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Volume 9, Issue 3, November 2022
Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
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When the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Farm to School Project Manager started reaching out to school foodservice directors at the five schools on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation about procuring local beef and buffalo, everyone was excited. The Tribe, based in Eagle Butte, South Dakota quickly learned that while schools on the reservation were on board with serving more local beef and buffalo in school meals, they didn’t exactly know how.
That’s why the Tribe used part of their FY 2020 USDA Farm to School Planning grant to develop a procurement guide for local producers, processors, and schools aiming to integrate local beef or buffalo into school meals. The guide includes a list of local producers, processors, and school contacts, which helped catalyze connections between local producers and schools on the reservation.
Educating students about locally sourced food and its cultural importance was another component of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s planning grant. The Tribe’s grant project team developed a farm to school education guide tailored to the Tribe’s culture, history, and available resources. To teach students about the traditional uses of buffalo, for example, they distributed “buffalo boxes” (pictured above, photo provided by Cheyenne River Farm to School) containing a buffalo hide, hooves, hair, bladder, and more, to schools on the reservation.
To continue their work, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe received a FY 2022 Farm to School Implementation grant. Using the plans they developed, they aim to provide locally sourced beef and buffalo in school meals for the estimated 2,200 students attending schools on the Reservation. One lesson learned from the Cheyenne River Farm to School Project Manager was that growing local partner networks is the key to really institutionalizing local procurement.
We can’t wait to see what’s next for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and all Tribal Farm to School grantees!
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Farm to School Grantee Serving Native American Students Hosts School Farmers Markets
Tahlequah Public Schools, a Fiscal Year 2021 USDA Farm to School Program grantee based in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, recently hosted farmers markets at elementary schools in their district. Nearly 60% of students in the district are Native American. At the onsite markets students tasted and learned about traditional Native American crops and took home some raw veggies and recipe cards.
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USDA Farm to School Team Engages with Tribal Stakeholders at Conferences
In October 2022, USDA Farm to School Program staff attended the National Indian Education Association Convention in Oklahoma City, OK, to share resources and learn how to better support Tribal participation in farm to school programming. The annual convention brings together Tribal leaders, educators, teachers, parents, partners, students, and stakeholders to impact the future of Native education. Next month, USDA Farm to School Program National Office and Western Regional Office staff will attend and host an exhibition booth at the Intertribal Agricultural Council Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada from December 6-8, 2022.
Department of Interior Announces Indigenous Food Hubs
The Department of Interior recently announced that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) will create Indigenous Food Hubs at four BIE-operated schools and four BIA-operated detention centers. The hubs will help schools and centers source indigenous foods from Native producers and vendors, develop culturally based nutrition education materials, and provide foodservice personnel training on healthy and culturally appropriate food preparation.
USDA Highlights Food Waste Reduction through Farm to School
USDA recently published a blog post highlighting the potential food waste reduction benefits associated with implementing Farm to School programming. Food waste reduction and tracking efforts in schools, like composting school food scraps, are allowable activities within USDA Farm to School Grant Program projects. For more information about USDA’s Food Loss and Waste efforts sign up for the USDA Food Loss and Waste newsletter and visit the Food Loss and Waste website.
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USDA Continues to Expand Local Foods in School Meals through Cooperative Agreements
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) recently announced it has signed cooperative agreements with Vermont, Florida, and South Carolina to increase the purchase of nutritious, local foods for school meal programs through the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program. To date, thirteen States have signed cooperative agreements to participate in the program.
USDA Announces Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Grantees
On October 26, USDA announced an investment of $14.2 million in 52 grants that support urban agriculture and innovative production. The Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grant Program funds a wide range of urban agriculture activities through planning and implementation grant projects that expand access to nutritious foods, foster community engagement, provide agricultural education, and expand green spaces in urban communities.
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New USDA Resources to Empower Indigenous Food Sovereignty
USDA recently announced new resources as part of the USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative, which promotes traditional food ways, Indian Country food and agriculture markets, and Indigenous health through foods tailored to American Indian/Alaska Native dietary needs.
The resources include:
- Regional Seed Saving Hubs created in partnership with Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance - Indigenous Seed Keepers Network.
- Twelve videos on foraging wild and Indigenous plants, produced in partnership with foraging and ethnobotany experts Linda Black Elk, Lisa Iron Cloud (Oglala Sioux), and Addelina Lucero (Taos Pueblo/Yaqui).
- A users’ manual for interested ranchers titled “Transitioning from Cattle to Bison,” created in partnership with Intertribal Buffalo Council.
- Twelve recipes and instructional cooking videos using Indigenous foods.
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Explore Native American Recipes and More in the FDPIR Sharing Gallery
The USDA Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) provides USDA Foods to income-eligible households living on Indian reservations and to Native American households residing in designated areas near reservations or in Oklahoma. Check out the FDPIR Sharing Gallery to explore traditional Native American foods and recipes, cooking demonstration videos, nutrition education activities, and more.
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New School Nutrition YouTube Channel Features Farm to School Programming
A new YouTube Channel focused on telling innovative stories in school nutrition, Scott’s Free Lunch, featured the Mechanicville City School District’s farm to school efforts. In the video, the District’s Foodservice Director, Deborah Mackey, describes the partnerships and initiatives that led the district to procure and serve more local foods in school meals.
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Power of the Food Program Virtual Training for CACFP Program Operators
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Sponsors Association will host a virtual training on December 7, 2022, from 11:00 AM – 4:30 PM ET called Power of the Food Program. The training will include seven sessions on topics like CACFP 101, financial reimbursements for meals served, guide to the meal pattern components, menu planning and recipe ideas, and more.
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National Farm to Food Assistance Survey and Community of Practice
To better understand the farm to food assistance market, The Wallace Center created the first national Farm to Food Assistance survey in collaboration with Duke World Food Policy Center and a panel of community-based advisors. Information collected through the survey will help practitioners, policymakers, and funders better understand how to strengthen the farm to food assistance market. The survey will be open through December 2, 2022 and participants will be entered in a raffle to win $250. The Wallace Center also hosts a monthly Community of Practice (CoP) call on the second Thursday of the month at 3:00 PM ET for farm to food assistance program managers.
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USDA Farm to School Grant Program Gives Priority Consideration for Applications from Indian Tribal Organizations
The Request for Applications (RFA) for the FY 2023 Farm to School Grant Program remains open through January 6, 2023. Applicants who meet certain criteria, including applicants from Indian Tribal Organizations and entities led and staffed by Native Americans and serving Native American communities, will receive bonus points in the application review process.
Apply by January 6, 2023
USDA Expands Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) Self-Determination Demonstration Project
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is soliciting a second round of proposals for the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) Self-Determination Demonstration Project. Through the demonstration project, Tribal Organizations administering FDPIR can enter into self-determination contracts with USDA to purchase their own foods for the FDPIR food packages distributed to Tribal members who participate in the program. The program supports Tribal self-governance, Tribal economies, and nutrition security in Tribal communities.
Apply by January 31, 2023
USDA Request for Applications for School Food System Transformation Challenge Sub-Grants Cooperative Agreement
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) invites non-governmental entities to apply to develop and implement the Healthy Meals Incentives School Food System Transformation (SFST) Challenge Sub-Grants. Up to $50 million will be awarded for up to four cooperative agreements to entities that will offer competitive sub-grants to support collaborative projects partnering with non-governmental entities, School Food Authorities (SFAs), and the food industry. The SFST Challenge Sub-Grants are a key part of USDA FNS’ Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative, which aims to improve the nutritional quality of school meals. Interested applicants can attend an informational webinar on December 7, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Apply by February 1, 2023
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USDA Rural Development Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program
The USDA Rural Development Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program guarantees loans of up to $40 million for qualified lenders to finance food systems projects, specifically for the start-up or expansion of activities in the middle of the food supply chain. The program will support new investments in infrastructure for food aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storage, transportation, wholesaling, and distribution. Applications will be accepted until funds are exhausted.
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program
The Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP) brings together food system stakeholders to increase the capacity for food, garden, and nutrition education within host organizations or entities, such as school cafeterias and classrooms, while fostering higher levels of community engagement between farms and school systems. FASLP projects are intended for eligible applicants to expand existing farm-to-school initiatives and other food and agriculture experiential learning initiatives.
Apply by December 8, 2022
USDA Regional Food Business Centers Application Deadline Extended
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) extended the deadline for the Request for Applications for funding for Regional Food Business Centers to December 15, 2022. USDA also issued an updated RFA (pdf) and application documents to clarify role types (Lead Applicant, Key Partners, and Collaborators) and document requirements.
Apply by December 15, 2022
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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