MI Farm to School News

Happy Friday!

Hope everyone is enjoying those April showers as we are in mid Michigan! Lots of great opportunities coming up, including the MI Farm to School Grant Program and the School Nutrition Programs Annual Conference in June. Be sure to jump on them!

Opportunities

• MI Farm to School Grant Program – Deadline May 11
  • There are two weeks left to apply for the 2016-2017 grant year! View the informational webinar for more information.
• Institutional & Wholesale Markets: A Northeast Lower Michigan Workshop for Farmers – Monday May 9 1-3 pm, Hillman, MI
  • This free workshop will cover the basics of selling farm products to schools and other institutions and how to make it a profitable component of your market mix. Please register here.
• SNP Annual June Conference – Registration Now Open! - June 20-22, 2016, Lansing, MI
  • This year's theme is "Vote YES for Child Nutrition Programs!" There's lots of great Farm to School sessions on the agenda. For more details including a link to register, please see the Registration Memo.
• Register today! National Farm to Cafeteria Conference – June 2-4, Madison WI
  • There's still time to be a part of the only national gathering of farm to institution stakeholders from across the country! Registration closes May 16.

Resources

• MI Farm to School Webinars
  • Don't miss the Farm to Summer webinar coming up Tuesday May 3 from 2 – 3 pm to learn the benefits of using local in summer food service programs. Register here.
  • If you missed our previous webinar on Forward Contract, you can access the recording here.
• USDA offers new resource to help food hubs improve financial performance – USDA
  • The new report, Running a Food Hub: Assessing Financial Viability, provides modules and best practices for food hubs to maximize profits and control costs

News

• Survey Results: Farm to school in early care and education (ECE) builds healthy kids with bright futures – National Farm to School Network
  • Results from the 2015 National Farm to ECE survey.
• Farm storage loans expanded to help farmers reach local food markets – NSAC Blog
  • USDA's Farm Service Agency announced a Farm Storage Facility Loan program that can help farmers better access institutional markets.
• Double Up Food Bucks expands in Flint – Fair Food Network
  • Fair Food Network is expanding Double Up Food Bucks, which doubles SNAP recipients' purchasing power for local fruits and vegetables, in Flint.
• Report: One in ten Michigan children has a parent behind bars – Public News Service
  • Highlights the support structures necessary to ensure children with incarcerated parents have a chance to thrive.
• The Michigan FoodCorps program partners with Michigan Team Nutrition – Michigan State University Extension
  • A unique statewide partnership adds financial capacity to support school garden programs.
• Evan Smith: Local food – today and tomorrow – Traverse City Record Eagle
  • Highlights the increased demand for local foods in Michigan and Michigan food hub development.

Have a great weekend!

Abby Harper

Farm to School Specialist

MSU Center for Regional Food Systems

480 Wilson Rd Rm 309 | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517-432-4525 (f) 517-353-3834

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