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Reports from the Field |
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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 including the end of this week and the end of the month. In This Issue
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How can I learn more about the impacts of Farm to School? Bearing Fruit: Farm to School Program Evaluation Resources and Recommendations To order a copy, click here. JOB OPENINGS Farm to School Coordinator Washington Department of Agriculture This position will coordinate and implement the farm to school projects funded by a 2009 USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant. Apply for the position here. Farm to School Program Specialist Washington Department of Agriculture This position will be a part of the Farm to School Program team, and will work in partnership with the Small Farm & Direct Marketing Team and other partners to deliver programming to increase the purchases of Washington grown foods by Washington schools. Apply for the position here. Regional Manager-East and Mid-Atlantic Action for Healthy Kids Provide technical assistance to 14 state-based coalitions and networks to support implementation of state-level action plans, policy, programs, and services. See full position here. (pdf) POLICY Farm to School in the House and in DC A summary of the three bills supporting Farm to School being introduced in the House of Representatives. Click here. (pdf) Check out the Healthy Schools Act that was introduced in DC. PUBLICATIONS What USDA Can Do for Farm to School Community Food Security Coalition, National Farm to School Network, School Food FOCUS This document is a ten-point roadmap for national coordination between government and partners promoting Farm to School and sustainable procurement practices. (pdf) VIDEOS 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)
Jan.16: NOFA Massachusetts Annual Winter Conference Jan.22: DC Farm to School Fundraiser Feb. 6: Santa Clara Farm to School Workshop, California Feb.19: Georgia Farm to School Summit
Save the Date! May 17-19, 2010: 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference, Detroit, Michigan Helpful Links www.FarmtoSchool.org Follow us on Twitter!
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SpotlightPresent at the 5th National Farm to Cafeteria ConferenceDo have a project to share for a poster session? Or want to lead a workshop on innovative distribution routes from farm to cafeteria? Then submit now! The National Farm to School Network seeks proposals for workshops and a poster session at its 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit, Michigan, May 17 – 19, 2010. Please note that the overarching goal of the conference is to include information on all forms of institutional food purchasing. Food safety, youth advocacy, infrastructure development, grant writing, economic development, research, food service innovation and much more are meant to apply to Farm to Cafeteria in its broadest sense, including but not limited to K-12 schools, pre-schools, day care centers, colleges, hospitals, prisons and other institutions. The deadline is Friday, January 15th for submission. Submit proposals at http://farmtocafeteriaconference.com/5e
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Featured ProfileUSDA Farm to School Tactical Team Site Visits
Apply now! Deadline: January 31, 2010 “If you are a school district interested in being considered for a USDA Farm to School Tactical Team visit, please contact the USDA." Districts will have until January 31, 2010, to send in their request for consideration. All you have to submit is the school district name, city, state, and your contact information. The school’s Food Service Director will receive an e-mail from the USDA Farm to School Team containing more information about the visit. The USDA Tactical Team will conduct visits to nine schools to learn about a school district's Farm to School efforts including how the activities first began; the relationship between growers and the school district; what obstacles exist or were faced along the way; and the effects the activities have had on the school and the community. The Tactical Team plans to visit nine sites that offer the following: * Regional representation of the Nation If you have further questions, please email farmtoschool@fns.usda.gov. USDA Farm to School website
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FundingWelch's Harvest Grants This year, in partnership with Scholastic, Welch’s will support school garden programs through Welch’s Harvest Grants . Entries will be judged by experts at the National Gardening Association, and two schools in every state will be selected to receive a Welch’s Harvest Grant. Winning schools will receive a customized indoor or outdoor garden package filled with a variety of tools, seeds, educational materials, and more. Deadline for submission is February 6, 2010. Apply here: http://www.scholastic.com/harvest/
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New Midwest RLANational Center for Agriculture Technology is the new Midwest Regional Lead AgencyCongratulations to the new Midwest Regional Lead Agency, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). As the regional lead agency, NCAT is the hub for Farm to School activities in the Midwest region, which encompasses North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Missouri. In this role, NCAT supports the National Network in areas of policy, information, media, and networking opportunities as well as training and technical assistance for individuals working on farm to school issues. Look for more information about NCAT in the coming months. Contact: Hannah Lewis |
A Taste of Winter NewsLeaders of the Pack: Farm to School Programs Feed Kids Across the Countryby Kathy Shorr. Simple Steps.Quietly, whether in rural communities or large cities, schools are finding novel ways to feed kids healthier, locally grown food, often cultivated by the children themselves as part of the curriculum. You might picture this as the province of wealthy school districts only, but the hundreds of farm to school programs across the country include places like the Baltimore public schools, where over 83% of the students qualify for free- and reduced-rate meals. Read the entire article. Tater tots out, apples inBy DREW KERR. Poststar.Little Debbie has left the building. So have the French fries, the high-fructose fruit snacks, the faux chicken nuggets and the packages of potato chips - items previously available to students in the Saratoga Springs City School District during their lunch hour. Read the entire article. Farm to School Pen Palsby vermont grand view farm.This is the third year that Vermont Grand View Farm has participated in the Northeast Organic Farming Association's (NOFA) farm to school pen pal program. NOFA helps match classrooms with individual farmers who are willing to form relationships with the children through letter writing. NOFA's goal is to increase community awareness of local agriculture, sustainable farm practices, and enhance student learning through local resources. Read the entire article.
Help Support Farm to School
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Read past e-news
Farm to School Routes Reports from the Winter Fields - January 2010
Farm to School Routes Reports from the Field - November 2009
Farm to School Routes USDA on Farm to School--Special Update - September 2009
Farm to School Routes Back to School Harvest - August 2009
Farm to School Routes Reports from the Field - June 2009
Farm to School Routes April Showers of Resources - April 2009
Farm to School Routes Vote for Real Food - February 2009
Farm to School Routes Broadcast Farm to School - January 2009
Farm to School Routes Happy Holidays - December 2008
Farm to School Routes Happy Thanksgiving - November 2008
Farm to School Routes Back to Lunch - August 2008
Farm to School Routes Policy - July 2008
Farm to School Routes Special Edition CNR - June 2008
Farm to School Routes The Southeast - May 2008
Farm to School Routes Victory Against Hunger Awards - April 2008
Farm to School Routes The West - March 2008
Farm to School Routes Special Edition - February 2008
Farm to School Routes The South - January 2008
Farm to School Routes The Northeast - December 2007
Farm to School Routes The MidAtlantic - November 2007
Forging New Routes from Farm to School - October 2007
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