Update on House Bill 4306

Greetings (and apologies for cross-posting),

This morning the House Education Committee held a meeting in Lansing on House Bill 4306, which would amend the revised school code. 

 

A new substitute version of this bill (which again, may still change and has not been adopted by the House; see attached) is now on the table. This substitute bill (H-2) still requires school districts to collect bids for food, custodial, and transportation services but does not mandate that schools/districts privatize these services; "a school district, intermediate school district, or public school academy may contract with any person or entity to provide these services, or may have these services provided on an employment basis by a group of its employees after obtaining competitive bids..." This new version of the bill also exempts school food service programs that make a profit from that requirement; "(4) This section does not apply to...(B) the provision of food services, if the revenues that the school district, intermediate school district, or public school academy receives from its food service program exceed the costs of operation of the program."

 

With a packed room including numerous school food service directors, spoken testimony and submitted testimony cards were overwhelmingly in opposition of this bill, although there was some confusion between the different versions of the bill as many had not yet seen the newest substitute bill that began circulating late yesterday. Please check the House Education Committee homepage in the coming days for minutes and testimony from this meeting - http://www.house.mi.gov/committeeinfo.asp?lstcommittees=education.

 

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

Meet & Greets next week!

Hi all,

There are two Farm to School Meet & Greets being held next week. These events are a chance for school food service directors and farmers to meet and discuss opportunities of linking through local food.

 

Meet & Greet for Genesee Intermediate School District’s Farm to School Program

Monday, March 21, 2011

2:30-4:30 pm

GISD Health, Safety and Nutrition Services

2284 S Ballenger Highway

Flint, MI 48503

RSVP to Colleen Matts at matts@msu.edu or 517.432.0310.

 

 

Meet & Greet Event with K-12 and University Food Service Directors from the Grand Rapids Metro Area 

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

2:00 - 4:00 pm

Kent/MSU Extension 

775 Ball Ave. NE Grand Rapids MI 49503.

Room set up will begin at 1:00 p.m.

RSVP to Kendra Wills at Kendra.Wills@kentcountymi.gov or 616.336.2028 by Friday, March 18^th.

 

 

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

 

 

House Education Committee Meeting - March 16th

Hi all,

The House Education Committee will hear testimony on House Bill 4306 at their committee meeting on Wednesday, March 16^th, 2011 in room 519 in the House Office Building in Lansing. Here is the notice - http://house.michigan.gov/PublicCommitteeSchedule/MeetingDisplay.aspx?BroadcastKey=1914.

 

Click here to read the text of HB 4306 as it was originally introduced in the House, which requires that “the board of a school district or intermediate school district shall enter into 1 or more contracts for the provision of food service, custodial, and transportation services...” and “shall not directly employ personnel to provide food service custodial or transportation services after June 30, 2012.” Click here to read the legislative analysis of the bill.  

 

Testimony was taken on this bill at a House Education Committee meeting on March 2^nd (read the minutes), and a substitute bill was put forward that still requires school districts to accept bids for these services. However, it “does not prevent a collective bargaining unit consisting of employees of the school district or intermediate school district from submitting a competitive bid for the provision of food service, custodial, or transportation services, but the board or intermediate school board shall not give special preference to a competitive bid submitted by the collective bargaining unit.” Please note that the substitute bill may still change and has not yet been adopted by the House. Here is an article from the Michigan Messenger about the substitute bill. Additional testimony was taken at a committee meeting on March 9^th. Click here to read the proposed minutes from that meeting.

 

I’ll do my best to send updates on this bill as they come.

 

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

 

 

Recipes due by March 14th for 2011 Michigan Junior Chef Competition

Greetings,

This is just a reminder that student teams’ recipes for the Michigan Junior Chef Competition are due by next Monday, March 14^th, 2011. Please see the email below and www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu/chef for more information and rules, including how to submit recipe entries. Apologies for cross posting!

 

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

 

 

 

From: Matts, Colleen [mailto:matts@ANR.MSU.EDU]
Subject: 2011 Michigan Junior Chef Competition

 

Announcing the 2011 Michigan Junior Chef Competition!

Fresh, local foods, creativity, and teamwork will give you an edge in this

fun-filled recipe contest and cooking competition!

 

First, student teams submit recipes that are fit for a healthy school lunch meal and

feature local, seasonal foods. Recipe contest submissions due by March 14, 2011.

 

Next, up to eight teams will be selected to bring their recipes to life in a

cook-off competition at Michigan State University on May 11, 2011.

 

Open to all 7th-12th grade students enrolled in Michigan schools. Teams must

consist of 3-4 students and at least one adult coach.

 

Visit http://www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu/chef for rules and more information.

Please feel free to share or print and post the attached flyer!

FW: [FOODSPEAK] Survey for people with hoophouses, people who had hoophouse training

Apologies for cross posting. Please complete the survey (see link below) if you have a hoophouse in Michigan or have attended a hoophouse training session in Michigan.

 

Thanks,

Colleen

 

From: Smalley, Susan [mailto:smalley3@ANR.MSU.EDU]
Sent: Friday, March 04, 2011 9:58 AM
To: FOODSPEAK@LIST.MSU.EDU
Subject: [FOODSPEAK] Survey for people with hoophouses, people who had hoophouse training

 

Apologies for cross-posting.  We are trying to get the word out about this to everyone!

 

Got a hoophouse?

Been to a hoophouse workshop or training session?

 

We need YOUR feedback!

 

Please respond to a survey that will help us learn:

 

·        ***    How many and what types of high tunnels are used in Michigan?

·         ***  What issues have arisen from high tunnel use?

·        ***    What factors are preventing farmers from building high tunnels?

·        ***   What educational materials are needed to support effective and profitable high tunnel use by Michigan farmers?

 

If you own a high tunnel OR if you have participated in any of the Michigan high tunnel workshops or training sessions, please take this on-line survey now, during March 2011. It will take approximately 20-30 minutes.  The survey is available at:

 

http://msucarrs.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_1XiJ6idCDwSLdc0

 

Questions?  Please contact Kristin Getter (getterk@msu.edu) with any questions you may have or to find out how to get a paper copy if you do not have Internet access.

 

Thanks in advance for your help with this effort. 

 

 

Bridget Behe, MSU Department of Horticulture and Survey Project Coordinator
John Biernbaum, MSU Department of Horticulture and Student Organic Farm
Mike Hamm, CS Mott Endowed Chair for Sustainable Food Systems at MSU
Adam Montri, MSU Department of Horticulture and Student Organic Farm
Susan Smalley, Director of the MSU CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at MSU

Kristin Getter, MSU Department of Horticulture

 

To unsubscribe from this list, send an email with "SIGNOFF FOODSPEAK" in the subject line to LISTSERV@LIST.MSU.EDU.

FW: Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Workshop on Friday, March 11 in Portage

FYI!

 

From: Brown, Elaine [mailto:browne@ANR.MSU.EDU]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2011 2:57 PM
To: FOODSPEAK@LIST.MSU.EDU
Subject: [FOODSPEAK] FW: Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Workshop on Friday, March 11 in Portage

 

This may be of interest to you or a farmer you know in the SW Michigan Area. Elaine

 

 

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

 

Please note the correction to the subject line of the last e-mail - the date of the workshop is Friday, March 11, 2011.   The information in the body of the e-mail is correct.  _______________________________________________________________     Good Agricultural and Good Handling Practices For Produce .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   This workshop, as well as the others around the state, address key issues that growers face when tackling food safety certification. Get an overview of audit considerations and expectations, hear from auditors and from growers who have become certified,and get a buyer's perspective on the importance of food safety certification.   Friday, March 11, 2011 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA)   1819 East Milham Ave.   Portage, MI 49002 RSVP required by Monday, March 7, 2011    Space is limited, so save your spot early!   You MUST register for these workshops to attend! Contact Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) for more information or to RSVP at (517) 432-0712 or miffs@msu.edu.  Or Register Online Now!    There is no cost to attend, but the value is more than $50 per person, so don't miss it! Lunch will be provided, and participants can purchase the revised,  255-page "Wholesale Success: A Farmer's Guide to Selling, Post-Harvest Handling and Packing Produce" Manual.    Other workshop dates and locations include:  Thursday, March 17, 2011 from 2 - 4 p.m. Online Webinar Thursday, March 24, 2011 from 2 - 4 p.m. Online Webinar   Thursday, March 31, 2011 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. The University Center at Gaylord 80 Livingston Blvd., Gaylord, MI 49735 To learn more, contact MIFFS at (517) 432-0712 or miffs@msu.edu or visit www.miffs.org/gapghp.asp.   Funding for these workshops was provided through a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant. Partners and sponsors include: Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS), the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Michigan State University Extension.     Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) 172 Natural Resources East Lansing, Michigan 48824 Ph: 517-432-0712   Fx: 517-353-7961 www.miffs.org

 

Forward to a Friend This email was sent to browne@msu.edu by miffs@msu.edu |   Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) | 172 Natural Resources | East Lansing | MI | 48824

To unsubscribe from this list, send an email with "SIGNOFF FOODSPEAK" in the subject line to LISTSERV@LIST.MSU.EDU.

FW: Food Safety Regulation Discussion Forums in March

FYI!

 

From: Jenifer Buckley [mailto:jbuckley@MSU.EDU]
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2011 12:19 PM
To: FOODSPEAK@LIST.MSU.EDU
Subject: [FOODSPEAK] Food Safety Regulation Discussion Forums in March

 

Please distribute widely!

 

Small food processors, producers and food entrepreneurs are invited to participate in a series of discussion forums on Michigan food safety regulations. As the Michigan Food Law is improved and revised, these forums provide an opportunity for small and medium size farm operators and food entrepreneurs to provide input on food safety and how regulations affect them. The forums are hosted by Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) with funding from the Michigan Department of Agriculture in order to learn more about perceptions and experiences of food safety regulations and discover if and how regulations have constrained the viability of small food businesses.

 

Pre-registration is requested; you can register at www.miffs.org/foodsafetyforums.asp. These forums will take place throughout the month of March at the following locations:

 

March 2, 2011 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the NEW Center, 1100 N. Main St., Ann Arbor

 

March 9, 2011 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Portage Public Library, 300 Library Lane, Portage

 

March 15, 2011 from 9 – 11 a.m. at Michigan State University (MSU) Extension - Bay County, 515 Center Ave., Bay City

 

March 25, 2011 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at MSU Extension - Mecosta County, 14485 Northland Dr., Big Rapids

 

March 30, 2011 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Holiday Inn, 1201 W. Main St., Gaylord

 

For further details, contact Jenifer Buckley, Project Manager, at jbuckley@msu.edu or (517) 355-5962. Please see the attached flyer for more information.