954-2970.

 

 

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM 

 

1.  Please describe session type: (circle one)

 

            Workshop – 90 minutes                                    Poster Session

Please answer all questions.                                    Please answer questions 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 & 10.

 

2.  Please provide the name, address, zip code, e-mail address and phone number for the primary 

            presenter/organizer, and a short bio, 50 words or less.

 

3.  Please provide the names, affiliations and emails of other presenters.

 

4. Please provide a title for your session / poster, 10 words or less

 

5.  Please provide a summary of your proposed session in no more than 50 words for use in the conference brochure. Provide information regarding format of presentation – lecture, small group, panel, activity-based, and how speakers will engage participants attending the workshop.

 

6.  Please provide a description of your session in no more than 150 words.

 

7.  List two to three objectives describing how participants will benefit from this session and what tools, skills or message(s) participants will "take home." Learning outcomes should be action statements describing what participants will be able to do as a result of the experience, usually defined in terms of knowledge, skills, or attitudes. Statements should complete the following statement with observable and measurable verbs: “After this presentation, the attendee will be able to…” 

 

8.  Describe desired audio-visual needs.

 

9.  Skill Level of Presentation Content:

Conference attendees are typically looking for focused sessions that deliver new information or knowledge.  Please state which level your session addresses.

 

  • Basic: Assumes little or no prior knowledge of area(s) covered. The focus of the activity is to increase knowledge of the participant. 

 

  • Intermediate: Assumes a general knowledge of the area(s) covered. The focus is to enhance knowledge of the participant. 

 

  • Advanced: Assumes thorough knowledge of the area(s) covered. The focus synthesizes recent advances, research, new initiatives, and future directions. 

 

10. I understand that it is the obligation of all workshop and poster presenters to cover their registration fees and travel costs. Up to three presenters per workshop are eligible for a 50% discount on their registration fees.  Presenters may also apply for a scholarship. I have communicated this to all presenters in my proposed session.

 

(Please initial.)

 

Submit proposals online at http://farmtocafeteriaconference.com/5e.  

On-line submission is strongly preferred.

 

If you are unable to submit online, please mail to Emily Becker, CFSC, 3830 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202.  Submissions must be received by January 15, 2010.