USDA Farm to School E-letter - October 4, 2012

USDA NEWS & UPDATES

Connecting Producers and Schools with Food Hubs
Producers often have exactly the products schools need and want, but no way to get their products to market. Enter food hubs, businesses that actively manage the aggregation, distribution, and even marketing of regional food products, strengthening local producers’ ability to satisfy wholesale, retail, and institutional demand. Here at USDA, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has taken the lead in food hub research. Last year, the agency created a food hub portal, which includes the latest research, news and information about food hub development, and identified more than 170 food hubs operating across the country.

AMS also recently developed the Regional Food Hub Resource Guide, a collection of information, resources and background on everything needed to develop or participate in a regional food hub. The guide presents a series of key questions about the current state of food hub development and examples from operating food hubs. It also outlines the role that food hubs can play in regional food systems; their innovative business models; and their economic contributions to local communities. It describes funding opportunities and other resources, best practices, and additional strategies for anyone interested in developing a hub. Click here to learn more >

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Federal State Marketing Improvement Program  
On October 2, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA will award grants for 22 projects under the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) to help create economic opportunities for American farmers and ranchers. Farm to school programs are the focus of grants awarded in New Jersey and Montana. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture will continue its work with Rutgers University to develop value-added products that meet the nutritional and cost requirements of the school lunch program and will provide a new and sustainable market for New Jersey growers. The Montana Department of Agriculture and its partners will explore processing methods to ensure K-12 schools have access to fruits and vegetables year-round. Click here to learn more >

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program  
It was a big week for funding announcements! In addition to the FSMIP grants, Secretary Vilsack announced that USDA will award $55 million in Specialty Crop Block Grants (SCBGs) to support American producers of fruits, vegetables, nuts and other nutritious foods. More than 50 of the initiatives funded this year relate directly to farm to school and school garden efforts. Alaska potato growers are working to develop value-added products to use in the school lunch program, and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension is implementing a garden food safety program. San Joaquin County, CA will receive funding to take third graders from 140 schools on three field trips to farms and farmers’ markets. In North Dakota, SCBG money will be used to fund a part-time farm to school coordinator who will document farm to school models that are working well in the state and collect data on the obstacles that farm to school programs face. Click here to learn more >

Farm to School Grant awards will be made by the end of the month, so stay tuned!

BITS FROM BLOGS

Updated Food Environment Atlas Provides Rich Data on Local Foods
Interest in local and regional food systems has expanded in recent years. The evidence is everywhere: from the number of farmers markets more than doubling nationwide since 2004, to the rising popularity of “community supported agriculture” (CSA) participation, to the increasingly common sight of restaurants and retail grocery outlets stocking and promoting meat and produce from local farmers and ranchers. This consumer trend has implications for the farms that supply these markets, firms across the retail supply chain, and policy makers at the federal, state and local levels that often promote local foods in various nutrition, food assistance and community development programs.

Individual markets for local foods can differ greatly based on the types of crops and livestock that are produced nearby, the marketing channels in place to get local foods to consumers demanding them, and the seasonality of production, among other factors. ERS’s recently updated Food Environment Atlas provides an extensive set of county-level indicators that are important for understanding the market for foods produced and sold locally. Like USDA’s Compass Map on the Know Your Farmer-Know Your Food site, the Food Environment Atlas uses an online interactive mapping tool to provide information reflecting local food systems around the country. Read more >

Stay up to date with all USDA news and stories on the USDA Blog!

WEBINARS & TRAININGS

Healthier School Meals Webinar ~ October 9 
On Tuesday, October 9, at 3:00 pm EDT, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service and Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will host a special webinar, The School Day Just Got Healthier, for faith-based organizations! Thanks to the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act, major changes are being made to improve the food kids eat in schools. Join us to learn more about what the new school meal standards mean for your community, and what tools are available to help you share these changes with your congregation or organization. We’ll also talk about how you can help to make the day healthier at your place of worship. First Lady Michelle Obama has recorded a back to school message to students about the new school meal changes that you can watch by clicking here.

To join the webinar on October 9, click on this link or dial 1-800-621-9468, access code 2916980#. If you have any questions, email collaborate@usda.gov.

 

Did you know that October is National Farm to School Month? Check out what USDA agencies do to support farm to school by clicking here.