July 2008


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As the farm to school movement builds, this newsletter highlights pivotal policies, news, publications, and events with July's focus on the policy opportunities to improve farm to school initiatives. Please contact us if you have any comments or suggestions.

Spotlight Story

Farm to School Legislation By State

The National Farm to School Network has recently compiled a
listing of the 18 states that have passed farm to school legislation. The
legislation ranges from hiring a state farm to school coordinator to
recommending the use of locally grown products in school meals
whenever possible. Links to the legislative language are included,
and a power point presentation has also been developed from the
document. You can access the document here and also on our website.

For example: Virginia

SJ 347 (2007)
SJ 347 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry and the Secretary of Education to establish a Farm to School Task Force that will develop a plan for implementing a farm to school program in Virginia. The task force will study methods for providing information to the Virginia Department of Education, interested schools, divisions, and institutions of higher education regarding the availability of Virgina products. The task force has been formed.

To search for Virginia state legislation: http://leg1.state.va.us/

If you have any questions, please contact Marion Kalb: 505-474-5782.

Featured Profile

The Rising Cost of Food and Its Impact on Federal Child Nutrition Programs

On July 9th, the Congressional Committee on Education and Labor held a hearing on increasing food prices and how it will impact school lunches and other federal child nutrition programs. Due to technology perks, you can view the entire hearing live here.

Witness testimony is also available in pdf:

Scott Faber »click here
Vice President for Federal Affairs
Grocery Manufacturers Association

James Harnett »click here
President and CEO
Family and Children's Association

Kate Houston »click here
Deputy Under Secretary
USDA Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

Paula James »click here
Director
Child Health and Nutrition Program, Contra Costa Child Care Council

Ephraim Leibtag »click here
Economist
USDA Economic Research Service

Pavel N. Matustik »click here
Chief Administrative Officer
Santa Clarita Valley School, Food Services Agency

Katie Wilson »click here
President-elect
School Nutrition Association and Food & Nutrition Coordinator
Onalaska School District

Coming Soon

The School Food Revolution: Public Food and the Challenge of Sustainable Development

By Roberta Sonnino and Kevin Morgan
To be released November 2008

The starting point of the book is that school meal systems can provide significant payoffs, including lower food miles, the creation of markets for local producers and effective food education initiatives that empower consumers by nurturing their capacity to eat healthily. To assess this potential, the book compares a variety of sites involved in the school food revolution - from rural communities committed to the values of ‘the local' to global cities such as London, New York and Rome that feed millions of ethnically diverse young people daily.

The book also examines the developing country school feeding programme of the United Nations.Ultimately the book provides a critical look at the worlds of theory, policy and practice and it is a guide to the design and delivery of sustainable school food systems.

Kevin Morgan is a Professor of European Regional Development in the School of City and Regional Planning, Cardiff University, UK. Roberta Sonnino is a Lecturer in Environmental Policy and Planning at the School of City and Regional Planning, Cardiff University, UK.

To pre-order, click here.

This Month's News

Chef Proves School Lunch Can Be Healthy, Cheap

by Eleanor Beardsley. National Public Radio.

At the school, he prepares meals for about 800 students, using all fresh, local ingredients. The introduction of healthy school lunch programs, like this one, is one major reason France has been able to curb childhood obesity rates after two decades on the rise, according to two recent studies. Read the entire article.

Teens pick strawberries for city schools

by Connor Boals. Burlington Free Press.

The farm provides local produce for the Burlington school district and all of the strawberries the teens picked will be sent straight to the schools they attend. Read the entire article.

Educators gather to study food initiative

by Ashley Wilson. Asheville Citizan Times.

Local newspaper covers the Southeast Regional Farm to School meeting in Asheville, NC. Read the entire article.

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