In the Spring of 2020, USDA awarded a brand-new grant – the Regional Farm to School Institute Grants – to two grantees. A $100,000 grant was awarded to Vermont FEED, a partnership of Shelburne Farms and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of VT, to provide schools and districts in the six New England States and New York with professional development to create robust farm to school programs.
In June, Vermont FEED launched the tenth annual Northeast Farm to School Institute with a first ever virtual STAY IN-stitute retreat. The institute is a unique year-long professional learning opportunity for the selected school teams that include school nutrition directors or managers, classroom teachers, school administrators, school nurses, parents, school board, or community partners. The fourteen teams spent three days developing their comprehensive school-wide Farm to School Action Plans that included curriculum integration, local procurement, utilizing outdoor learning spaces, and cultivating family and community connections. Each team is matched with a coach to support them as they both develop their action plans and implement them through the school year. The Northeast Farm to School Institute is structured around Vermont FEED’s unique 3 C’s model of change – connecting Classrooms, Cafeterias, and Communities – to support schools in developing integrated and connected programs with staying power, embedded in the school culture! Find more information about Vermont FEED’s action planning process in this new resource, Connecting Classrooms, Cafeterias, Communities: A Guide to Building Integrated Farm to School Programs.
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The 2020 United States Census
The 2020 Census is a headcount of every person living in the United States and its territories as of April 1. The 2020 Census is happening now- you can respond online, by phone, or by mail.
Responses to the census—which is conducted once every 10 years, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution—help shape your future. The census informs how billions of dollars are allocated each year to local communities for vital services like schools, health care, roads and bridges, and emergency response.
To speak with U.S. Census Bureau staff in your area, contact your regional census center.
Farm to Institution Produce Safety Survey
Do you purchase fresh produce for an institution or know someone that does? Please consider taking and/or sharing this short survey about food safety requirements for suppliers. The survey will be open until August 31, 2020.
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Measure Your Farm to Institution Purchasing
The National Farm to Institution Metrics Collaborative consists of organizations across the U.S. working together to increase the measurement and evaluation of Farm to Institution programming. The organizations in the National Farm to Institution Metrics Collaborative work to measure and track the impact of the institutional market from producer to buyer. They have created an easy to use template for tracking these metrics, a protocol guide for using the template, and a short video walking you through the process. Access these resources HERE.
These metrics are a pilot, and if you end up using them, the Collaborative would love to hear from you about your experience. Please reach out to them to share both positive and negative feedback! You can email Lilian Brislen at Lilian.Brislen@uky.edu. Visit FTImetrics.localfoodeconomics.com for more information about the metrics and to join the Collaborative’s listserv or quarterly calls.
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Transitional Menu Planning Tool
The Texas Department of Agriculture has developed a Transitional Menu Planning Tool for School Nutrition Professionals as they plan for meal service this fall. Service style may change, but menus and products can remain the same. By planning a quality, transitional menu now, programs will be prepared for any service style.
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2021 Farm to School Grant Program Announcement Coming This Fall!
FNS plans to release the Request for Applications (RFA) for the Fiscal Year 2021 Farm to School Grant Program in the fall. The annual grant opportunity will help reach more communities seeking to incorporate local products into school meals, integrate agricultural education in the classroom, and cultivate and expand farm to school efforts. Stay tuned for the latest updates on the next Farm to School Grant RFA by following the Dirt and online via the USDA website.
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