Blog

Blog Archive

Monday, July 26, 2010

Reminder - Quotes for Genesee County Farm to School program due Thursday, 7/29!

Greetings Farmers and Food Vendors,

For those of you that may be interested in selling your locally-grown, fresh fruits and veggies to schools in Genesee County, this is a reminder that quotes are due in writing by Thursday, July 29th. See the attached request for quotes for more details, including the list of products and contact information for submitting quotes and all 17 school districts interested in participating. Please note that it is not required that you have available all products listed in this request to participate; please feel free to submit a proposal for just one or two products if that is all you have available for purchase by one or more school districts.

 

Thanks,

 

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

 

 

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Farm to School News

Hi all,

 

Here are the latest Farm to School news bites: 

 

NEWS

 

Grant Will Bring Local Food to Districts

The Alliance for Economic Success in Manistee recently received a $60,000 Rural Development grant for Farm to School at the Frankfort-Elberta Area School District, Onekama Consolidated Schools and other districts in Benzie and Manistee counties. Project partners include the Michigan Land Use Institute, the Manistee Area Intermediate School District, Traverse Bay Intermediate School District, and local farmers and food processors.

 

Good For Our Health and Our EconomyThis editorial encourages that we “shouldn’t lose sight of the importance of the original “green economy” — agriculture — in West Michigan”, which ties in with the goals of the Michigan Good Food Charter.

 

The act aims to improve children’s access to meal programs both in and out of school, add a 6-cent-per-child increase to meal reimbursements to improve nutritional quality, encourage farm to school and food sourcing from local farms, and establish nutrition standards for all food sold in schools, among other things. Click here to see a summary of the measures included in this bill.

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has finalized new standards for ground beef purchases by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service for school lunch programs and other federal food and nutrition assistance programs.

 

Thank you for all those that joined us for the Your Guide to the Michigan Good Food Charter Webinar! If you missed it, you can access the recording hereJoin others who have shown their support for the Michigan Good Food Charter by filling out and sending in the Resolution of Support Form!

 

EVENTS

 

Farmers Market at the Capitol 

When: July 22, 10AM- 3PM

Where: East Lawn of the Capitol, Lansing

Click here for the flyer.

 

“Putting Michigan MarketMaker to Work for You” Workshop

When: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 from 6 – 8 p.m.

Where: Wayne County Community College District (Western Campus) 

Space is limited to the first 20 registrants so RSVP soon to Morse Brown at brownmo@msu.edu or 269-208-1443. Click here for more details. 

 

OPPORTUNITIES 

 

The Chefs Move to Schools program is an effort to support the First Lady’s Let’s Move! campaign to stop the spread of childhood obesity. Chefs will be paired by the U.S. Dept of Agriculture with interested schools in their communities so together they can create healthy meals. Join the Chefs Move to Schools Program by completing the chef sign-up form here or the school sign-up form here.

 

The search is underway to fill a new position, Food Initiative Director for the United Way for Southeastern Michigan (UWSEM). Please see the position description attached.

 

RESOURCES 

 

Before you begin a Farm to School program, click here to learn more from the USDA Farm to School Team about USDA procurement regulations, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) policy, and procurement requirements for State and local governments.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

FW: Latest Child Nutrition Reauthorization Action Update

Hi all,

I’m passing on the latest news about the Child Nutrition Reauthorization from the Community Food Security Coalition and the One Tray Team. They are asking for constituents to call their Congress people that sit on the House Education and Labor Committee to support the inclusion of mandatory funding for Farm to School programs  in this Reauthorization. Rep Dale Kildee and Rep Vernon Ehlers of Michigan serve on this Committee, and you’ll find their contact information in the chart below if you care to make a call in support of Farm to School prior to markup of this Committee’s Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill, Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act of 2010, this Wednesday, July 14th.

 

Thanks,

 

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

 

 

From: School Food FOCUS [mailto:sdavidson@schoolfoodfocus.org]
Sent: Monday, July 12, 2010 2:56 PM
To: Colleen Matts
Subject: Fwd: Latest Child Nutrition Reauthorization Action Update

 

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

 

CNR action alert from
Community Food Security Coalition and the One Tray Team


Greetings!

We are happy to forward this update and action alert about Child Nutrition Reauthorization from our friends at the Community Food Security Coalition and the One Tray Team.

Warmest regards,
School Food FOCUS Team


------------------------Begin forwarded message---------------------

 

 






July 12, 2010

 

CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES NOW AND URGE THEM
TO
VOTE YES ON CHILD NUTRITION REAUTHORIZATION

 


If your Congressman sits on the House Education and Labor Committee (see chart below), we need your help!

This Wednesday, July 14th, the House Committee on Education and Labor will be marking up their Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill: H.R. 5504, the Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act of 2010.  H.R. 5504 contains significant improvements to Child Nutrition Programs including increases in program access, improvements to nutritional quality and program integrity, and $50 MILLION IN MANDATORY FUNDING FOR FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAMS.
 

This is a critical moment for all of us to weigh in on Child Nutrition Reauthorization.  With 1 in 4 kids at-risk of hunger and 1 in 3 obese or overweight, the time for strong action is now.  Congress must pass a robust, well-funded child nutrition bill this summer to help reach the national goals to end child hunger by 2015 and to solve child obesity in a generation.  The health and future of America's children depend on it.



Your Members need to hear from you! 

THE MESSAGE IS SIMPLE. Tell your Representative to act quickly in marking up the bill and moving it to the House floor for a full vote. Now is the time to improve access to food assistance programs and to enhance the nutrition quality of these programs for our nation's children. 

IT'S EASY. Call the number below, and ask to speak to the Legislative Aide listed.  If they do not answer, leave a voice mail with your name, phone number, and the message to vote yes on H.R. 5504 and pass the Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill out of committee. 

If kids can do it, so can you! Watch a video of kids lobbying Congress to pass a strong Child Nutrition bill this year. 

 

House Committee on Education and Labor:



Democrats

 

 

 

Representative

Staff

Phone

Fax

George Miller (7th CA)

Denise Forte, Gabrielle Serra

202-225-2095

202-225-5609

Dale E. Kildee (5th MI)

Erin Ward

202-225-3611

202-225-6393

Donald M. Payne (10th NJ)

LaVerne Alexander

202-225-3436

202-225-4160

Robert E. Andrews (1st NJ)

Elisa Krobot

202-225-6501

202-225-6583

Robert C. Scott (3rd VA)

Carolyn Hughes

202-225-8351

202-225-8354

Lynn Woolsey (6th CA)

Jason Feld

202-225-5161

202-225-5163

Ruben Hinojosa (15th TX)

Rosa Garcia

202-225-2531

202-225-5688

Carolyn McCarthy (4th NY)

Kim Zarish-Becknell

202-225-5516

202-225-5758

John F. Tierney (6th MA)

Rachel Evans

202-225-8020

202-225-5915

Dennis J. Kucinich (10th OH)

Yonatan Zamir

202-225-5871

202-225-5745

David Wu (1st OR)

Scott Olson

202-225-0855

202-225-9497

Rush Holt (12th NJ)

Chris Gaston

202-225-5801

202-225-6025

Susan Davis (53rd CA)

Suzanne Swink

202-225-2040

202-225-2948

Raúl M. Grijalva (7th AZ)

Joseph Mais

202-225-2435

202-225-1541

Tim Bishop (1st NY)

Joanna Serra

202-225-3826

202-225-3143

Joe Sestak (7th PA)

Jason Marmon

202-225-2011

202-226-0280

Dave Loebsack (2nd IA)

Kara Marchione

202-225-6576

202-226-0757

Mazie Keiko Hirono (2nd HI)

Anne Stewart

202-225-4906

202-225-4987

Jason Altmire (4th PA)

Cara Toman

202-225-2565

202-226-2274

Phil Hare (17th IL)

Kemi Jemilohun

202-225-5905

202-225-5396

Yvette D. Clarke (11th NY)

Bridgette Dehart

202-225-6231

202-226-0112

Joe Courtney (2nd CT)

John Hollay

202-225-2076

202-225-4977

Carol Shea-Porter (1st NH)

Chris Hillesheim

202-225-5456

202-225-5822

Marcia L. Fudge (11th OH)

Clifton Williams

202-225-7032

202-225-1339

Jared Polis (2nd CO)

Spiros Protopsaltis

202-225-2161

202-226-7840

Paul D. Tonko (21st NY)

Becky Cornell

202-225-5076

202-225-5077

Pedro Pierluisi (Puerto Rico)

Anina Caso

202-225-2615

202-225-2154

Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Northern Mariana Islands)

Ed Manglona

202-225-2646

202-226-4249

Dina Titus (3rd NV)

Sarah Cohen

202-225-3252

202-225-2185

Judy Chu (32nd CA)

Carlos Uriarte

202-225-5464

202-225-5467

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Republicans

 

 

 

Representative

Staff

Phone

Fax

John Kline (2nd MN)

Molly Conway

202-225-2271

202-225-2595

Thomas E. Petri (6th WI)

Kevin James

202-225-2476

202-225-2356

Howard P. "Buck" MeKeon (25th CA)

Chris Perry

202-225-1956

202-226-0683

Peter Hoekstra (2nd MI)

Greg Van Woerkom

202-225-4401

202-226-0779

Michael N. Castle (DE)

Jessica Gross

202-225-4165

202-225-2291

Vernon J. Ehlers (3rd MI)

Rachel Fenton

202-225-3831

202-225-5144

Judy Biggert (13th IL)

Griffin Foster

202-225-3515

202-225-9420

Todd Platts (19th PA)

Rebeccah Wolfkiel

202-225-5836

202-226-1000

Joe Wilson (2nd SC)

Melissa Chandler

202-225-2452

202-225-2455

Cathy McMorris Rodgers (5th WA)

Kim Betz

202-225-2006

202-225-3392

Tom Price (6th GA)

Kris Skrzycki

202-225-2006

202-225-4656

Rob Bishop (1st UT)

Wayne Bradshaw

202-225-0453

202-225-5857

Brett Guthrie (2nd KY)

Megan Spindel

202-225-3501

202-226-2019

Bill Cassidy (6th LA)

Holly Booth

202-225-3901

202-225-7313

Tom McClintock (4th CA)

Kristen Glen

202-225-2511

202-225-5444

Duncan D. Hunter (52nd CA)

Joe Kasper

202-225-5672

202-225-0235

Phil Roe (1st TN)

Matt Meyer

202-225-6356

202-225-5714

Glenn Thompson (5th PA)

John Busovsky

202-225-5121

202-225-5796




One Tray symbolizes the health of our children, the state of our food system, and the potential in providing every child the opportunity to succeed. One Tray equals our future. Three national organizations have joined forces to advocate for more healthful, more sustainably produced and regionally sourced school food that can improve the health of kids, develop new marketing opportunities for farmers, and support the local economy. The time is now to nourish the nation one tray at a time.

Members of the One Tray Team include the Community Food Security Coalition, National Farm to School Network, and School Food FOCUS.


For more background information on Farm to School programs and our campaign, click here




Questions? Please contact the CFSC Policy Office: 202-543-8602


Thank you for your help!

Community Food Security Coalition






 

 

Safe Unsubscribe

This email was sent to matts@msu.edu by sdavidson@schoolfoodfocus.org.

School Food FOCUS | c/o Public Health Solutions | 220 Church Street, 5th Floor | New York | NY | 10013