Nebraska produces over 1 billion servings of edible dry beans each year, so it only makes sense that you might see them featured on school lunch trays across the State! Take for example the Gering Public School District, located in the heart of the bean growing region of Nebraska on the western side of the State. Food service manager Mary Carman uses local beans to make dishes from scratch like refried beans. Add that to their beef to school partnership with Nebraska ranchers and the squash, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, and peppers they source from a local, organic farm, and students get to eat a variety of fresh, local foods through the school meal program.
This important crop in Nebraska is highlighted through farm to school activities throughout the State. Dry beans are one of the featured items in the Nebraska Department of Education’s (NDE) Nebraska Harvest of the Month program, and many of the schools that participate in NDE’s Nebraska Thursdays incorporate beans into the meals they serve featuring Nebraska-sourced products. In fact, the picture here shows Mary's team about to serve up lunch featuring a bean salad with local pinto, great northern, kidney, and green beans for Nebraska Thursdays at Gering Public School District.
NDE, in addition to their recent 2020 USDA Farm to School State Agency Grant, has a strong partnership with the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission (NDBC). NDBC has financially supported Nebraska Thursdays with giveaways and promotional materials, contributed to the match component of multiple farm to school grants, and provided mini-grants to schools. In 2018 and 2019, the NDBC partnered with the Culinary Institute of America to sponsor workshops for Nebraska School Food Service managers. These workshops demonstrated how easy it can be to prepare innovative dry bean recipes for use in K-12 school food service, helping schools tap into the nutrient-density and versatility of dry beans.
Dry beans are a go-to solution for farm to school in the cafeteria. They are available year-round, complement seasonal produce, and can serve as a meat-alternate or vegetable! Nebraska is serving up this versatile local food and diversifying the plate, while dishing up a generous economic impact for the State.
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Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) Grants are Now Available!
On May 5, 2021, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced $92.2 million in competitive grant funding for LAMP programs:
For farm to school stakeholders, these programs support building out local and regional food systems. FMLFPP supports the development and expansion of direct-to-consumer markets and indirect producer-to-consumer marketing through intermediaries. The RFSP program supports partnerships in the planning and development of local and regional food systems. Funding is provided for coordination efforts, such as priority setting, connecting partners to resources and services, and measuring progress towards common goals.
Eligible entities are organizations across local and regional food sectors. The USDA is looking to help underserved local and regional agricultural entities respond to COVID-19 disruptions and impacts through projects that develop and expand their local and regional food systems. The USDA strongly encourages projects to support small farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, socially disadvantaged producers, veteran producers, and underserved communities. For more information check out the respective program pages linked to above.
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Let us know your thoughts! The Great Garden Detective Adventure
The Office of Community Food Systems is partnering with Team Nutrition to update the Great Garden Detective Adventure. This curriculum connects the school garden to the classroom, school cafeteria, and home using hands-on, sensory experiences. It uses standards-based learning to integrate science, mathematics, language arts, and other subjects while reinforcing nutrition messages for 3rd and 4th graders.
We would love your help as we explore new features for this national school gardening resource. If you are interested in providing feedback, please reach out to Mimi Wu at mimi.wu@usda.gov for further details before June 18, 2021.
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Fellowship Opportunity for Food Conscious Educators
The 2021–2022 Pilot Light Food Education Fellowship application is now open. Pilot Light, a 2018 Farm to School Implementation Grantee based in Chicago, seeks highly-motivated Pre-K–12th grade teachers across the nation with an interest in implementing Pilot Light food education lessons consistently with their students. Teachers will have the opportunity to use food education as a tool to each in their classrooms. The year-long fellowship includes monthly training (conducted virtually), a stipend, resources, and support. Applications are due on May 31.
Please visit the Pilot Light Fellowship webpage to learn more about the fellowship application requirements and position responsibilities.
Register Now! Edible Schoolyard Project Webinar Series
The Edible Schoolyard Project (ESP) is hosting their second Summer Training at Home, June 14, 2021 – June 25, 2021. This year's virtual professional development sessions will be open to all, and completely free to attend. The ESP team has planned activities that invite participants to create, cook, taste, and share experiences. Participants will leave this event series feeling invigorated and prepared to do the work of supporting youth to learn about food in a way that allows them to live and build a healthier and more just future.
To view the full event calendar and registration information please visit the event website.
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New Alliance for a Healthier Generation Farm to School Webinars
During April 2021, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (AHG), a 2019 Farm to School Training Grantee, hosted two virtual trainings for farm to school audiences.
The Farm to School Basics training provides an overview of the USDA Farm to School Program and covers the who, what, when, and how of farm to school when choosing to implement a first-time program. The second training, Exploring a School Garden focuses on how school gardens can function as an extension of the classroom to teach about the importance of local agriculture and to promote nutrition education. Be sure to register with the AHG Training Center to access these on-demand trainings!
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