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Volume 8, Issue 11, August 2022
Back to School: Agriculture Education
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As school gardens throughout the State of Massachusetts have grown in number, and as more are built, developed, and maintained - food safety in the garden has become increasingly important. With support from a Fiscal Year 2020 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm to School Implementation grant through Third Sector New England, Massachusetts Farm to School and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources developed the School Garden Food Safety: Assessment Tools, Resources, and Procedures manual and a series of school garden safety webinars.
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These materials outline school garden food safety best practices in order to minimize risks associated with serving food from school gardens. Due to concerns around food safety and handling procedures, some schools may face apprehensions to serving food grown in school gardens. The manual shows how these impediments can be mitigated by following proper food safety and handling procedures. Practicing proper food safety allows students to enjoy food they have grown in the school garden. Having children eat the produce they have grown is not only healthy, but empowering as well, as they will be able to experience the end results of their effort and dedication.
The 2019 USDA Farm to School Census has shown school gardens have become very popular with more than 12,334 edible school gardens across the nation, and Massachusetts schools surveyed have reported 48.5% have school gardens. Although school gardens have seen a recent increase in popularity, school and community gardening has been a part of our nation’s history since the end of the Civil War. One of the earliest school garden programs in the United States was started in 1891 at the George Putnam School in Roxbury, Massachusetts.
School gardens whether in raised beds, directly in the ground, or indoors create an enriching environment for students, staff, and community members to explore and experience many academic areas, and it may even inspire agricultural careers. Gardens also provide social-emotional learning opportunities for students to discover healthy habits, nutrition, food safety, and food and social justice.
With Massachusetts having one of the highest concentrations of school gardens in the Northeast region, the state can set the example for school garden food safety and continue to support garden and farm to school education for generations to come.
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Get the Facts with Farm to School Program Fact Sheets
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The USDA Farm to School Program was the special guest in July at the USDA Farmer’s Market:
Celebrating the Newly Awarded Farm to School Grants
On Monday July 25, 2022, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) made an announcement awarding more than $10 million in Farm to School Grants to 123 projects across the country. The USDA Farmers Market was happy to share and celebrate this accomplishment with the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Farm to School Program as a special guest at the market on July 29th! The Program helps makes local food and agricultural education available to over 67,000 schools' nutrition program participants through grants, research, technical assistance, and training.
Newly Launched: Farm to School Program Stickers Order Page
As farm to school efforts continue to grow across the country, we invite you to spread the word!
Order these FREE fun 2-inch stickers to share with students to encourage them to go “Loco for Local”!
The following entities may order stickers:
- Child nutrition program operators
- Schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program
- Child care institutions and facilities that participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program
- Summer meal sites that participate in the Summer Food Service Program
- State agencies administering the child nutrition programs
- State Departments of Agriculture
Montana Foods Featured in Six New School Recipes
Montana State University (MSU) Team Nutrition and the Montana Office of Public Instruction joined forces to teach students in Bozeman, Montana about foods while tempting their palates. The project rolled out in early 2021, after the Montana Office of Public Instruction received $183,000 from the fiscal year 2021 USDA Team Nutrition Training Grants for School Meal Recipe Development, Cohort A grant. The grant was used for the development of recipes featuring Montana beets, cherries, grains, squash, lentils, and bison. Two of the grant’s objectives were to develop school-appropriate recipes with local foods and to educate students about them. Montana’s K-12 students will be treated to such fare as Bison Barley Soup, Purple Pirate Potatoes, and Cherry Berry Sunrise as it starts appearing on their school lunch menus this year.
Recipes for those and other dishes were recently published by Montana State University’s Montana Team Nutrition program, which oversaw their development and testing in six Montana schools during the 2021-22 school year. The team is part of MSU’s College of Education, Health and Human Development. It trains and supports Montana K-12 schools in promoting food-based education, fostering positive relationships with food, and cultivating healthy school environments.
More information and recipe downloads are available on the Montana Team Nutrition website.
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The Chef Ann Foundation Grant Now Accepting Applications!
The Chef Ann Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to scratch cooking in schools, announced a new grant open to school districts across the country: Get Schools Cooking (GSC), is an assessment and strategic planning program. GSC is a 3-year comprehensive grant program designed to guide districts through the process of becoming a sustainably-run, scratch-cook operation. The program includes detailed district assessments, strategic planning, technical assistance, evaluations, and systems grant to cover items like equipment, staff training, and data solutions.
GSC will be hosting a 45-minute webinar with their operations team to learn more about GSC on Wednesday, September 7 at 10am CT.
Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)
National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program participants may be eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program, a discounted broadband program. This benefit program helps ensure eligible households can afford internet service for work, school, healthcare, and more.
As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the President and Congress created the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides eligible households up to $30/month (or $75/month for households living on Tribal lands) toward their internet bills, as well as a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet.
Families can check their eligibility, sign up, and find fully covered plans at GetInternet.gov (mobile-accessible and available in Spanish) or by calling 877-384-2575.
National School Lunch Program – Apply for Free and Reduced Price School Meals
USDA’s school meal programs are important to millions of children every school day. These meals give children the healthy food they need to learn, grow, and thrive. For the 2022-2023 school year, many families will need to fill out an application to find out if they can get free or reduced price meals.
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is making $68 million available in Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Education and Workforce Development funding. NIFA requests applications for the program to support:
- professional development opportunities for K-14 educational professionals;
- non-formal education that cultivates food and agricultural interest in youth;
- workforce training at community, junior, and technical colleges;
- training of undergraduate students in research and extension;
- fellowships for predoctoral candidates and postdoctoral scholars; and
- special workforce development topics.
Application Due Date: June 30, 2022 - September 1, 2022, depending on the program
FNS is Seeking an Academic or Research Institution to Administer a Grant Program
USDA Food and Nutrition Service is seeking an academic or research institution to administer a grant program that will provide funds for research projects related to equity in Child Nutrition (i.e., school lunch, school breakfast, summer meals, Child and Adult Care Food Program). $2,000,000 of funds are available, which will cover both the administration costs and the grants themselves.
The deadline to apply is Sept 12, 2022.
USDA Invests $2.2 Million to Help Historically Underserved Producers, Small Farms
USDA’s Risk Management Agency is investing more than $2 million to provide education and training to historically underserved farmers, as well as organic, specialty crop, and livestock producers, and education projects that promote eco-friendly practices.
The USDA announced an increase in funding to help schools continue to serve kids healthy meals this coming school year and provide financial relief for schools and child care providers. Effective July 1, 2022, the reimbursement schools receive for each meal served will increase by approximately $0.68 per free/reduced-price lunch and $0.32 per free/reduced price breakfast.
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USDA Announces Increased Funding for School Meals, Child and Adult Care Meals
The USDA announced an increase in funding to help schools continue to serve kids healthy meals this coming school year and provide financial relief for schools and child care providers. Effective July 1, 2022, the reimbursement schools receive for each meal served will increase by approximately $0.68 per free/reduced-price lunch and $0.32 per free/reduced price breakfast.
Location: https://www.labroots.com/virtual-event/2nd-usda-food-loss-waste-innovation-fair
The USDA will be hosting the 2nd USDA Food Loss and Waste Innovation Fair. This free, virtual fair will highlight businesses that are creating or implementing state-of-the-art technical solutions to reduce food loss and waste throughout the food system – from farm to table – and highlight USDA activities in this space. This year’s fair will include a virtual auditorium with presentations, a networking lounge, and four exhibit halls with virtual booths. Attendees can add materials into a virtual briefcase to take with them. There are three categories of booth holders showcasing their food loss and waste activities, products, and innovations: (1) U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions, (2) USDA agencies sharing their work on food loss and waste (in areas such as research, funding, measurement, outreach), and (3) Businesses and Universities that have received USDA funding to research or commercialize an innovation; and local and municipal governments and their partners that have received composting and food waste grants. More information coming soon!
Perk Up for Bell Pepper Season!
With summer upon us and red bell peppers add to the mix of fresh produce offered through USDA DoD Fresh. Red bell peppers are a crunchy and sweet addition to the FDPIR food package.
A few tidbits about red bell peppers:
- They are a delicious low calorie and fat-free vegetable;
- They can be eaten as a snack or added to meals;
- They are versatile and can be enjoyed raw, roasted, sautéed, or blended.
Did you know red peppers have health benefits? They are an excellent source of both vitamin A, great for eye and skin health, and vitamin C, an immune-system booster.
FUN FACT! All bell peppers begin as green peppers and eventually ripen to red peppers - the color of the pepper just depends on when it was harvested.
Check out the USDA Foods Product Information Sheet for information on use, storage, and recipes. Check out SNAP Recipes at MyPlate Kitchen for additional recipes!
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The Dirt is a monthly publication of USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, Farm to School Program, providing news and resources for former, current, and future Farm to School grantees, and for all readers who want to know what is new and exciting in farm to school.
Not yet subscribed to The Dirt?
Hungry for more information about the USDA Farm to School Program?
Please go to the USDA's Farm to School Program Website and discover more about our Farm to School Grant Program, Farm to School Census, and Technical Assistance and Training.
Contact us at farmtoschool@usda.gov
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).
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