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Thursday, May 19, 2016

New report - The MI Farm to School Grant Program: The First Three Years


Farm to school is considered a win-win-win for kids, farmers, and communities. The story of the MI Farm to School Grant Program, established in 2011 and continuing today, is now available in one comprehensive report from the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems.

 

Read how MI Farm to School Grant Program has helped food program providers overcome challenges and stimulate or sustain local food purchasing programs at K-12 schools and early childhood programs in Michigan.

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The report, The MI Farm to School Grant Program: The First Three Years, includes:

  • why the program was started;
  • a summary of the program, including operations and impacts from 2011-2014;
  • reflection on the sustainability of the sponsored farm to school activities;
  • learnings from the process of administering the program;
  • suggestions for adapting the program as a model for other communities, states or regions.

 

This report is part of a suite of farm to school resources available from MSU Center for Regional Food Systems at www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu, including the most recently released step-by-step guides: Farm to Early Childhood Programs: A Step-By-Step Guide and Garden to Cafeteria: A Step-By-Step Guide.

 

The MI Farm to School Grant Program is administered by MSU Center for Regional Food Systems. It is funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as part of broader Michigan Farm to School efforts including Hoophouses for Health, a partnership with the Michigan Farmers Market Association and the MSU Department of Horticulture.

 


If you'd like to help share the MI Farm to School Grant Program story, here are some ideas for social media posts:

 

For Facebook:

  • In its first 3 years, the MI #farmtoschool Grant Program provided $91,000 to 49 programs, serving 40,000+ vulnerable children. @MSUCRFS http://ow.ly/bjDn300nrGK
  • About one third of #farmtoschool total grant dollars used to purchase #localfoods from 2011-2014. This means $30,000+ was invested back into local communities and the Michigan economy. @MSUCRFS http://ow.ly/bjDn300nrGKAccording to @MSUCRFS report "MI #farmtoschool Grant Program: The first three years," the three most frequently reported categories of grant spending were purchasing #localfood, buying equipment, and making connections with local farmers. http://ow.ly/bjDn300nrGK
  • The MI #farmtoschool grant program is seeing schools and farmers develop strong relationships with signs of trust, commitment, and long-term viability. @MSUCRFS http://ow.ly/bjDn300nrGK

 

For Twitter:

  • Top 3 MI #farmtoschool grant spending categories: #localfood, equipment, and connecting w/ local farmers @MSUCRFS http://ow.ly/bjDn300nrGK
  • From 2011-14, MI #farmtoschool Grant Program provided $91k to 49 programs, serving 40k+ vulnerable children @MSUCRFS http://ow.ly/bjDn300nrG  
  • From 2011-14, 1/3 of #farmtoschool grant $ was used to buy #localfoods, meaning $30k+ invested back into MI @MSUCRFS http://ow.ly/bjDn300nrGK 
  • MI #farmtoschool grant program is showing strong school & farmer relationships creating long-term viability @MSUCRFS http://ow.ly/bjDn300nrGK 

 

 

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The MSU Center for Regional Food Systems engages the people of Michigan, the United States, and the world in applied research, education, and outreach to develop regionally integrated, sustainable food systems.

 


Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist | Michigan Lead for National Farm to School Network

Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd | Rm 302B Natural Resources Building | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517.432.0310

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

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Upcoming Webinar: How to Join Cultivate Michigan

Greetings MI Farm to School Network


If you've been on this list for even just a few weeks you've likely heard mention of Cultivate Michigan, which is a great tool to support your local purchasing efforts. This upcoming webinar will be a great way to learn more about it and get involved, so be sure to catch it next Thursday!


Webinar: How to Join Cultivate Michigan

Thursday, May 19, 2016 - 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM

 

Would you like to learn more about the Cultivate Michigan local purchasing campaign, and understand what participation in the campaign can do for you?

 

If you're a food service director or buyer at a Michigan institution, join us for this webinar explaining the Cultivate Michigan campaign and how your institution can sign up to track purchases and reach for the MI Good Food Charter goal that Michigan institutions source 20% of their food from Michigan sources by 2020.

 

Click for more information and to register:

https://www.cultivatemichigan.org/events/2016/webinar-how-join-cultivate-michigan



Hope to see you there!


Best,

 

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

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

What's your definition of local?

The Michigan Farm to Institution Network wants to know!

The Michigan Farm to Institution Network (MFIN) wants to learn more about how Michigan institutions define "local" when it comes to food. If you're a food buyer or make food purchasing decisions at an institution serving food, click the link and answer a couple of questions to tell us  your definition for local food! 

http://msucarrs.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cHkautgIS3P9Ifb

 

Cultivate Michigan is a campaign of the Michigan Farm to Institution Network, and is co-coordinated by the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems and the Ecology Center, with support from MSU Extension. We work toward the Michigan Good Food Charter goal that Michigan institutions source 20% of their food from Michigan sources by the year 2020. For more information, go to www.cultivatemichigan.org.

 

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist | Michigan Lead for National Farm to School Network

Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd | Rm 302B Natural Resources Building | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517.432.0310

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

Friday, May 6, 2016

MI Farm to School Newsletter

Huzzah! It seems like Spring is finally here. With that, lots of great stuff happening in farm to school all across the country. Don't forget to get your applications in for the MI Farm to School Grant Program, and check out some of our recent webinars that are recorded and available for your Friday evening viewing pleasure (grab some popcorn and locally grown radishes as a movie snack!)

Here's this week's updates on the farm to school front:

Opportunities
News
Resources

Go soak up all that good Vitamin D this 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

Thursday, May 5, 2016

We're headed to the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference! Registration closes May 16

Join national leaders and local food advocates at the 8th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference – next month in Madison!

On June 2-4, 2016, more than 1,500 people will converge on Madison, Wis., for the 8th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference. The biennial event, hosted by the National Farm to School Network, is the only national gathering of farm to cafeteria professionals working to break down barriers to sourcing healthy, local food for institutional cafeterias and connect communities and children to where their food comes from. 

The 2016 conference theme, Moving Forward Together, will highlight innovative partnerships to build momentum and ensure long-term sustainability for local food efforts nationwide. Cafeterias in schools, early care and education sites, colleges and universities, hospitals, prisons and other institutional settings serve tens of millions of Americans every day, placing the farm to cafeteria movement at the forefront of the fight to end obesity and strengthen local food systems. 

MSU CRFS will be leading four workshops throughout the weekend with partners from across the state and nationally. We currently have a group of over 40 Michiganders representing initiatives from across the state that are connecting schools, early childhood programs, hospitals, and other institutions with local food. Will you be one of them?

Attendees of the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference will learn best practices, network with likeminded communities and bring home creative solutions that will help to nourish people and the economy. Register before the deadline on May 16 to take advantage of this opportunity to expand your local food and community health efforts. 


Hope to see you there!

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

Monday, May 2, 2016

Re: FW: Discover Institutional & Wholesale Markets Workshop - Northeast Lower Michigan

Hey all,

I just asked Sam to boost the post on our Hoophouses for Health Facebook page.  Hopefully that will help.

Best,

Tyler

Tyler Vuillemot
Hoophouses for Health Program Manager
Michigan Farmers Market Association
Office: (517) 432-3381
Cell: (517) 420-8810

On Mon, May 2, 2016 at 9:29 AM, Matts, Colleen <matts@anr.msu.edu> wrote:
Greetings,

This is just a reminder to register for this upcoming farmer workshop by 5 pm on Thursday, May 5th. See details below!

Discover Institutional & Wholesale Markets: A Northeast Lower Michigan Workshop For Farmers

Monday, May 9, 2016 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Brush Creek Mill, 121 N State St., Hillman, MI 49746

Institutional and wholesale markets can be a key component of developing and expanding a successful farm business. At this workshop you'll learn the basics of selling farm products to schools and other institutions (early childhood programs, hospitals, colleges), and how to make a profit with institutional and wholesale markets as part of your market mix. You'll also hear about Hoophouses for Health, a unique opportunity to both increase year-round production AND connect with school and/or early childhood markets.

This workshop is free to attend. Please register here.

Presenters are:

  • Adam Montri, Ten Hens Farm and Hoophouse Outreach Specialist with the MSU Department of Horticulture
  • Abby Harper, Farm to School Specialist with MSU Center for Regional Food Systems (CRFS)
  • Colleen Matts, Farm to Institution Specialist with CRFS and co-lead of the Michigan Farm to Institution Network (MFIN)
 


Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist | Michigan Lead for National Farm to School Network

Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd | Rm 302B Natural Resources Building | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517.432.0310

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


FW: Discover Institutional & Wholesale Markets Workshop - Northeast Lower Michigan

Greetings,

This is just a reminder to register for this upcoming farmer workshop by 5 pm on Thursday, May 5th. See details below!

Discover Institutional & Wholesale Markets: A Northeast Lower Michigan Workshop For Farmers

Monday, May 9, 2016 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Brush Creek Mill, 121 N State St., Hillman, MI 49746

Institutional and wholesale markets can be a key component of developing and expanding a successful farm business. At this workshop you'll learn the basics of selling farm products to schools and other institutions (early childhood programs, hospitals, colleges), and how to make a profit with institutional and wholesale markets as part of your market mix. You'll also hear about Hoophouses for Health, a unique opportunity to both increase year-round production AND connect with school and/or early childhood markets.

This workshop is free to attend. Please register here.

Presenters are:

  • Adam Montri, Ten Hens Farm and Hoophouse Outreach Specialist with the MSU Department of Horticulture
  • Abby Harper, Farm to School Specialist with MSU Center for Regional Food Systems (CRFS)
  • Colleen Matts, Farm to Institution Specialist with CRFS and co-lead of the Michigan Farm to Institution Network (MFIN)
 


Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist | Michigan Lead for National Farm to School Network

Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd | Rm 302B Natural Resources Building | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517.432.0310

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