This Week in Farm to School | |
Farm to school connects local agriculture, schools, and partners to benefit students, educators, farmers, families, and communities. | |
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2023 North Carolina Jr Chef Competition (NCJCC)
Application due: February 3rd
Did you know the #NCJrChef Competition is a great way for students to learn about school meals and farm to school? Students can create school lunch entree recipes that feature NC-grown ingredients.
Competition info and materials are posed on the NCDPI, Office of School Nutrition website. New resources are available to assist teams with the 2023 NC Jr Chef Competition. A competition overview webinar was held on January 11th. The webinar recording and slides are now posted. In addition, a Google sheet version of the team application is now available along with the Excel workbook version.
Learn more here.
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Community RootedTM Solutions
February 8, 2023 // 10 am - 1 pm ET
Join the Durham County Food Security Office for their final virtual training focused on food justice. This session will be led by Camryn Smith from Communities in Partnership, Dr. Danielle Spurlock from UNC Chapel Hill, and Dr. Kay Jowers from Duke University. For more information, contact Mary Oxendine, moxendine@dconc.gov.
View the training here.
2023 High Tunnel Winter Vegetable and Strawberry Cultivar Demonstrations
February 10, 2023 // 10 am - 12 pm
Join Dr. Sanjun Gu, Horticulture Extension Specialist at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, to learn about winter crops and season extension in high tunnels. This demonstration will be hosted at the CEFS Small Farm Unit in Goldsboro, North Carolina.
Register here.
Become a Qualified Vendor for USDA Food Commodities Purchases Webinar
February 15, 2023 // 2 pm ET
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Commodity Procurement Program at the US Department of Agriculture is hosting an interactive webinar on becoming an approved USDA food vendor. AMS purchases approximately $6 billion of US-grown and processed foods annually for both domestic and international food assistance programs. Find out how your company can participate in these purchases that support American agriculture.
Register here.
Food Solutions New England February Intensive Series - Belonging
February 17, 2023 // 10 am - 4 pm ET
Join Food Solutions New England co-hosts Karen Spiller and Curtis Ogden for the second installment in their February Intensive Series. During this session, they will be talking with the Othering and Belonging Institute at the University of California-Berkeley, a community of scholars, organizers, communicators, researchers, artists, and policymakers committed to building a world where all people belong.
Register here.
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Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Resource Guide for North Carolina Extension Agents
Through Farm to ECE, North Carolina Cooperative Extension agents across program areas can provide important resources and programming for ECE providers and teachers, the families they serve, and local farmers. Local farmers can connect with programs that wish to serve healthier, local meals and snacks to children and can provide education about growing and eating healthy food.
Read here.
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Job Opportunity - Farm Fresh for Health Program Director at Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP)
This position is responsible for guiding the development and implementation of ASAP’s Farm Fresh for Health initiatives, with a special focus on the Farm Fresh Produce Prescription program. Farm Fresh for Health is a place-based, farm-centered wellness initiative that is designed to improve the health and social connectedness of all people in the Southern Appalachians through positive local food and farm experiences.
Learn more and apply here.
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Job Opportunity - Farm Manager/Educator at the NC State Agroecology Education Farm
The Center for Environmental Farming Systems is hiring a Farm Manager/Educator at the NC State Agroecology Education Farm. The Agroecology Education Farm is a 6-acre facility in Raleigh, NC at the Lake Wheeler Field Station that promotes agroecology and sustainable agriculture education through hands-on learning opportunities for NC State students, staff and faculty, and the surrounding community. The Farm Manager will support both small-scale, and organic vegetable production while supporting various educational learning opportunities with diverse individuals. All food produced from the Agroecology Education Farm goes directly to NC State Dining and campus eateries as well as to the food pantry on campus.
Apply here.
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21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge
Food Solutions New England will host the 9th version of its food system-oriented 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge from April 3, 2023 to April 23, 2023. Each year, thousands of individuals and hundreds of officially participating organizations join in a shared journey of learning and charting a course of action to dismantle racism in our food system and our world.
Learn more here.
Arc of Justice: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of a Beloved Community
Arc of Justice traces the remarkable journey of New Communities, Inc. (NCI) in southwest Georgia, a story of racial justice, community organizing, and perseverance in the face of enormous obstacles. NCI was created in 1969 in Albany, Georgia by leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, including Congressman John Lewis, and Charles and Shirley Sherrod, to help secure economic independence for African American families. For 15 years, NCI cooperatively farmed nearly 6,000 acres, the largest tract of land in the United States owned by African Americans at the time, but racist opposition prevented them from implementing plans to build 500 affordable homes as part of their community land trust. Unable to secure government loans to cope with the impact of successive years of drought, NCI lost the land to foreclosure in 1985. But 25 years later it was given new life as a result of a successful class action lawsuit brought by hundreds of African American farmers against the U.S. Department of Agriculture for loan discrimination.
View the trailer and learn more about the film here.
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GroMoreGood Grassroots Grants
Deadline: February 10, 2023
The GrowMoreGood Grassroots Grant, brought to you by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening, is designed to bring the life-enhancing benefits of gardens to communities across the United States. The Grassroots Grants are part of The Scotts Miracle-Gro’s larger GroMoreGood initiative, which will bring the life-enhancing benefits of gardens and greenspaces to 10 million children by the end of 2023.
Learn more here.
Growing Minds Farm to School Funding Opportunities in Western North Carolina
Deadline: February 15, 2023
The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project's Growing Minds program wants to help fund your farm to school project in Western North Carolina! This mini-grant program connects K-12 schools throughout the 18 westernmost counties of North Carolina with local agriculture and gives children positive experiences with healthy local foods through the four components of farm to school: farm field trips, local food cooking and taste tests, school gardens, and local food served in school cafeterias. Farm to school activity mini-grants will be provided up to $1000.
Mini-grant applications are due every month on the 15th through April 15, 2023 and will be awarded by the 30th of each month!
Learn more here.
Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant Program
Deadline: March 1, 2023
The Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant program provides a $3,000 monetary grant to support a new or existing educational garden located at either a K-12 school or a non-profit organization that serves youth in the K-12 grade range.
Learn more here.
2023 NCDA&CS Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
Deadline: March 3, 2023
The NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is accepting grant applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Nonprofits and government agencies wishing to apply should send a pdf draft application to jenni.keith@ncagr.gov. The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program aims to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the marketplace. The department will accept grant requests up to $200,000.
Learn more here.
School Nutrition Foundation Equipment Grants
Deadline: March 31, 2023
The School Nutrition Foundation is teaming up with industry partners to provide new kitchen equipment to districts. Apply now for the 2023 SNF Equipment Grant Program, featuring applications for five grants! Eligible applicants have the opportunity to win equipment grants, each worth between $20,000 to $100,000 of equipment. Applications and photos must be submitted by a School Nutrition Director. There is a submission cap of 30 applications for each grant.
Learn more here.
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Creating Community Gardens for People of all Ages
This free publication by AARP Livable Communities can help elected officials, government staff, nonprofit organizations, and neighbors in all sorts of places build and sustain community gardens as inclusive, intergenerational outdoor spaces.
Learn more here.
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U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) Announce 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
On January 19, 2023, HHS and the USDA announced the appointment of 20 nationally recognized nutrition and public health experts to serve on the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. The Committee will be tasked with reviewing the current body of nutrition science and developing a scientific report that includes its independent, science-based advice for HHS and USDA to consider. The Committee’s review, along with public comments on its scientific report and agency input, will help inform HHS and USDA as they develop the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030.
Learn more here.
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Farmers for Climate Action - Rally for Resilience
March 6-8, 2023 // Washington D.C. + satellite events hosted by partners around the country
The Rally for Resilience, led by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and other partners across the country, will bring together farmers and farm organizations from all over the country with a united request for their members of Congress–make climate change policy a priority in the 2023 Farm Bill! If you are interested in learning more about how you can participate, fill out this brief form and someone will be in touch.
Learn more here.
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