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Thursday, April 29, 2010

Genesee County Farm to School Meet & Greet - May 5th

Apologies for cross posting!

 

 

 

Farm to School

Meet & Greet

 

Farm to School is growing in Michigan! At this event, Michigan farmers can meet school food  service directors from Genesee and surrounding counties who are interested in purchasing local foods for school meals programs. Take advantage of this growing market opportunity!

 

Join us for this Meet & Greet to get your questions answered. Participating school food service directors will discuss:

·      Products of interest to schools

·      Competitive bidding procedures

·      Delivery, packaging, and payment arrangements

·      And much more!

 

WHEN: Wednesday, May 5, 2010

4-6:00 pm

WHERE: Genesee Intermediate School District

Health, Safety, and Nutrition Services

2284 S. Ballenger Highway

Flint, MI 48503

 

 

 

This event is free of charge. Please RSVP to Colleen Matts at matts@msu.edu or

GISD Logo (Color)Logo_final_small517-432-0310.

 

 

 

 

 

Please spread the word, and feel free to share this email and/or attached flyer with your friends, colleagues, and neighbors.

 

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, April 28, 2010

Local Foods Reception & other Farm to Cafeteria conference events

Just a reminder, the last day to register for the 2010 National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit is Friday, April 30th!  Go to www.farmtocafeteriaconference.org for more information.

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.
Taking Root: the 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference
We hope to see you there!
Farm to Cafeteria advocates from across the nation will be converging on Detroit May 17-19.  If you're not able to join us for the full conference, there are several events open to the public. 

Local Foods Reception
Monday, May 17  6:30 – 9:00 pm
The Museum at the Henry Ford
20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, MI 48124

As you stroll through The Museum at the Henry Ford, you'll be inspired by America's innovative spirit and have the opportunity to taste the best that Michigan has to offer.  Learn how the staff incorporates local food throughout the institution while meeting the people who have helped the Farm to Cafeteria movement take root.

Cost: $40.  Purchase tickets online.
Transportation to the reception is available from the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center; buses will leave at staggered intervals between 5:15 and 6:30pm. 


Movie Night
Tuesday, May 18  6:30 and 8:30 pm
Ren Cen 4 Theater
GM RenCen, Tower 200 Level 2, Detroit, MI 48243

The National Farm to School Network and Applegate Farms are proud to present two stellar films about Farm to Cafeteria issues during our double feature movie night.  Screenings will begin at 6:30 pm & 8:30 pm, followed by a Q & A with filmmakers. Complimentary snacks and beverages will be provided by Applegate Farms.
 
Lunch Line reframes the school lunch debate through an examination of the program's surprising past, present, and possible future.
Grown in Detroit: Just imagine... Teen moms becoming urban farmers. Utopia? Not in Detroit. Nature is taking over the city and the new generation is taught to harvest its profit.

Cost: Sliding scale donation requested.  No reservation required.


Farm to School Networking Reception
Sunday, May 16  6:00 – 8:00 pm
Gleaners Community Food Bank
2131 Beaufait Street, Detroit, MI 48207

Join other Farm to School enthusiasts in the Great Lakes region for a celebration of our region's diversity of local fare.  Along with our Great Lakes friends, we will also have the opportunity to mingle with the National and Regional Farm to School Network staff members from across the country.

Cost: $25.  Purchase tickets online.


Field Trips and Short Courses
Monday, May 17   8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI 48243

Take your pick from a variety of tours to learn about various Farm to Cafeteria efforts in Michigan, or take a short course to build your skills and improve your own work.

Cost: $65.  Learn more and register today.


About the Conference
Farm to Cafeteria programs are TAKING ROOT in schools, hospitals, colleges, day care centers, and other institutions. Join us to learn about successful models across the country and how you can start and scale up a program in your community.  Go to the conference website for the full schedule.

FORWARD to a friend

Community Food Security Coalition 3830 SE Division Portland, OR 97202

(503) 954-2970 | www.farmtocafeteriaconference.org


Monday, April 26, 2010

FW: Detroit Farm to School Conference Set For May - Registration closes Friday!

Hi all,
Here's word from Diane Conners at the Michigan Land Use Institute regarding the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference:
 
"If you're interested in seeing farm to school programs grow, don't miss the upcoming Friday, April 30 deadline to register for the Taking Root: National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit in May. It's the place to be, whether you're a policy wonk interested in the historic debate shaping up nationally over school lunch programs or a food service director, teacher, farmer, or local foods advocate looking for new ideas and tools to bring more locally grown food to your school, college, correctional facility or hospital. And there's a chance to go to a Detroit Tiger's game too! Read more at my blog posted here."
 
 
Five field trip options, along with two short courses are offered for the first day of the conference, including this exciting field trip to learn about season extension techniques and local food purchasing at MSU:
 
The Student Organic Farm (SOF) at Michigan State University (MSU) was created in 1999 by a group of students who wanted to get their hands dirty and learn how to farm organically.  Since its initial inception, the farm has grown to include several passive solar hoop-houses that extend the growing season to year-round.  With their hoop houses and cold storage, the SOF became the first year-round CSA in Michigan.  The SOF also runs a farm stand on campus, sells wholesale to MSU, and dedicates a plot to grow foods for donation to the Greater Lansing Food Bank and local neighborhood centers.  Tour the Student Organic Farm and then visit an MSU dorm for a farm-fresh lunch to learn about how this land grant university is becoming a leader in the local food movement.  Visit the MSU Dairy store for an ice cream snack and learn how MSU Food Stores and Residential and Hospitality Services are incorporating food grown at the Student Organic Farm into daily meal offerings.

 

Register soon as registration closes Friday, April 30th! You see the conference schedule and brochure and register at http://farmtocafeteriaconference.org/5/.


 

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, April 21, 2010

Last chance for housing at Wayne State Univ for Farm to Cafeteria Conference!

 

Hi all,

For those who are interested in attending the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit on May 17-19th, please see details below for a very affordable housing option at Wayne State University for your stay. Please scroll down further for info about a movie night during the conference that will feature Lunch Line and Grown in Detroit, and check the website for more conference details – http://farmtocafeteriaconference.org/5/.

 

Thanks,

Colleen

 

 

_______________________________________________

From: Sarah Fillius [mailto:filliuss@fsepmichigan.org]
Subject: Wayne State Housing--Last Chance

 

Hi Everyone,

We have a number of rooms reserved at Wayne State University but very few people have chosen to stay there.  Please let your partners and networks know about this option.  Emily has extended the deadline to sign up for these rooms until April 23.

Alternative Housing at Wayne State University

You have the option to stay at alternative housing in dorms at Wayne State University.  CFSC has reserved a limited number of double rooms at a lower price than at the Marriott at the Renaissance Center (where the conference is taking place). Wayne State is about 3.5 miles (30 min bus ride) away – please see this map http://bit.ly/F2Chousing .
 
Waye State Prices:
1 Night = $52 per person
2 Nights  = $82 per person
3 Nights = $112 per person
4 Nights = $142 per person
5 Nights = $172 per person
 
*If you are driving, you will need to pay for parking as well.
 
If you want to stay at Wayne State, please follow this link to a survey and pay online:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22AEV54VLRC

You must complete the survey and pay by April 23.
 
Hotel reservations at the Marriott should be made by as soon as possible. A special rate of $115/night for single or double rooms is available for conference attendees. Reserve online or call (800) 352-0831 and use the group code FAR.  http://bit.ly/bb3usH


--
Sarah Fillius
National Farm to Cafeteria Conference Planner
Food System Economic Partnership
Email:  filliuss@fsepmichigan.org
Phone:  (517) 708-7047

Websites:
www.farmtocafeteriaconference.org
www.fsepmichigan.org

 

 

From: Emily Becker [mailto:emily@foodsecurity.org]
Subject: Lunch Line and Grown in Detroit at Taking Root, May 18 at RenCen 4 Theater



http://www.farmtocafeteriaconference.org

Movie Night at Taking Root
Featuring Lunch Line and Grown in Detroit

Tuesday, May 18
Double feature with screenings at 6:30 pm & 8:30 pm followed by Q & A with filmmakers

As part of TAKING ROOT: 5TH NATIONAL FARM TO CAFETERIA CONFERENCE, the National Farm to School Network and Applegate Farms are proud to present two stellar films about Farm to Cafeteria issues during our double feature movie night.  Complimentary snacks and beverages will be provided by Applegate Farms.

Lunch Line reframes the school lunch debate through an examination of the program's surprising past, present, and possible future.
http://www.ujifilms.com/works/lunchline.html

Grown in Detroit Just imagine... Teen moms becoming urban farmers. Utopia? Not in Detroit. Nature is taking over the city and the new generation is taught to harvest its profit.
http://grownindetroit.filmmij.nl

Location: Ren Cen 4 Theatre - GM RenCen, Tower 200 Level 2, Detroit, MI 48243
Tickets: Sliding scale donation requested. Free for Taking Root conference participants.  

TAKING ROOT: 5TH NATIONAL FARM TO CAFETERIA CONFERENCE
Detroit, Michigan, May 17 - 19, 2010
http://www.farmtocafeteriaconference.org

About the Conference
Farm to Cafeteria programs are TAKING ROOT in schools, hospitals, colleges, day care centers, and other institutions. Come to Detroit and learn about successful models across the country and how you can start and scale up a program in your community.

Taking Root is hosted by the National Farm to School Network, a collaboration led by the Community Food Security Coalition and the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute, with local host Food System Economic Partnership.

Keep In Touch
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Portland-OR/Community-Food-Security-Coalition/91094526508
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/CFSCconference
Conference Email List: http://communityfoodconference.org/13/email-list

--
Emily Becker
Membership Coordinator & Conference Planner
Community Food Security Coalition
(503) 954 - 2970

3830 SE Division St
Portland, OR 97202
www.foodsecurity.org

TAKING ROOT, 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference, Detroit, MI,  May 17 - 19, 2010
Registration deadline: April 30
http://www.farmtocafeteriaconference.org

Food, Culture & Justice: The Gumbo That Unites Us All, 14th Annual CFSC Conference, New Orleans, LA,  October 17 - 19, 2010
Submit workshop and networking session proposals at
http://www.communityfoodconference.org/14e

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

March/April Farm to School News

Greetings all,

Here are the latest Farm to School news bites:

NEWS

New today! The USDA released a proposed rule on geographic preference for school food. If adopted, this option would allow schools and other institutions that operate Child Nutrition programs with federal funds to give preference to, or award extra points or credit for, unprocessed locally grown or raised products when evaluating bids and procuring food. You can read the proposed rule here, and learn more from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition here.

Bill on School Lunch Is Scaled Back. Criticism of School Lunch Isn’t - Although the President Obama’s proposed budget for Child Nutrition Programs has been cut, $4.5 billion more will go toward improving these programs, which includes school meals and snacks. In the proposed Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill, at least $40 million is available for farm-to-school programs and school gardens, $10 million will go toward pilot programs intended to add organic food, and additional funding will go to train cafeteria staff. However, this $4.5 billion increase for the proposed Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 will require budget offsets from other federal programs, which may include cuts to EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) and the Conservation Security Program (CSP), both environmental conservation programs for farmers, and SNAP-Ed (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Nutrition Education program). You can learn more from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and follow this link to find out more about FRAC’s (Food Research and Action Center) action items for Child Nutrition Reauthorization. 

Will work for food? Try Food Corps With support from the Kellogg Foundation and AmeriCorps, the National Farm to School Network hopes to establish a national Food Corps volunteer program to help schools develop and expand farm to school programs.

Farm-to-School Project Growing and Ripening Local farm-to-school efforts in White Lake and Muskegon County are expanding with the help of the food service directors, FFA programs, and other good food advocates.

Study uncovers benefits, challenges of farm-to-school Local produce can be more cost-effective than alternatives for school cafeterias, as well as better received by students, according to a new study from researchers at Michigan State University.

Fresh Crop of Michigan Farm-to-School Programs Michigan farmers are selling more fresh fruits and vegetables to school lunch programs, which link K-12 students to agriculture and provide access to good food choices while boosting the local economy.

RESOURCES 

The Center for Disease Control’s Obesity Prevention Program recently released a Guide to Fruit and Vegetable Strategies to Increase Access, Availability and Consumption. You can access the guide here.

EVENTS

Farm to School Meet & Greet – Livingston and Washtenaw Counties
April 21, 2010
3:30 – 5:00 PM
Hartland High School Cafeteria in Hartland, MI
See flyer attached for more information.

Saginaw Area Farm to School Planning Meeting – Saginaw, Bay, and Midland Counties

April 22, 2010 from 4-6 pm

Arrowwood Conference Center

5410 Seidel Rd. in Saginaw, MI

RSVP to Deb Neal, Nutrition Services Supervisor at Saginaw Township Community Schools, at dlneal@stcs.org or 989.793.9713.

Eat Healthy + Play Hard = Smart Students Conference  
April 28-30, 2010
Hyatt Regency in Dearborn, MI
http://www.smartstudentsconference.com/

School Food 101 Webinar: The Cost of School Lunch and Understanding USDA Foods

May 5, 2010

3-4:30 pm

Organized by the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at MSU

See email attached for details, and register at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PLD5LRJ.

Taking Root: 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference
May 17 - 19, 2010 
Renaissance Center in Detroit, MI
http://www.farmtocafeteriaconference.org

 

 

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

 

 

Monday, April 19, 2010

DAVE the DATE: School Food 101 Webinar, May 5, 2010

 

SFF Banner

Announcing:
School Food 101 Webinar


The Cost of School Lunch and Understanding USDA Foods

Date: May 5, 2010
Time: 3:00-4:30 PM ET
Organizer: CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University(MSU)


http://www.schoolfoodfocus.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/csmottlogo.jpg

REGISTER HERE:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PLD5LRJ

School food is a hot topic of late.  From the Child Nutrition Act reauthorization currently being debated in Congress, to First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" initiative on childhood obesity, to celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution" TV program taking aim at eating habits, the health of our children is front and center. Parents, local officials, community partners, and others want to know how to help improve our kids' meals -- and have basic questions about how the complex universe of school food really works:

  • Who makes the decisions about what our children eat?
  • What foods do school food service professionals have to work with, and why?
  • What national, state and local policies play a role?

School Food FOCUS is tackling these questions with  School Food 101, a series of briefs that will describe the operating realities of food service in the nation's largest school districts. The idea for this project emerged from FOCUS school food service professionals, who expressed the need for succinct and straightforward ways to talk about the complexities of their world with an increasingly interested and involved lay audience. These materials will explain school food for a wide spectrum of audiences, including parents, teachers, legislators, and members of the media.
 
The first two pieces, The Cost of School Lunch and Understanding USDA Foods, have been developed in collaboration with the CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at MSU.
 
We are launching this series with an introductory webinar about the purpose and plans for School Food 101, as well as the critical issues addressed in the first two briefs.

  • Laura Stanley, Special Projects Coordinator, School Food FOCUS, will introduce School Food 101;
  • Kymm Mutch, Administrator of School Nutrition Services at Milwaukee Public Schools, will talk about the real cost of school lunch; and
  • Cathie McCullough, Director of the Food Distribution Division of the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), will talk about USDA commodities as they relate to a range of school meal programs.

 

If you would like to attend, please register here by May 3, 2010.

 
---
 
School Food FOCUS is a national initiative that helps large school districts (with 40,000 or more students) procure more healthful, more sustainably produced and regionally sourced food, so that children may perform better in school and be healthier in life. www.schoolfoodfocus.org
 
The CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University works at a national level to support the development of healthy communities and sustainable, locally-integrated food systems by engaging communities in applied research and outreach. foodsystems.msu.edu

 

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Farm to School meetings in Livingston and Saginaw Counties this week!

Greetings farmers,

Two Farm to School meetings are scheduled for this week that I’d like to share. Join us to learn more about how you can take advantage of this growing market opportunity! And please help us spread the word!

 

 

FARM TO SCHOOL MEET & GREET

At this event, Michigan farmers can meet school food service directors from Livingston and Washtenaw Counties who are interested in purchasing local foods for school meals programs. Participating school food service directors will discuss products of interest, competitive bidding procedures, delivery, packaging, and payment arrangements, and much more!

 

Where: Hartland High School Cafeteria

                 10635 Dunham Rd.

                Hartland, MI 48353

 

When: Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

                3:30 – 5 pm

 

This event is free of charge. Refreshments will be provided.

Please RSVP to Colleen Matts at matts@msu.edu or 517.432.0310 by Tuesday, April 20th.

(Please see and share attached flyer.)

 

 

 

SAGINAW AREA FARM TO SCHOOL PLANNING MEETING

This meeting will follow up on a Farm to School Meet & Greet held in Saginaw last month to continue to plan for new Farm to School Programs in Saginaw, Bay, and Midland Counties. Whether or not you attended the first meeting, interested farmers and vendors from the area are encouraged to attend to continue to the conversation about incorporating fresh, local produce into school meals programs.

 

Where: Arrowwood Conference Center

                5410 Seidel Rd.

                Saginaw, MI 48638

 

When: Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

                4-6 pm

 

This meeting is free of charge.

Please RSVP to Deb Neal, Nutrition Services Supervisor at Saginaw Township Community Schools at dlneal@stcs.org or 989.793.9713.  

 

 

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

 

 

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Livingston Co Farm to School Meet & Greet - April 21st

 

Farm to School

Meet & Greet

 

Farm to School is growing in Michigan! At this event, Michigan farmers can meet school food  service directors from Livingston and Washtenaw counties who are interested in purchasing local foods for school meals programs. Take advantage of this growing market opportunity!

 

Join us for this Meet & Greet to get your questions answered.

Participating school food service directors will discuss:

                                                -products of interest to schools

                                                -competitive bidding procedures

                                                -delivery, packaging, and payment arrangements

                                                -and much more!

 

WHERE: Hartland High School Cafeteria

10635 Dunham Rd.

Hartland, MI 48353

WHEN: Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 from 3:30-5:00 pm

 

 

This event is free of charge. Refreshments will be provided.

Please RSVP to Colleen Matts at matts@msu.edu or 517-432-0310

by Monday, April 19th.

 

 

Logo_final_small
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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

 

 

Monday, April 12, 2010

USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan to keynote National Farm to Cafeteria Conference

Exciting news! Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture, is confirmed for the conference keynote on the morning of Wednesday, May 19th for the 2010 National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit. Only a few weeks remain to register for this exciting event! Register now until April 30th!

 

 

conf5-header.png



Taking Root: 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference
Detroit, MI,  May 17 - 19, 2010
http://www.farmtocafeteriaconference.org

Farm to Cafeteria programs are TAKING ROOT in schools, hospitals, colleges, day care centers, and other institutions.  Come to Detroit and learn about successful models across the country and how you can start and scale up a program in your community.

 

Lodging
CFSC has reserved a limited number of double rooms at a lower price than at the Marriott at the Renaissance Center (where the conference is taking place).  Wayne State is about 3.5 miles (30 min bus ride) away – please see this map http://bit.ly/F2Chousing

Waye State Prices:
1 Night = $52 per person
2 Nights  = $82 per person
3 Nights = $112 per person
4 Nights = $142 per person
5 Nights = $172 per person
 
*If you are driving, you will need to pay for parking as well.
 
If you want to stay at Wayne State, please follow this link to a survey and pay online:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22AEV54VLRC


You must complete the survey and pay by April 16.

 

Slideshow

Submit your entries for the Farm to Cafeteria 50x20 slide show The National Farm to School Network is putting together a slideshow to highlight the innovative Farm to Cafeteria projects around the country and provide conference attendees (you!) an opportunity to showcase your work in just 4 easy steps: 1) Upload a picture demonstrating your work; 2) write a caption in 200 characters or less encompassing the farm to cafeteria project. Provide information that you want to share nationally such as statistics about the program, who does it serve, where is it at etc.; 3) Provide your contact information; 4) Preview and Submit. That's it!

Go to:  http://farmtocafeteriaconference.org/slideshow/SlideShow.swf 

To upload your image and share information on your project!


Exhibit hall

Universities, non-profits, government agencies, and for-profit businesses are encouraged to feature themselves in our Exhibit Hall during the conference. Read more at: http://farmtocafeteriaconference.org/5/exhibitors/ . The table request deadline is April 23rd.

We look forward to seeing you at the conference!

--
Michaelle Rehmann
Farm to Food Service Program Director

Food System Economic Partnership
705 N Zeeb Road * PO BOX 8645
Ann Arbor, MI  48107
Phone:  517.490.6912
Fax:  734.222.3990
rehmannm@fsepmichigan.org
www.fsepmichigan.org

Friday, April 9, 2010

National Farm to School Network invited to the White House today!

FYI!

 

From: debraeschmeyer@gmail.com [mailto:debraeschmeyer@gmail.com] On Behalf Of Debra Eschmeyer
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2010 5:04 PM
Subject: NFSN invited to White House Tomorrow

 

Hi all,

 

The National Farm to School Network has been invited to the White House tomorrow (whoohoo!) to attend the first major meeting of the President's Childhood Obesity Taskforce, and I will be representing for the Network. Below is a draft of my comments including an intro brief, draft commentary that I will be posting on Huffington Post on Monday morning on the home page of their new Food section. Your feedback and comments are welcome and encouraged as always!

 

Thanks,

Deb

 

What we feed our children is finally on the front burner of mainstream media with Newsweek’s cover of Michelle Obama on a mission to curb childhood obesity and TIME’s cover of Jamie Oliver using the lunch room as a battlefield to start a food revolution.

What would you like to tell the President’s Task Force on Childhood Obesity? Build more playgrounds? Reform school lunch? Start a federal food policy council with cross-sector agencies such as Dept of Education and Agriculture at the same lunch table?

 

The Obama administration has continually opened doors for civil society participation in the discourse of creating a healthier generation. There was an opportunity for public comment until March 26, a kid-only Town Hall at the White House on Wednesday, and Friday, a childhood obesity meeting at the White House, with experts and practitioners from across the country. Mrs. Obama will also be hosting members of the President's Child Obesity Task Force and Senior Administration officials including Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag, Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan. Joining the ranks of the 75 students who are Michelle Obama’s most critical stakeholders in her Let’s Move! campaign, I will be taking advantage of the open door into the White House with the below comments:

 

WHITE HOUSE TASKFORCE BRIEF

As advocates aiming to improve child nutrition by encouraging a more direct connection between local farms and federal nutrition programs, the National Farm to School Network was invited to a convening at the White House on Friday, April 9th to discuss avenues to address childhood obesity. As stated in the invite:

 

The convening will be an opportunity for the President’s Task Force on Childhood Obesity to hear from experts and practitioners about the extent and causes of childhood obesity in this country and to gather input for its action plan to solve the problem within a generation, which is due to the President in May. 

 

The gathering will focus on the four objectives laid out in the Presidential Memorandum creating the Task Force (link):

 

(a) Ensuring access to healthy, affordable food;

(b) Increasing physical activity in schools and communities;

(c) Providing healthier food in schools; and

(d) Empowering parents with information and tools to make good choices for themselves and their families.

 

Farm to School programs have the ability to positively impact all of the above, which is why the Centers for Disease Control has singled out Farm to School as part of a community-based solution to the obesity epidemic. Schools are uniquely positioned to reinforce both the healthy eating and physical activity behaviors that vulnerable children need to improve their health in the short and long term as lifelong healthy eating habits are developed.

 

The populations we are serving are school children, grades K-12, who participate in the federally regulated school meal programs. Considering the National School Lunch Program has served 219 billion lunches since its inception, improving the school feeding system can play an important role in turning around our nation’s burgeoning obesity epidemic.

 

Consider the following:

 

Þ      Obesity rates among children have doubled in the last 10 years and tripled for adolescents.

Þ      27 percent of U.S. children are overweight.

Þ      1 in 3 children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes—make that 1 in 2 if the child is black or Hispanic.

Þ      For the first time in 200 years, today’s children are likely to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.

 

Thus, Farm to School addresses all of the above by:

 

(a) Ensuring access to healthy, affordable food

An estimated 31 million children eat school food five days a week, 180 days a year, of which 19 million are families with income levels 185% or below the federal poverty line. Among schools with a higher percentage of low-income students, fresh fruits and raw vegetables are served significantly less often as part of National School Lunch Program meals, as reported by Finkelstein, Hill, and Whitaker in “School Food Environments and Policies in US Public Schools.” For some low-income children in food insecure communities who depend on school food for more than half of their daily calories, every calorie counts, and it is imperative that the calories served are healthy ones. Improving the quality of school meals, and making them accessible to all children, is at the core of the Farm to School approach.

 

(b) Increasing physical activity in schools and communities

Farm to School programs deliver food that not only nourishes children’s bodies immediately, but also provides knowledge that enhances their educational experience and cultivates long-term healthy eating habits, and incorporates outdoor activities through school gardens and farm tours. The simple tool of a schoolyard garden positively addresses six of the eight contributing factors to obesity identified by the CDC. Gardens that engage children provide fresh food choices, encourage physical activity, reduce sedentary behavior, and lead to healthier environments at home, at school, and in the community. 

 

(c) Providing healthier food in schools

Data from existing farm to school programs has shown that in the most vulnerable communities and schools, offering local, healthy products in cafeterias can increase student consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables by more than one serving per day.  Programs have also been shown to reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods and sodas. In addition, schools participating in Farm to School programs demonstrate an increase in school meal participation rates in the range of 3% to 16%.

 

(d) Empowering parents with information and tools to make good choices for themselves and their families.

At the family or community level, participation of a school in a Farm to School program can lead to an increased interest and ability among parents in incorporating healthier foods into family diets and guiding children to make healthier choices. Existing programs have been shown to facilitate gains in knowledge and awareness about gardening, agriculture, healthy eating, local foods and seasonality, and as a result bringing about interest in trying out new foods and healthier food options.  With the school as a core for enabling positive changes in the community, farm to school programs also benefit farmers, educators, parents, communities, and the environment.

 

Unlike other nutrition programs, a unique characteristic of farm to school programs is that they benefit not only children, but also our nation’s family farmers and local economies. There is encouraging news when one considers the role farm to school plays in stimulating local economies. An Oregon pilot farm to school program in Portland and Gervais school districts provided an additional seven cents per meal for schools to purchase local agricultural products.  A preliminary analysis by Ecotrust indicated that the $66,000 provided to schools resulted in $225,000 in local purchases, and that for every dollar the schools spent, an additional 87 cents was spent in Oregon.

 

In sum, we can move closer to a healthier generation by moving closer to what is on our children’s trays through programs such as Farm to School. USDA Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack emphasized the significance of support for Farm to School programs in the Child Nutrition Reauthorization, which the USDA has put a backbone to with a six person Farm to School Team working to link local farms to schools. The National Farm to School Network aims to enable every child to have access to nutritious food while simultaneously benefiting communities and local farmers. It’s a win-win solution just like Let’s Move.

 

Thanks,

Deb



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Debra Eschmeyer

IATP and Kellogg Food & Society Fellow
Outreach and Communications Director, National Farm to School Network
Center for Food & Justice, Urban & Environmental Policy Institute, Occidental College

t: 202.450.6074 c: 419.905.8612
deschmeyer@oxy.edu
www.farmtoschool.org

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/FarmtoSchool


TAKING ROOT: 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference, May 17-19, Detroit, MI: www.farmtocafeteriaconference.org/