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Saturday, December 15, 2012

Fw: Release: State Food Safety Officials Issue Consumer Advisory for Salsa Produced by Unlicensed Processor

FYI
 
From: Holton, Jennifer (MDA)
Sent: Friday, December 14, 2012 09:56 PM
To: apmichigan@ap.org <apmichigan@ap.org>
Subject: Release: State Food Safety Officials Issue Consumer Advisory for Salsa Produced by Unlicensed Processor
 

December 14, 2012


State Food Safety Officials Issue Consumer Advisory for Salsas Produced by Unlicensed Processor

 

Lansing, MI – The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD)today issued a consumer warning regarding salsas produced in an unlicensed facility byGarner Gourmet Food Group of Flint under the "Courtney's Gourmet" label.  These salsas in glass jars were sold via various school and other organizational fundraisers and online through the company's website.

 

This product advisory involves all batches and sizes of glass jars of Courtney's Gourmet salsasincluding:

 

Fruit Salsas:

Raspberry (mild)

Strawberry (mild)

Fiery Roasted Habanero and Pineapple (mild)

Angry Roasted Habanero and Pineapple Tropical Mango (mild)

Cherry Mild

 

Specialty Salsas:

Roasted Garlic and Olive (medium)

Chunky Garden Fresh Cilantro (mild)

Chunky Garden Fresh Cilantro (hot)

Black Bean and Corn (mild)

Angry Black Bean and Corn

Zesty Raspberry BBQ Chipotle (seasonal)

Smokin' Hot Chipotle

 

Original Red Salsas:

Medium

Flaming Hot

Blazin' Extra Hot

 

Verdes Salsas:

Fiery Salsa Verdes

Salsa Verde XXX Hot (supernova)

During an inspection of a school by local health department staff, concern over the safety of the product was identified and reported to MDARD.  MDARD and the local health department are continuing to investigate and seizing product as it is found.

Selling processed foods from an unlicensed facility is in violation of the Michigan Food Law.  The unlicensed product was discovered as a result of a complaint received by the department.Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

 

Bottled or canned salsas, if not properly processed, can result in contamination of the product with Clostridium botulinum.  Botulism is a serious, potentially fatal illness caused by eating food contaminated with botulinum toxin. Although cases are rare, botulism attacks the nervous system, and in its severe forms, can cause respiratory failure. Symptoms include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. Symptoms usually begin 18-36 hours after eating contaminated food, but they can occur as early as six hours or as late as 10 days.

 

No reports of illness as a result of consuming these products have been reported at this time.  Anyone concerned about an injury from consumption of the products should contact a physician.

Consumers should return the product to the place of purchase or dispose of it in a sealed container in the trash so that people and animals, including wild animals, can't get to it.


If you have questions about the consumer advisory, please contact MDARD at 800-292-3939.

 

# # #

 

MEDIA CALLS ONLY: Jennifer Holton, MDARD Communications Director, 517-241-2485

Sent from my iPad


Sent from my iPad

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

FW: USDA Farm to School E-letter - December 11, 2012

Hi all,

I'm passing along the latest USDA Farm to School E-letter, which includes details on two webinars offered this week that may be of interest. For those of you who applied for or are interested in applying for USDA Farm to School Grants, a webinar on "Trends in Successful USDA Farm to School Grant Applications" will be held today at 1 pm Eastern. Another webinar will be offered on Thursday, December 13th focusing on school gardens. See details below!

 

Thanks,

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist

Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd | Rm 303 Natural Resources Building | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517.432.0310

www.foodsystems.msu.edu | www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

From: USDA Food and Nutrition Service [mailto:usda.fns@service.govdelivery.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 10:01 AM
To: Matts, Colleen
Subject: USDA Farm to School E-letter - December 11, 2012

 

USDA Farm to School E-letter
December 11, 2012 | Volume 1, Issue 14

USDA NEWS & UPDATES

Communities Warm Up to Winter Markets
This year, the National Farmers Market Directory saw a 52 percent spike in winter listings. On December 6, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said, "Each winter farmers market offers additional opportunities for farmers to generate income year round. These investments are a win-win. Farmers have more stability, and consumers have a reliable supply of local food, regardless of the season."

Cost effective options, such as hoop houses and eco-friendly greenhouse energy use, have helped many small and mid-sized farmers expand their growing season while keeping overhead costs down. Many local markets also launch targeted marketing campaigns to raise community awareness of the extended farmers' market season and product offerings. A recent USDA Blog post, highlights a few producers who have increased their growing capacity with USDA grants for season extension technologies.

Farmers' markets offer a great way to meet producers in your community and learn what products are available in the winter season. If you are a school food service director or teacher, visiting a local market may spur ideas for your harvest of the month program or provide a networking opportunity that leads to a future farm field trip for students at your school. As outlined in the recently published Geographic Preference Q&As – Part II, school food authorities may also use farmers' markets to obtain price quotes when using the informal procurement method. Click here to check out the National Farmers Market Directory's searchable database of over 7,800 markets!

WEBINARS AND TRAININGS

Trends in Successful USDA Farm to School Grant Applications ~ December 11
During the first round of the USDA Farm to School Grant Program, hundreds of applicants across the country competed for a limited amount of funding. The overwhelming interest in this inaugural program excited us, and we are already looking forward to next year's applications. To aid applicants in increasing the competitiveness of future submissions, we will be hosting a webinar today, December 11, at 1:00 pm EST to summarize trends observed in successful USDA Farm to School Grant applications. It is not necessary to RSVP for this event; simply use the dial-in instructions and live link below. For questions about the webinar, contact Laura Brown.

Live link to the webinar: https://www306.livemeeting.com/cc/usda/join?id=7DHD2D&role=attend
Meeting ID: 7DHD2D
Conference line: 888-790-1895
Passcode: 2750176

Best Practices in Starting and Sustaining a School Garden ~ December 13
Garden-based learning offers a host of benefits, from increasing children's willingness to eat fresh vegetables, to improving their attention spans. On December 13 at 12:00 pm EST, join USDA's People's Garden initiative for a webinar about  how to incorporate gardens into schools, make garden projects successful and sustainable, and encourage participation from others in your community. Click here to register.

BITS FROM BLOGS

New Jersey School Gardens Offer More than Just Produce
New Jersey Farm to School Network and Edible Jersey Magazine recently awarded their inaugural School Garden of the Year Award to three projects for innovative efforts to connect their school gardens to the cafeteria, curriculum, and community. How fitting that schools in the Garden State are host to a number of exemplary school gardens!

The garden co-cultivated by William H. Ross Elementary School and Eugene A. Tighe Middle School in Margate City, NJ came in first place. The schools' Garden Gourmet tasting program allows students to sample the fresh fruits and vegetables harvested from the garden—and the garden opportunities don't end at lunch! At Ross Elementary, students digitally photograph vegetable beds and write multiplication and division word problems based on the garden layout. These math word problems are then solved by fourth grade students. More >

Stay up-to-date on all the latest USDA news and stories on the USDA Blog!


This email was sent to matts@msu.edu using GovDelivery, on behalf of: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · 3101 Park Center Drive · Alexandria, VA 22302 · 800-439-1420

Friday, November 30, 2012

FoodCorps Michigan

Hi all,

FoodCorps Michigan will be sending out newsletters and information about important events and application deadlines to interested individuals. If you would like to receive these communications, please reply to this e-mail and I will put you on the list. Your inbox will not be inundated with FoodCorps happenings, I promise.

Attached is a pamphlet with information about the program if you haven't heard of us before. Please send this along to anyone who might be interested.

Thanks!

--
Robyn Wardell
FoodCorps Fellow, Michigan
 
 
  

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

School Composting in Michigan: Your Input Needed!

Hi everyone,

I am working on a project to promote school composting in Michigan. I'm putting together a resource to help schools get their own composting programs started. If you are involved in a school composting project or knowledgeable about institutional composting resources I would love to hear your input about best practices so that we can make composting an accessible option for more schools around the state.

Please fill out this quick survey to help me get started. Thank you!


--
Robyn Wardell
FoodCorps Fellow, Michigan
Office: (810) 244-8527
Cell: (248) 508-7593
 
 
  

Monday, November 26, 2012

Re: F2S + New Meal Pattern

Sincere apologies for this second email. Note that the proper email address for both rsvp’ing and sending feedback for the webinar on Thursday is:

 

Laura.Brown@fns.usda.gov  

 

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist

Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd | Rm 303 Natural Resources Building | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517.432.0310

www.foodsystems.msu.edu | www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

From: Matts, Colleen
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2012 1:31 PM
To: mifarmtoschool@list.msu.edu
Subject: FW: F2S + New Meal Pattern

 

Greetings,

I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable Thanksgiving!

 

Please see info below, including contact info to RSVP, about a USDA Farm to School webinar on the new school meal pattern this Thursday, November 29th.

 

Best,

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist

Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd | Rm 303 Natural Resources Building | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517.432.0310

www.foodsystems.msu.edu | www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

From: Kane, Deborah - FNS [mailto:Deborah.Kane@fns.usda.gov]
Sent: Monday, November 05, 2012 1:55 PM
To: Kane, Deborah - FNS
Cc: Brown, Laura - FNS
Subject: F2S + New Meal Pattern

 

I wanted to let you know about an upcoming webinar and ask for your help in making sure it is a productive one.

 

What: F2S + New Meal Pattern

When: Thursday, November 29th, 1:00 EST

RSVP for dial in instructions to: Laura Brown via Laura.Brown@fns.usda.gov.

 

Now that schools are back in session and working their way through new meal pattern implementation, USDA would like to host a webinar to focus on inclusion of local and regional products in the new meal pattern. Early feedback from the field suggests there is a broad continuum regarding how school districts are responding to the new regulations. As it relates to adoption of “farm to school” approaches, some schools see plenty of opportunity to buy local and others feel more constrained with regard to options for buying local. In addition to USDA Farm to School personnel, FNS Child Nutrition Program staff will also be on hand to answer any questions you might have about the new meal pattern in general and local and regional products in specific.

 

Here’s how you can help make sure it is a productive webinar: Please send any questions and/or feedback in advance so that we can prepare the proper resources and recruit the proper experts. What are you hearing in your communities or from your constituents? We’d like to hear about both positive and negative perspectives, as well as specific questions people have.

 

Please direct all questions and feedback to Laura Brown via email at Laura.Brown@fns.usda.gov.

 

Thanks so much. Looking forward to speaking with many of you on the 29th.   

 

 

Deborah J. Kane

National Director, USDA Farm to School Program

(c) 503.260.1717

 

 

 

 





This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.

FW: F2S + New Meal Pattern

Greetings,

I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable Thanksgiving!

 

Please see info below, including contact info to RSVP, about a USDA Farm to School webinar on the new school meal pattern this Thursday, November 29th.

 

Best,

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist

Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd | Rm 303 Natural Resources Building | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517.432.0310

www.foodsystems.msu.edu | www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

From: Kane, Deborah - FNS [mailto:Deborah.Kane@fns.usda.gov]
Sent: Monday, November 05, 2012 1:55 PM
To: Kane, Deborah - FNS
Cc: Brown, Laura - FNS
Subject: F2S + New Meal Pattern

 

I wanted to let you know about an upcoming webinar and ask for your help in making sure it is a productive one.

 

What: F2S + New Meal Pattern

When: Thursday, November 29th, 1:00 EST

RSVP for dial in instructions to: Laura Brown via lbrown@fns.usda.gov

 

Now that schools are back in session and working their way through new meal pattern implementation, USDA would like to host a webinar to focus on inclusion of local and regional products in the new meal pattern. Early feedback from the field suggests there is a broad continuum regarding how school districts are responding to the new regulations. As it relates to adoption of “farm to school” approaches, some schools see plenty of opportunity to buy local and others feel more constrained with regard to options for buying local. In addition to USDA Farm to School personnel, FNS Child Nutrition Program staff will also be on hand to answer any questions you might have about the new meal pattern in general and local and regional products in specific.

 

Here’s how you can help make sure it is a productive webinar: Please send any questions and/or feedback in advance so that we can prepare the proper resources and recruit the proper experts. What are you hearing in your communities or from your constituents? We’d like to hear about both positive and negative perspectives, as well as specific questions people have.

 

Please direct all questions and feedback to Laura Brown via email at lbrown@fns.usda.gov.

 

Thanks so much. Looking forward to speaking with many of you on the 29th.   

 

 

Deborah J. Kane

National Director, USDA Farm to School Program

(c) 503.260.1717

 

 

 

 





This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

FW: USDA Awards First Grants to Increase Local Foods in Eligible Schools

Hi all,

Please see the USDA press release below announcing the first USDA Farm to School Grants. Congrats to the Michigan Land Use Institute and the Waterford School District for their awards in this competitive, national grant opportunity!

And thanks to all of those who submitted proposals and represented Michigan well! This funding opportunity will be available again next year, and I’ll be sure to send along more information as it becomes available.

 

Best,

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist

Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd | Rm 303 Natural Resources Building | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517.432.0310

www.foodsystems.msu.edu | www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: USDA Office of Communications <usda@public.govdelivery.com>
Date: Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Subject: USDA Awards First Grants to Increase Local Foods in Eligible Schools


Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

You are subscribed to USDA Office of Communications.

 

Release No. 0343.12

Contact:

Office of Communications (202)720-4623

 

USDA Awards First Grants to Increase Local Foods in Eligible Schools
68 Projects Support Nearly 2 Million Students

 

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2012 – Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced more than $4.5 million in grants for 68 projects, spanning 37 states and the District of Columbia, to connect school cafeterias with local agricultural producers.

"When schools buy food from nearby producers, their purchasing power helps create local jobs and economic benefits, particularly in rural agricultural communities," Merrigan said. "Evidence also suggests that when kids understand more about where food comes from and how it is produced, they are more likely to make healthy eating choices."

The first-ever USDA Farm to School grants will help schools respond to the growing demand for locally sourced foods and increase market opportunities for producers and food businesses, including food processors, manufacturers, distributors. Grants will also be used to support agriculture and nutrition education efforts such as school gardens, field trips to local farms, and cooking classes.

The grants will serve more than 3,200 schools and 1.75 million students, nearly half of whom live in rural communities. Projects are diverse. Some award recipients, such as the Lawrence County District in Walnut Ridge, Ark., are using grant funds to coordinate efforts with other school districts to aggregate buying power and attract new producers to the school food service market.

Other funded projects, such as Weld County School District 6 in Greeley, Colo., will expand kitchen facilities to serve local products year-round through processing and freezing techniques. Also, Des Moines Municipal Schools in New Mexico will receive grant funding to increase the types of products it buys from local vendors. Local cattle farmers already supply the school district with 100 percent locally produced beef; USDA grant funds will be used to develop relationships with local fruit and vegetable producers to serve a full meal using locally sourced products.

This year's funding also includes:

  • Twenty-five programs that create jobs by hiring new farm to school coordinators, with 43 projects supporting and maintaining existing staff. In New Haven, Conn., CitySeed, Inc. will hire a procurement specialist to help New Haven School Food Programs increase the amount of regionally grown produce in the meals of more than 20,900 urban public school students. (Nearly 80 percent of them qualify for free or reduced-cost lunch).
  • Thirty-one programs that use food hubs, or partner with mainline distributors. In California, the Community Alliance of Family Farmers will work with a local distributor to create a new line of local produce, making it easier for schools to source products through current distribution channels.
  • Forty-four projects that will result in development of new products and menu items. For example, the Lake County Community Development Corporation, in Ronan, Mont., will coordinate with regional lentil farmers to procure protein and fiber rich lentil patties.
  • An estimated 47 projects will develop new partnerships by working with and educating farmers and ranchers new to the school food market. For example, the Washington State Department of Agriculture will conduct regional "mobile tours" in which agricultural producers and school food service directors tour the state together, learning about agricultural specialties, identifying opportunities for partnership, and solidifying regional networks.
  • Three projects support American Indian communities, including the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Cloquet, Minn. The reservation will implement a program to improve access to local and traditional foods to increase local economic benefits for producers as well as promote a healthy diet among their youth.
  • More than 50 projects support hands-on learning activities, such as field trips to farms and creation of school gardens. The Southwest Georgia Project for Community Education, Inc. will coordinate tours of nearby farms for its 35 school partners, serving nearly 21,000 students.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) amended Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) to establish a Farm to School program in order to assist eligible entities, through grants and technical assistance, in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools. Farm to School grants are administered by USDA's Food and Nutrition Service. The full list of awards granted for fiscal year 2013 is available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/F2S/pdf/F2S_Grants-FY2013.pdf.

Farm to School is one component of USDA's Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, launched in 2009 to coordinate the Department's work on local and regional food systems and create new opportunities for farmers, ranchers, consumers and rural communities. An interactive view of USDA programs that support local and regional foods, including farm to school and farm to institution, is available in the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass. The KYF Compass consists of an interactive map of USDA-supported local and regional food projects and an accompanying guide to our programs and results on the ground. In October, the map was expanded and now includes projects from nine other federal agencies.

#

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay).


#

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If you have questions about USDA activities, please visit our Ask the Expert page. This feature is designed to assist you in obtaining the information you are seeking.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).



 

Thursday, November 8, 2012

FoodCorps is Serving it Up in Michigan!

Through the hands and minds of young leaders, FoodCorps strives to give all youth an enduring relationship to healthy food. We are a national nonprofit that seeks to address the childhood obesity epidemic through nutrition education, farm to school programs, and school gardens. The Center for Regional Food Systems at MSU and its local partners currently host 6 service members in Flint, Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Traverse City.


If you are interested in learning about the program, what we have been up to in the state and what we hope to accomplish in our second year running, please take a look at our quarterly newsletter or Like us on Facebook!


--
Robyn Wardell
FoodCorps Fellow, Michigan
 
 
  

Monday, October 29, 2012

Michigan Farm to School News - Farm to School Month edition!

NEWS

 

October is Farm to School Month!

As October comes to a close, remember that Farm to School Month resources and activities are still available through the National Farm to School Network! Find links for various resources below.

·       The first step is to sign your organization up as an official Farm to School Month Partner. To sign up as a partner and be listed at farmtoschoolmonth.org or to get more information please e-mail mailto:chelsey@farmtoschool.org

·       Check out the stickers, posters, communications tools and more available in the resources sections and shops

·       Your organization can add Farm to School Month events to the online events calendar.

·       Schools and programs can sign up for Farm to School Counts!

·       Farm to School Month Fact Sheets and a communications toolkit are available to help with your efforts!

USDA Releases Additional Guidance on Purchasing Local Products for the School Cafeteria
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) issued two new memos with implications for local and regional buying in school meal programs:

·         A new memo on the Federal Small Purchase Threshold Adjustment announces that the small purchase threshold has been raised from $100,000 to $150,000. The increased threshold may help school food authorities (SFAs) use relatively simple and informal methods of procurement more often.

·         The Geographic Preference Option, authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill, allows school food authorities to apply preference to local or regionally sourced unprocessed products. The new Geographic Preference Q&As Part II provides additional guidance on how to use the geographic preference option. This new memo provides a list of the types of products to which a geographic preference can be applied, along with information about how to define local in general, as well as specific information about milk, meat and seafood. In addition, this new memo also provides helpful information about supporting small farmers, forward contracting, and CSA model contracts. Finally, the memo clarifies the relationship between federal and state rules and regulations regarding local purchases for school meal programs.

School Food Purchase Study-III Reports Available

Earlier this year, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service released its third comprehensive School Food Purchase Study (2009-2010) which outlines the type, quantity, dollar value and unit of price of school food purchases. This dense report, which also includes some information about farm to school and local food purchasing, can be found here and a summary report can be accessed here. More recently, the USDA FNS released the Nutritional Characteristics of School Food Acquisitions portion of the School Food Purchase Study-III. Find the full report here and the summary here.

 

Pew Center and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Impact Assessment

This research concludes that updating national nutrition standards for snack foods and beverages sold in schools could help students maintain a healthy weight and increase food service revenue. Click here to read more.

 

MSU Center for Regional Food Systems (CRFS) releases Farm Succession Study

The Michigan Farm Succession Study: Findings and Implications, produced by Steven Miller with the Center for Economic Analysis at MSU, and Susan Cocciarelli of MSU CRFS. The first of its kind in Michigan, this report details findings about Michigan farm operations and farmers' retirement and succession plans.  With over 750 Michigan farmers responding to the 2011 survey, the report provides information useful to those working to maintain farming livelihoods and Michigan's prominent role in the country's food production. It also confirms a sense of urgency to answering the question of who will farm in Michigan in the coming years.

 

MSU survey finds farm to school participation has greatly increased

The MSU Center for Regional Food Systems, formerly the CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems, conducted a survey of school food service directors in 2009 that showed that participation in farm to school nearly tripled since 2009. Additionally, the majority of schools/districts (77%) had taken at least 1 step to connect students with local food. Budget and cost issues ranked higher as barriers than in 2004, but the desire of food service directors to help Michigan farms had also substantially increased. See a summary of the 2009 survey and a journal article describing results here - http://www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu/index.php?id=48 (see links in the first paragraph).

 

Farm to School episode of ELFCO TV available on YouTube

Videographer David Johnson  produced a farm to school episode for the East Lansing Food Coop (ELFCO) TV program. It's divided into three parts, and you'll find all of them here - http://www.youtube.com/user/ELFoodCoop.

 

Spotlight on Michigan FoodCorps in Cooking Light Magazine

An article titled "The Young Step Up" focuses on Robyn Wardell, a Michigan FoodCorps service member in Flint last year and a FoodCorps Fellow serving Michigan this year. In August, FoodCorps launched its second program year with 80 members in twelve states (with Montana and Connecticut newly added) and 12 FoodCorps Fellows. This year, Michigan FoodCorps members are providing farm to school, school garden and nutrition education service through six service sites: the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, the Michigan Land Use Institute, the Food System Economic Partnership, the Crim Fitness Foundation, the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network and the Center for School Health at Wayne State University.

 

10 Cents a Meal Aims to Bring Local Food to School Cafeterias

In this article, Diane Conners of MLUI explains the 10 Cents a Meal for School Kids & Farms pilot project in the Grand Traverse Region that "puts into action a recommendation for extra spending power in tight school budgets to help Michigan's economy while putting healthy food on kids' plates."

 

 

RESOURCES

 

Team Nutrition Releases "Recipes for Healthy Kids Cookbook for Schools"

USDA Team Nutrition in partnership with First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative, the American Culinary Federation, and the School Nutrition Association published thirty kid-approved recipes from the Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge. The top recipes in each category have been standardized in cookbooks for homes, child care centers, and schools, all featuring nutritious recipes designed to increase students' intake of whole grains, dark green and orange vegetables, and dry beans and peas.

 

New Produce Safety Resources Available

The USDA and National Food Service Management Institute have made new resources available through Produce Safety University. New training slides, talking points, fact sheets and videos have all been posted to www.nfsmi.org/producesafety!

The lessons address topics including School Gardens, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), Preparation, Handling and Service, Produce Quality and Condition, Purchasing, and Receiving and Storage. The new video series, titled What Went Right?, demonstrates correct produce handling in scenes that mirror What Went Wrong? videos.

 

Updated NFSN Factsheets Now Available Online

Newly updated National Farm To School Network (NFSN) factsheets, first introduced at the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference, are now available at farmtoschool.org. The available fact sheets include:

·       Farm to School Fundraising: http://www.farmtoschool.org/files/publications_470.pdf

·       Starting and Maintaining a School Garden: http://www.farmtoschool.org/files/publications_471.pdf

·       Farm to School in Preschool:  http://www.farmtoschool.org/files/publications_474.pdf

 

Farm to School Policy Brief

The Community Food Security Coalition, in partnership with the National Farm to School Network, released a new policy brief on Farm to School. The new brief is entitled Strengthening Farm to School Programs: a policy brief for state and local legislators.

 

USDA Announced a 2.0 version of the Know Your Farmer Know Your Food Compass

This summer the USDA unveiled an updated version of this digital resource that illustrates the USDA's involvement and investment in local and regional food. Check out the KYF Compass here. Also remember that the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) has another useful online resource called the Food Environment Atlas, which details food prices, store/restaurant locations, food and nutrition assistance programs, and other community characteristics that impact the food environment. You can find the Food Environment Atlas here.

 

 

OPPORTUNITIES

 

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program is calling for applications. "Community Food Projects should be designed to (1): (A) meet the food needs of low-income people; (B) increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for their own food needs; and (C) promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm, and nutrition issues; and/or (2) meet specific state, local, or neighborhood food and agriculture needs for (A) infrastructure improvement and development; (B) planning for long-term solutions; or (C) the creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers." The deadline to apply is November 28, 2012.

 

The Whole Kids Foundation will grant 1000 schools $2000 each to build or expand their school garden. The application deadline is October 31st.

NGA 2013 Youth Garden Grant Award

The National Gardening Association awards Youth Garden Grants to schools and community organizations with child-centered garden programs. Priority will be given to programs that emphasize one or more of these elements: integration of content standards, nutrition connections, environmental awareness, entrepreneurship, and social aspects of gardening such as leadership development, team building, community support, or service-learning.  Schools, youth groups, community centers, camps, clubs, treatment facilities, and inter-generational groups throughout the United States are eligible. Applications must be submitted by December 3, 2012. 

 

Annie's Grants for Gardens

Annie's offers grants to school gardens that connect children directly to real food. These funds can be used to buy gardening tools, seeds or other needed supplies. Deadline for applications is December 15, 2012. 

 

Nickelodeon Big Help Grant Program

The Big Help Grant Program will support projects that inspire kids to (1) take care of the environment; (2) lead active, healthy lives; (3) engage in community service; or (4) improve their educational experience. Through 2012, eligible schools and community-based organizations can apply for one of two funding opportunities: a) $2,500 grant; b) $5,000 matching grant. To request $5,000, an applicant must provide a dollar-to-dollar match ($10,000+ total project budget). Application deadline is December 31, 2012. 

 

End Childhood Obesity Innovation Challenge

Partnership for a Healthier America has launched the End Childhood Obesity Innovation Challenge. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to submit creative ideas to address the childhood obesity epidemic. The winner will be awarded $10,000 to get the idea off the ground, along with 50 hours of consultation from EdelmanFortune MagazineMcKinsey & Company, and Start-Up Health

 

Earth Day Network Healthy and Sustainable School Food Journalism Awards

The Healthy and Sustainable School Food Journalism Competition is designed to bring the hard facts about school food to entire school communities – in the students' own words. This competition for student journalists (U.S. high school students ages 13 to 18) will be judged by best-selling author and food activist Michael Pollan. Articles submitted for consideration must be about the need for healthy, sustainable school food and must have been published in a school newspaper. First prize: $1,500, Second prize: $1,000, Third prize $500, Fourth Prize (x3): $300… Plus, $200 for their journalism class and the opportunity to have your work publicized on the Earth Day Network websites and through our extensive networks. 

 

 

EVENTS

 

Making It In Michigan: MSU Product Center's Conference and Specialty Food Show

November 1, 2012

Lansing Center, Lansing

 

Farm to Preschool Webinar

November 13th, 1 PM EST

Mark your calendars and register here! Come learn about the National Farm to School Network's exciting Farm to Preschool initiative (all early childcare settings included).

 

FRAC Child Nutrition Program Conference Calls

·         Summer Meals Matter - Last Summer's Lessons & Strategies for the Upcoming Summer

Thursday, November 1, at 1:00 pm EST

·         Breakfast Matters - Grants for Breakfast in the Classroom

Thursday, November 8 at 3 pm EST

·         Afterschool Meals Matter - Simplify Paperwork and Administrative Requirements

Wednesday, November 28, at 1:00 pm EST

 

Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo

December 4-6, 2012

DeVos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids

 

 

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist

Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd | Rm 303 Natural Resources Building | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517.432.0310

www.foodsystems.msu.edu | www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu