Reports from the Field - June

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As the farm to school movement grows, this newsletter highlights pivotal policies, news, publications, and events. Please contact us if you have any comments or suggestions. Please make note of the upcoming deadlines below.

Farm to School Programs: Perspectives of School Food Service Professionals

School food service professionals described 3 motivators for buying locally grown food for their cafeterias: (1) “The students like it,” (2) “The price is right,” and (3) “We're helping our local farmer.” Students' preference for locally grown food was related to food quality, influence of school staff, and relationships with farmers. Learn more.

Massachusetts
Farms Directory for School Food Services

The annually updated directory of farms interested in selling to public school districts and colleges is available here (pdf).

Farm to Cafeteria in Native American Communities Report Emily Dwyer

This publication seeks to profile work underway in Native America to restore traditional food systems for children in tribal schools. The report was written by Emily Dwyer with Winona LaDuke and Kyra Busch and support from the National Farm to School Network. (pdf)

Introductions to Farm to School

From the kids' point of view, this short entertaining video provides the what, why, how, and who of Farm to School. Produced by Glory B. Media under the direction of Debra Eschmeyer for the National Farm to School Network. (Video link)

One Tray

Click here to view “Lunch Encounters,” a spoof of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and “Priceless,” a MasterCard parody that explain the significance school food has in kids’ diets. (Video link)

Alaska--Passed HB 70, a Farm to School Act

Similar to programs proposed in several other states, its intent is to strengthen links between state agriculture and state food procurement in schools, expand local markets, and improve nutrition. It improves upon current law that requires schools receiving state moneys to purchase agricultural products harvested in the state if, and only if, they are priced no more then seven percent higher then similar products imported to Alaska. For more information, go here.

FoodCorps!

Join us as we plan a national AmeriCorps Farm to School and school garden program! Click here to get involved!

UPCOMING EVENTS

June 22: Increasing North Dakota's Farm to School Opportunities, ND

July 1: Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Event, OK

July 10-13: School Nutrition National Conference, TN

July 22-24:
National Children & Youth Garden Symposium, CA

Helpful Links

www.FarmtoSchool.org
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Contact Us

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Conference Left Overs

Taking Root: 5th National Farm to Cafteria Conference

Over 700 attendees came to Detroit for the 5th Farm to Cafeteria Conference from 44 states & DC, 6 Canadian provinces, Brazil and the Netherlands! For those that couldn’t make it, we posted video recordings of the keynote by Kathleen Merrigan, USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, as well as the Real Food Is… video contest acceptance speech by 5th grader Olivia Farrell from Lincoln Elementary School, Mount Vernon, Washington. To access the presentations, materials, photos, and more, go to www.farmtocafeteriaconference.org.

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Cooking Up Change Winners!

Congratulations to the winners of the Cooking up Change national healthy cooking contest!

The student chefs of the Tohono O'odham Community Action Cooking Club took home the trophy in the high school division with their first-place school lunch of tepary bean quesadillas, baby spinach and pear salad with carrot vinaigrette, and yogurt peanut butter fruit dip. In the college division, the student chefs of the University of California, Berkeley placed first with their lunch of heart-healthy cornbread casserole, colorful rice delight, brownie surprise.

Students created the meal using only ingredients commonly available for food service -- including one local ingredient -- and no more than six steps per recipe. Their efforts highlight the challenges and incredible importance of bringing fresh, healthy, tasty school food to all students. Congratulations to the student chefs!

Farm to School on the Hill

"Farm to school programs exemplify the best use of federal school lunch dollars. " Rep. Rush Holt (NJ)

In total there are 6 bills trying to work their way into the Child Nutrition Reauthorization that include Farm to School.

H.R. 4710 Farm to School Improvements Act of 2010—Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ)--would provide $50 million in mandatory funding for a competitive grant program supporting Farm to School programs at USDA

H.R. 4333 Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Act of 2009—Representative Sam Farr (D-CA)—this comprehensive bill is aimed at supporting salad bars in school, increasing funding for equipment, and also includes language similar to Rep. Holt’s language in support of Farm to School

H.R. 5456 National Farm-to-School Act of 2010—Representative Betty McCollum—would authorize discretionary funding for a competitive grant program supporting Farm to School programs at USDA , and encourages the use of existing USDA programs to support Farm to School efforts.

H.R. 5209 Healthy Communities through Helping to Offer Incentives and Choices to Everyone in Society Act of 2010—Representative Ron Kind—this comprehensive bill is aimed at combating obesity and includes language authorizing Farm to School programs

S. 3123 Growing Farm to School Programs Act of 2010—Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT)--would provide $50 million in mandatory funding for a competitive grant program supporting Farm to School programs at USDA

S. 3144 Healthy Food in Schools Act of 2010—Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)—this comprehensive bill is aimed at supporting salad bars in school, increasing funding for equipment, and also includes language similar to Rep. Holt’s language in support of Farm to School

Status in the Senate:
On March 24, 2010 the Senate Agriculture Committee passed S. 3307, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. This legislation is the overall CNR bill offered by Chairwoman Blanche Lincoln (D-AR). The bill included an additional $4.5 billion in funding for nutrition programs over ten years. While this is the largest increase in funding in the history of child nutrition, it falls short of the $10 billion in new funding proposed in the Obama Administration’s budget. The legislation includes $40 million in mandatory funding and language from Sen. Leahy’s Farm to School bill along with several other improvements to current law including nutrition standards, increase reimbursements, and improvements in program access. It is imperative that we continue to push for the full Senate to take up S. 3307 and pass it.

House: On June 10, 2010 Chairman George Miller (D-CA) introduced H.R. 5504, The Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act of 2010. The legislation is directed at improving the quality of meals children eat both in and out of school and in childcare settings, supporting community efforts to reduce childhood hunger and, for the first time, establishing nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools. The bill would increase spending on the nutrition program by nearly $8 billion, and includes $50 million in mandatory funding for Farm to School programs based on Rep Holt’s bill. The House Education and Labor Committee plans to take up consideration of the bill in the coming weeks. It is imperative that the bill move through committee and be passed on the House floor and that we continue to push House Leadership to work with Chairman Miller on finding the dollars to offset the spending increase.

Learn more here.

Funds for Farm to School

Community Facilities Grants: Rolling deadline, but sooner the better!
Need funding for Farm to School and live in a rural community of fewer than 20,000 people? Need kitchen equipment? Or land for the school garden? The USDA Rural Development's Community Facilities Program received $44 million in federal funding and an additional $31 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (stimulus) funds that must be awarded by August 2010. Needless to say, there is money available! Grants range from $20,000 to $60,000. And they need proposals NOW.

There has been some confusion over match, and yes, it is required, but the percentage depends on community demographics and ranges from 25 percent to 85 percent. Since time is short, the proposals with the greatest likelihood of success this year will be very simple applications for the purchase of equipment. For example, kitchen equipment or salad bars to serve locally-grown products in the cafeteria. However, the program is not limited to Farm to School, and these funds can be used for other innovative regional food system projects like slaughter facilities, community kitchens, regional food hub buildings, and food desert solutions such as installation of water for community gardens. Please note that the project must not be a commercial endeavor and must serve the community as a whole. Grants and loans are made to towns, counties, tribes, and NGOs for all types of community facilities. And a friendly tip: mention Know Your Farmer Know Your Food in your project description!

For more information about this program, or to file an application, first contact the local Rural Development office in your area. For detailed questions about the program, please contact Chad Parker, 202-720-1500 or Beth Jones, 202-720-1498. If you have recommendations for Farm to School programs that should be funded, please contact Debra Eschmeyer. Don’t delay! Go here for more information.

Hunger-Free Communities Grants: Due September 1, 2010

On June 8th, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA will invest in research, planning, and various hunger relief activities through $5 million in funding for the new Hunger-Free Communities grants that was authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill. Through the grants, FNS seeks strategies that support the creation of Hunger-Free Communities by funding activities including food distribution, community outreach, resource development and other methods to make food more accessible to those most in need. Two models of grants will be funded: 1) One million will fund Planning and Assessment Grants to evaluate food insecurity in communities and develop strategies to become hunger-free. 2) The remaining $4 million will support Implementation Grants for communities that already have a plan to end hunger and need resources for program implementation.

These are collaborative grants, and applicants are required to partner with one or more organizations in their communities. Applicants are also required to partner with Food Policy Councils or their functional equivalent at the local level or include the creation of a Food Policy Council as part of their application should one not serve their community. Grant applications may be submitted by email or through www.grants.gov.

Farm to Preschool

Farm to School From Birth to 5!

The San Diego Childhood Obesity Initiative has begun a new media-based healthy eating initiative for the 0-5 age group. Funded through San Diego County's CDC grant, the Farm to Preschool program will be working with San Diego Growers providing local produce to preschools as well as promoting local farmers. The YMCA will be offering Farm to PreK parent workshops, and the Community Health Improvement Partners will be developing a nutrition clearinghouse database, a bilingual e-newsletter geared towards preK parents with Harvest of the Month materials, as well as a farmers' market finders database and some other great local resources. If you are interesting in learning more or sharing information about your Farm to Preschool efforts, please contact Zoe Phillips.

A Taste of Spring News

Farm to School Project Gets Tons of Strawberries to Children

by Debbie Arrington. The Sacramento Bee.

The "eat local" movement has gone to school. Two healthy-living initiatives converged in Sacramento strawberry fields and school cafeterias last spring. Under an innovative new program, strawberries grown by local small family farms were rushed to local school cafeterias, supplying children with healthy fresh fruit – often the same day they were picked. · Read the full article.

Perspective: A Farm to Cafeteria Program in Jefferson County

The Leader

What is a farm-to-cafeteria program and why is it important for our community? It means serving locally grown foods in institutions; including schools, hospitals and senior centers. It means providing better tasting and more nutritious food that’s freshly picked and often organically grown. It means creating new markets for small farmers who struggle with overhead costs, high land values, yet don’t qualify for government subsidies. It means growing school gardens, offering hands-on education in science, math, environment, nutrition and health. Read the entire article.

SNA Magazine: June/July

The June/July issue of School Nutrition, SNA’s award-winning flagship publication, walks you through the steps for deciding whether such a program is right for your school meals operation, as well as for implementing best practices. You’ll discover that whatever the size of your geographic area, starting a farm to school program may be easier than you think. And if a farm to school program is already underway in your district, check out some suggestions from your school nutrition colleagues on how to fine-tune your efforts to make this aspect of your school nutrition program as effective as possible. (Please note that these articles require membership to SNA)

“Many Routes to Many Roots” examines how a few different farm to school models are working for districts from one coast to the other.

In “From Magic Beans to Golden Eggs,” school nutrition operators across the country explain how they have moved beyond some common myths associated with farm to school programs and seen their efforts blossom.

Looking for a primer on what to think about if you’d like to start your own farm to school program? “Planting the Seeds” provides some food for thought when it comes to the key questions you’ll need to answer before you get started.

Running a successful farm to school program is about more than simply obtaining food from various sources and providing it to your students. Read “Mind the GAP” to make sure you’re protecting your students by working with farmers who implement the “Good Agricultural Practices” recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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