USDA Farm to School E-letter - February 19, 2013

NEWS & UPDATES

New farm to school fact sheets
Two new farm to school fact sheets are now available on the USDA website. The first is a primer on USDA’s Farm to School Program that defines farm to school, provides an overview of the USDA Farm to School Grants, and highlights other farm to school support available from USDA. The second fact sheet, Using DoD Fresh to purchase local produce, gives a rundown of the DoD Fresh program and how it can be used to procure local foods for school meals.

Farm to school is now included in the criteria for Healthier US School Challenge awards
The Healthier US School Challenge (HUSSC), part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative, just got a little more local. Operating a farm to school program is now one of several criteria for excellence that schools can meet to win a bronze, silver, or gold award. A helpful document has been posted on the HUSSC website that describes farm to school programs and explains how a school can meet the challenge criteria. Visit the HUSSC website for additional guidance and application materials. For inspiration, check out this video from NBC’s Today Show, which profiles the farm to school program operated by recent HUSSC award winner Palm Springs Unified School District.

New "Smart Snacks in School" proposal to ensure vending machines and snack bars include healthy choices
On February 1, USDA announced the opening of the public comment period for proposed new standards to ensure that children have access to healthy food options in school. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 required USDA to establish nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools -- beyond the federally-supported school meals programs. The "Smart Snacks in School" proposed rule is the first step in the process to create national standards. The new proposed standards draw on recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, existing voluntary standards already implemented by thousands of schools around the country, and healthy food and beverage offerings already available in the marketplace. Click here for more information and to comment on the proposed rule.

WEBINARS AND TRAININGS

FY 2014 USDA Farm to School Grant Program webinars
To assist eligible entities in preparing proposals for the next round of USDA Farm to School Grants, USDA will host a series of webinars related to the application process. Each webinar presentation will last approximately one hour, with an extra 30 minutes of question and answer time. Information on how to access each webinar is below; please contact Laura Brown (laura.brown@fns.usda.gov) with any questions.

Grants.gov: Wednesday, February 27, 1:00 p.m. EST
Representatives from grants.gov will discuss the application process and how to submit using the grants.gov portal.
Access the webinar here: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usdafns/join?id=CQB39F&role=attend&pw=3cT%2B%7BP**H
Meeting ID: CQB39F Entry Code: 3cT+{P**H
Note: You will need an Internet connection and computer speakers in order to see and hear the webinar.

Planning Grants: Tuesday, March 5, 1:00 p.m. EST
Access the webinar here: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usda/join?id=ZS99Z2&role=attend
Phone: 888-603-8943 Passcode: 3927574
Note: You will need both an Internet connection and telephone line in order to see and hear the webinar.

Implementation Grants: Wednesday, March 6, 1:00 p.m. EST
Access the webinar here: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usda/join?id=ZS99Z2&role=attend Phone: 888-396-9185 Passcode: 3927574
Note: You will need both an Internet connection and telephone line in order to see and hear the webinar.

Support Service Grants: Thursday, March 7, 1:00 p.m. EST 
Access the webinar here: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usda/join?id=ZS99Z2&role=attend Phone: 888-396-9185 Passcode: 3927574
Note: You will need both an Internet connection and telephone line in order to see and hear the webinar.

Sample proposals are now available online!
To assist applicants in preparing their grant submissions, USDA has shared winning proposals from the FY 2013 round of funding. The samples should not be treated as templates or guides; each grant application will be unique to the applicant and the community the project is intended to serve. View the sample grants here.

BITS FROM BLOGS

Freezers full of summer
It’s February and, as tends to happen every year, I’m starting to run low on frozen berries. It seems the hours upon hours I spent this summer freezing the season’s bounty weren’t enough to satisfy my family’s endless demand for berry smoothies. Every year I vow to put more berries away for use in the winter. I suspect this summer will be no exception; I’ll take the pledge again. MORE >

Local foods and nutritious diets: USDA’s 2013 Agricultural Outlook Forum
Demand for local and regional foods is strong and growing, as consumers across the country are looking for healthy food options grown and raised in their own communities. USDA has long supported this effort along with the procurement of regional foods by schools and helping them increase food literacy among the nation’s children.

These efforts will be the topic of the “Showcasing Local Foods” session at USDA’s 2013 Agriculture Outlook Forum, February 21-22… MORE >

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