MI Farm to School News - Fourth of July Edition!

Hello!

Happy almost holiday weekend! I hope you all have lots of great plans for rest and relaxation and eating all the goodies Michigan has to offer this year – I spent the afternoon gorging on the first of my green beans! This edition of the MI Farm to School News is the last one you will receive from me, as I will be starting as the Community Food Systems Educator for District 8 with MSU Extension. From this point forward, Colleen Matts and Lee Ann Viera will be in charge of getting you the most up to date on farm to school in Michigan and beyond. I have so thoroughly enjoyed filling this role and will miss the opportunity to wax poetic about peas to our 1000+ subscribers, but know you all will be in good hands!

Thanks to all of you for your hard work, dedication, and leadership in this work. You are making a difference!

Events

Farm to Early Care Webinar Series Part Two: Doing it Right! Best Practices for CACFP Compliance and On-Farm Food Safety Assessment

June 20 2017; 11:00 am ET

Learn how local procurement can fit into the CACFP program and help meet new CACFP requirements coming into effect this fall and what on-farm food safety practices Early Care staff should look for when deciding which farmers to purchase from.

Trending Topics in Farm to School: Farm to School Partnerships with Your School Nutrition Association

July 6, 2017 - 2:00-3:00pm ET

Join the National Farm to School Network to learn about partnering with your School Nutrition Association to expand your farm to school efforts. Register now

Closing the Hunger Gap: Moving the Hunger Relief System from Charity to Social Justice

September 11th-13th // Tacoma, WA

This conference will introduce you to new ideas, people, and strategies dismantling racial and economic disparities in our food system. 

School Gardens Survey

Students at Lehman College, CUNY are interested in learning from your challenges to implementing and sustaining school gardens. Take part in their research survey here. 

News

Groundwork Expands Food and Farming Work to Petoskey Region

Mynorth News Service

Exciting news from our northern partners! Groundwork's new Petoskey office will expand their farm to school, food access and farmer support projects to Antrim, Charlevoix, and Emmet counties.

2017-2018 MI Farm to School Grantees Announced!

2017-2018 is the last year of the MI Farm to School Grant Program. Check out this year's grantees. 

Opportunities 

Voices for Healthy Kids Grand Opportunities

Due July 21, 2017

Voices for Healthy Kids is focusing on increasing public policy impact on healthy weight and living among children through efforts in schools, community, and  early care and education. Applications should support at least one Voices for Healthy Kids Policy Lever.

Job

Early and School Food Academic Specialist Position Available at MSU Center for Regional Food Systems

Due July 21, 2017 

MSU Center for Regional Food Systems is seeking an annual full-time Academic Specialist to lead efforts promoting good food access and awareness in early child care and education environments (ECE) and K-12 schools. Apply Now

All the 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

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