Farm to school is a program that brings together local schools, state agencies and organizations together with local farmers to supply healthy nutritious food to our childrens’ schools.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently published in the Federal Register a Proposed Rule, Restoration of Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Flexibilities,which seeks to reinstate vacated milk, whole grains, and sodium flexibilities and make them available once again to schools and institutions participating in Child Nutrition Programs. For further background, visit the USDA announcement to stakeholders.Comments can be submitted on the Proposed Rule via regulations.gov through December 28, 2020.
Healthier School Community 2020 Virtual Forum
December 15 // 3-4:15pm ET
We learned a lot this year when COVID-19 turned U.S. schools into epicenters for addressing food insecurity in America. And it appears far from over. But now it’s time to look forward and embrace best practices to make schools the whole child and whole health environments they need to be. Join GENYOUth and the School Superintendents’ Association (AASA) on Tuesday, December 15 from 3-4:15 PM ET for a unique convening of luminaries and top minds in school leadership, public health, media and communication. Registration is free, but space is limited.Register here.
Winter School Garden Programming During COVID-19
December 16 // 2pm ET
Since last spring we’ve seen innumerable examples of how educators have adapted their teaching practices in light of the unique challenges posed by Covid-19. As temperatures get colder and many school gardens are put to bed for the winter months additional adjustments will likely be needed to continue providing garden- and food-based learning opportunities to students. In this Virtual Gathering hosted by the School Garden Support Organization Network, we will share creative ideas for tackling winter programming during Covid-19 whether you’re engaged in remote, hybrid, or in-person learning. Register here.
2020-21 N.C. Jr. Chef Competition
Calling high school Jr. Chefs to enter their recipes in the virtual 2020-21 N.C. Jr. Chef Competition (NCJCC)! The NCJCC challenges teams of 2-4 high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) students enrolled in Culinary Arts and Hospitality, Food and Nutrition, or Food Science and Technology courses to work with their Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher and local School Nutrition Program to create a recipe for a school lunch entrée that features at least two North Carolina grown ingredients and one USDA Foods item, adheres to federal nutrition guidelines and meets student taste preferences. Intent to compete forms are due 12/18 and submission forms with application and recipe, recipe photo, and permission forms are due 2/1. Please share competition info with prospective teams.
The School Nutrition and District Operations Division and Career and Technical Education Division at the NC Department of Public Instruction partnered with the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) Farm to School Program, NC Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) and the Farm to School Coalition of North Carolina (F2SCNC) to plan the North Carolina Jr. Chef Competition. Learn morehttps://bit.ly/2KVeO4f .
Grant Opportunities
2021 Farm to School Grant Request for Applications is Now Open!
Deadline: January 8
The fiscal year (FY) 2021 Farm to School Grant ProgramRequest for Applications (RFA) is now available! The solicitation officially opened October 16, 2020 and will remain open until 11:59pm ET on January 8th, 2021. FNS seeks to award up to $10 million this fiscal year. New for FY 2021, institutions operating the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program at non-school based sites are included in the definition of eligible schools and may apply for funding.
Please send grant opportunities to Arneisha Smallwood, ansmallw@ncsu.edu, or Tessa Thraves, tes_thraves@ncsu.edu.
Racial Equity Resources
Webinar Recording: From Erasure to Resilience: The Future of Food Security and Food Sovereignty in Indian Country
For thousands of years before European contact, indigenous peoples enjoyed self-sufficiency and self-determination. After land seizures and forced relocations many Tribes lost the ability to sustain themselves. Colonialism, structural racism and failed U.S. federal policies have led to Native Americans suffering some of the highest rates of poverty, food insecurity, and diet-related diseases. The ongoing Native-led efforts to achieve food security and food sovereignty across Indian Country are and have always been urgent in a post-colonial world – and recent events have thrown that need into stark relief and brought the priorities of Indian Country into the national conversation. Watch this panel discussion featuring advocates who defy the persistence of Native invisibility, harness the resilience of Tribal Nations today, and lift up the promise of Native food systems and agriculture. Watch here.
Additional Racial Equity Resources
The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), one of our Farm to School Coalition of NC partners, has created a document of current webinars as well as resources to facilitate engagement and learning around Racial Equity, both in general and especially as it relates to food systems and education. View webinars/ resourceshere.
National Farm to School Network
Native Farm to School for Food Sovereignty
First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) is a Native-led nonprofit and recipient of a 2020 USDA Regional Farm to School Institute Grant. They recently established Native Farm to School—a project within the Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative. The goal of the project is to support Farm to School programs serving Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities throughout Indian Country that aim to bring food sovereignty to their local food systems. Keep an eye out for the revised Native Farm to School Resource Guide that will be available in early 2021. Learn more about the Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative at firstnations.org.
