Michigan Farm to School News

Hi all,

 

Here are the latest Farm to School news bites to start off the school year: 

 

NEWS

 

First Lady Asks Congress to Join Childhood Obesity Fight 

Michelle Obama is kicking off the next phase of her Let's Move! campaign that addresses childhood obesity by encouraging kids exercise and providing more free and reduced price meals and improving the quality of food options at schools. The Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization is critical to support Let’s Move! and its goals. Read more here. 

 

Making School Food Healthier

Numerous efforts are underway to improve the quality of foods served in schools, including the Let’s Move! campaign, the Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization, local policies, farm to school, and Chefs Move to Schools. Read more here.

 

ERS Announces Partnership with the National Farm to School Network
The Economic Research Service is joining forces with the National Farm to School Network to track Farm to School programs, including school gardens, across the country. Read the full article here. 

 

 

OPPORTUNITIES

 

Springport Public Schools: Nutrition Education Project Coordinator
Springport Public Schools is currently seeking a Program Coordinator to manage Springport’s Nutrition Education through Gardening program. The deadline for submitting applications is 3:00 PM on September 10, 2010. See attachment for more details.   

 

FoodCorps Call for Host Sites
FoodCorps is a developing branch of the AmeriCoprs program that focuses on school food systems, including nutrition education, school gardens, and farm to school, in high need communities. FoodCorps is searching for sites to host service members. The open period for Letters of Inquiry from potential host sites closes on Friday, September 17th. Go here to learn more, and let us know if you plan to submit a letter of inquiry to be a host site!

 

‘Renegade Lunch Lady’ and Whole Foods Market Invite Schools to Apply for Grants to Fund Salad Bars
Whole Food Market and Chef Ann Cooper are working together to provide healthy salad bars to schools through the Great American Salad Bar Project’s grant program. They are seeking applications from schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and are located within 50 miles of a Whole Foods store. Apply electronically for the grant here before November 1, 2010! 

 

The 2011 Community Food Projects Request for Applications for competitive grants for community-based food and agriculture projects nationwide has been announced. Click here for details and here for resources from the Community Food Security Coalition. Grant proposals are due November 17, 2010! 

 

Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge
As part of the Let’s Move! campaign, the USDA is offering cash prizes for winning student teams who submit original recipes that meet the whole grain foods, dark green and/or orange vegetables, and dry beans and peas (legumes) nutrition requirements for school meals. The deadline for recipe submissions is December 30, 2010! Click here to learn more.

 

 

EVENTS

 

Two Angry Moms Free Moving Screening

Hosted by Lansing.MomsLikeMe.com

Saturday, September 25^th

10 am – 12 pm

Celebration! Cinema

200 E. Edgewood Blvd.
Lansing, MI 48911

See attached email for more info

 

Making it in Michigan: Conference and Tradeshow
Hosted by the MSU Product Center

October 26, 2010 
Lansing, MI 
Register at www.makingitinmichigan.msu.edu

 

 

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