Farm to School Makes Headlines!
Over the past few weeks,
news outlets have been abuzz featuring the innovative work that the next class
of USDA Farm to School Grantees will be doing. For some, that work means
scaling up existing projects and ensuring that kids have access to local
products across all components of their meal. For example, The Burlington
School Food Project will work on a project that will increase the availability and affordability of
local beef for Burlington and other districts in the state.
Enjoy
these stories about the important projects our new grantees are embarking on!
USDA pushes
link between schools, and local farmers, ranchers Agency issues nearly $5 million
in grants aimed at creating healthier school meals supporting local farmers in
39 states. Farm Progress - 11/18/2015
"... early results of the Farm to School Census show that schools across
the country have invested nearly $600 million in local products, offering
farmers a reliable market. USDA invests nearly $5 million in farm to school
program. Aim is to get more local foods onto school lunch menus. USDA Farm to
School Grants fund school districts, state and local agencies, tribal nations,
agricultural producers and non-profit organizations in their efforts to
increase use of local foods served through child nutrition programs. These
groups also teach children about food and ..." View on Web
Oxford schools
get $80,000 Farm to School grant Washington
Times - 11/18/2015
"... The Oxford School District is getting help to put locally-grown
agriculture products in the school cafeteria. U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran tells
WTVA-TV (http://bit.ly/1NCvC4h ) the district is
receiving $80,000 in a Farm to School Grant from the U. S. Department of
Agriculture. Cochran says the district has set a good example of promoting local
agriculture to provide nutritious meals to students. ..." View on Web
Farm to School grant brings in more fresh food to
Ferguson-Florissant district St. Louis Public Radio -
11/17/2015
"... A big selling point for the district to receive this grant is that it
offers free lunch to all students, regardless of income, Kane said. This
federal program, called the Community Eligibility Provision, has also been
implemented by Riverview Gardens, Normandy, Jennings and St. Louis Public
Schools. ..." View on Web
Some Nashville schools to get 'farm-to-school' program
The Tennessean - 11/26/2015
“…This grant opportunity will give us a greater expansion of
the work we’ve been doing towards developing a farm-to-school program within
the district and helping us to build relationships in the community with
farmers and vendors,” said Spencer Taylor, executive director of Nutrition
Services for the district, in the release. “The grant will also help us to
bring more healthy, sustainable foods to our students as well as educate them
on the importance of a healthy lifestyle. …”
For a complete list of 2016 Farm to School Grant award recipients, click below.
Upcoming Webinars
Wednesday,
December 9th at 2:00 PM EST: Sight & Mind: Promoting Healthy Food
in School Cafeterias
When in a hurry,
convenience and visibility is king! Kids and adults alike tend not to consider
what they want for lunch until entering a cafeteria or restaurant. Healthy Food
Choices in Schools is hosting a webinar to discuss the psychology of choice and
how we can use simple principles to make the healthy choice the easy choice.
 Thursday, December 10 at 1:00 EST: Maximize Your Procurement
Dollars through Regional Purchasing: School Food and Forward Contracting
Forward contracting
establishes a price to be paid for a certain quantity of product to be provided
at a future date. Learn how forward contracting can help maximize your
procurement budget and support local farmers at the same time. Speakers will
highlight the benefits and challenges of forward contracting school food and
explain how to write forward contracts.
Monday,
December 14 at 1:30 PM EST: Evaluating the Economic Impacts of Local and
Regional Food Systems: Best Practices Using the USDA AMS Toolkit
The Michigan State
University Center for Regional Food Systems is offering an upcoming webinar to
take a look at the economy of local food. Be sure to check out Evaluating the
Economic Impacts of Local and Regional Food Systems: Best Practices Using the
USDA AMS Toolkit. Registration is required.
 Calling New Farmers
Are you
new to farming, or know someone who is? Good news!
USDA has a newly redesigned website to meet the needs of new
farmers, women in agriculture, youth, veterans, and farms in transition. The
site features advice and guidance on everything a new farm business owner needs
to know, from writing a business plan, to obtaining a loan to grow their
business, to filing taxes as a new small business owner. By answering a series
of questions about their operation, farmers can use the site’s Discovery Tool to build a personalized set of
recommendations of USDA programs and services that may meet their needs.
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Go Local – Promoting Healthy Habits and Boosting Local
Communities
By Providence
Public Schools, Rhode Island
Providence Public
School District (PPSD) is the largest school district in Rhode Island,
serving 24,000 students. In the heart of New England, PPSD has had historical
ties to locally grown agriculture and food for centuries. For the past few
years, PPSD requires that RI-grown products compose at least 15% of all food
purchases annually, helping to economically support the RI food system with
local dollars, while promoting the environmental benefits of local land
stewardship.
As part of an innovative
“Adopt a Farm” collaboration with Pezza Farm
in Johnston, R.I, Sodexo Providence,
the district’s food service management company, leases farmland specifically
for PPSD school food production. The past four years, PPSD acreage on
Pezza Farms has grown from 15 acres to more than 25 acres, producing a variety
of vegetables used throughout the District’s school food service.
The management company
incorporates locally sourced food into school meals throughout the day.
For school breakfast,
muffins made by a local bakery not only meet the federal nutrition
guidelines but also meet the more stringent Rhode Island Nutrition
Requirements (RINR). The muffins are a popular breakfast item with students and
often contain locally grown zucchini and carrots as primary ingredients. Steady
orders for these muffins, and the bakery’s locally produced breakfast bars,
have helped revitalize the company and both breakfast items are now found in
several other RI school districts statewide.
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