More announcements

Hi all,

Here are a few farm to school related announcements:

USDA Farm to School Webinar: Opportunities to Increase Local Food in School Meals. The USDA Farm to School Team is holding its first Webinar on March 10^th from 3-4 PM. They will discuss the Farm to School Team's mission and goals for 2010, available resources, grant opportunities, and answer questions about Farm to School. To participate in this webinar, register online by March 8th!

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity Webinar Series for 2010 focuses on “Making Schools the Model for Healthier Environments." Register for any or all of the four webinars in this series: 

• March 11: Sowing Seeds: Improving Food Quality with Farm-to-School Programs
• March 25: Setting the Standard: What Schools Are Doing about Competitive Foods
• April 8: Let’s Get Physical: Being Active to Reverse Child Obesity

Farm to School & School Garden Research Consortium Posters detailing work related to the conference theme are being accepted for the 5^th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference until March 19^th.  The posters will be on display throughout the conference, and there will be two sessions during which time the poster presenters are requested to be available near the poster for questions. Posters can be submitted here.

The Cooking Up Change: National Healthy Cooking Contest and the Real Food Is…National Video Contest were just announced as part of the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference, which will be held in Detroit in May.

• The Cooking Up Change: National Healthy Cooking Contest is open to high school and college teams, and healthy school lunch recipes are due by March 26^th. Three teams from each division will receive all expenses paid trips to the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference where they will compete, preparing and presenting their meals to a panel of judges. Click here for more information.
• The Real Food Is… National Video Contest is open to students of all ages, from kindergarten to college. The challenge is to “produce a 30 second to 3 minute video that informs, inspires, and encourages student advocacy to restore connections to community, food, land, and place through Farm to Cafeteria programs.” Two winners will receive $1,000 for their cafeteria food project, and one representative and one chaperone from each winning video entry will receive all expenses paid trips to the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference. The deadline for submissions is March 29^th! Click here to find the official rules.

Seven Generations Ahead is sponsoring a Fresh from the Farm Teacher Training Workshop for educators, parents and community members. Attached is the Fresh from the Farm teacher training flier and registration form describing the training sessions in more detail. Click here to learn more about these new farm to school curriculum activities!

Enjoy the weekend,

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution 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

 

 

 

February Farm to School News

Hi all,

Here are the latest Farm to School news bites:

NEWS

The Cooking Up Change: National Healthy Cooking Contest and the Real Food Is…National Video Contest were just announced as part of the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference, which will be held in Detroit in May.

·       The Cooking Up Change: National Healthy Cooking Contest is open to high school and college teams, and healthy school lunch recipes are due by March 26^th. Three teams from each division will receive all expenses paid trips to the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference where they will compete, preparing and presenting their meals to a panel of judges. Click here for more information.

·       The Real Food Is… National Video Contest is open to students of all ages, from kindergarten to college. The challenge is to “produce a 30 second to 3 minute video that informs, inspires, and encourages student advocacy to restore connections to community, food, land, and place through Farm to Cafeteria programs.” Two winners will receive $1,000 for their cafeteria food project, and one representative and one chaperone from each winning video entry will receive all expenses paid trips to the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference. The deadline for submissions is March 29^th! Click here to find the official rules.

 

The USDA recently published the annual adjustments for the reimbursement rates for meals and snacks served in the Summer Food Service Program. The adjusted rates can be found in the Federal Register.

School Cafeterias Make Efforts to Buy From Local Farms - Jean Ronnei, the Director of the Nutrition and Commercial Services at St. Paul Public Schools in Minnesota, discusses the school district’s partnerships with Food Options for Children in Urban Schools (FOCUS) and local organizations to provide healthier and more sustainable foods on school menus.

First Lady Michelle Obama in collaboration with the White House officially launched the Let’s Move Campaign earlier this month with the goal to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation. The USDA Economic Research Service also launched Your Food Environment Atlas, a new online food mapping tool.

 

EVENTS

Michigan Good Food Summit
When: February 25, 2010
Where: The Lansing Center in Lansing, MI
See agenda attached and click here to register today!

Choices 2010: The Conference that Celebrates Food, Health & Collaboration
When: March 10-11, 2010
Where: Michigan State University’s Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center
Click here to view agenda.
Click here to register today!

Farm to School: Setting the Table for Wellness
When: March 15, 2010
Where: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, Traverse City, MI
Find more information here.

Vegetable 201: Ready to Take the Next Step?
When: 8 am -5 pm on March 19, 2010
Where: Jackson County MSU Extension Office in Jackson, MI
See brochure and registration form attached. 

2010 Eat Healthy + Play Hard = Smart Students Conference
When: April 28-30, 2010
Where: Hyatt Regency Dearborn (Dearborn, MI)
See attachments for registration and agenda information and sponsor exhibit packet. 

Taking Root: 5^th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference
When: May 17-19, 2010
Where: Renaissance Center in Detroit, MI
Registration starts Feb. 22, but check out the website for more information. 

MSU Student Organic Farm Tours & Workshops
Tours and workshops are running through September 2010!
See attachment for more details.

OPPORTUNITIES

USDA Offering Financial Assistance for High Tunnels - The USDA is providing grants through the USDA EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) to help landowners construct hoophouses or high tunnels in order to increase the availability of locally grown fruits and vegetables. The application deadline has recently been extended to February 19^th so submit your application now to a local NRCS field office!

USDA Conservation Assistance for Organic Producers – More than $1 million is available for conservation financial assistance for Michigan organic producers and producers transitioning to organic production. Applications are due to local NRCS field office by March 12^th. You can find the application here.

Fiskars Project Orange Thumb offers grants for garden tools and materials such as plants, seeds, mulch, etc. to eligible gardening groups, including projects geared toward community involvement, neighborhood beautification, horticultural education, and/or sustainable agriculture. The deadline has been extended to March 1^st so apply soon!

Best,

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution 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

 

 

Child Nutrition Reauthorization Conference call TODAY!

Hi all,

Here is information for the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Conference call with USDA Secretary Vilsack today a 2:30. (See original announcement below.)

 

CNR call with Vilsack - Please circulate widely
When: Wed. Feb. 10 at 2:30pm EST
Where: Dial 1-800-369-1790 and provide the participant pass code 3769722. You do not have to register to participate.

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.

 

Thanks,

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

 

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

\

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 10^th . 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