Wishing You All a Festive, Restive, and Delicious Holiday

Hello everyone,

I’m a little behind on updates, so this one is pretty long. I’ll be out of the office 12/18 – 12/28 so this will most likely be my final update for 2014. Lots of good nuggets in here: enjoy!

Wishing you all a festive, restive, and delicious holiday.

Warm wishes,

Stacey

Updates and resources:

1.Purchase a Farm to Table Calendar and donate to NFSN!

We can all appreciate some beautiful food photography, and here's your chance to have it on your wall for all of 2015! Photographer Hailey King is donating $5 of every calendar purchase to NFSN so please visit her website to order the calendar, and share it with your family and friends!

2.Congratulations to all the Farm to School Grantees!
Earlier this week the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the allocation of more than $5 million for farm to school programming and activities across the country. The USDA Farm to School Grant Program provides competitive grants and technical assistance to increase the use of and improve access to local foods in schools while fostering opportunities for experiential food education for our nation’s children. The Program is proving that farm to school is a win for kids, farmers and communities.

3.Healthy Food Access for Childcare Providers Report
Tomorrow’s Table, recently prepared this report for the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Minnesota. It explores access to healthy foods among rural, family-based childcare providers in Minnesota and strategies from around the country for improving it.

Policy:

1.FSMA Comments deadline December 15th
A few weeks back we had a call to discuss the FDA's re-proposed rules to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Last week we shared our comments with all Core Partners via email (and they are attached again here for reference), which can serve as a guideline for your own comments submission.
To learn more and to take action before the December 15 deadline, visit the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition's FSMA webpage. Contact NFSN's policy and strategic partnerships director Helen Dombalis with any questions.

2.Grassroots Guide to Federal Farm and Food Programs
This is the resource guide (Formerly the Grassroots Guide to the 2008 Farm Bill) that the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) develops after each farm bill cycle, though this new edition has been expanded a bit beyond strictly farm bill programs. It offers plain-language explanations of the dozens of federal programs and policies most important to sustainable agriculture and information on how farmers, ranchers, and grassroots organizations nationwide can access them.
Guide:
Blog post:

Webinars, trainings and conferences:

1.Food Service Management Company 101: A webinar for food system advocates
January 7, 2015 | 2-3 pm | Register

Farm to Institution New England (FINE) assembled a team of experienced “supply chain facilitators” in 2013 and 2014 to conduct research on FSMC operations and practices. They interviewed 35 current and former officials of FSMC and other food system leaders, and compiled regional and cross-sector information about the food purchasing policies and procedures of the most prominent food service management companies serving New England institutions. The research delved into the management structure of these companies, and the principle challenges and opportunities to increase local purchasing by institutions that contract with FSMC. The findings have been compiled in two upcoming reports: Corporate Food Service Management 101, and Leveraging Food Service Contracts. The webinar on January 7th will discuss these report findings. As various partner organizations around the region work to impact change in institutional purchasing, these report findings set the stage for a common platform for collective action.

2.USDA-AMS webinars
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) invites you to take part in a series of free, interactive webinars that will provide practical information about how to buy, receive, and handle bulk fresh and fresh-cut produce safely and efficiently. Each webinar will include a presentation from a USDA expert on a specific topic, introductions to our staff, and an interactive question and answer session.

3.How to Use Fruit and Vegetable Market News
December 18, 2014
2:00 pm Eastern Time
If you miss a webinar, just visit our Webinar Archive to watch it or any other AMS Series offering online.

4.Farm Commons Farm Law Webinars
Let Farm Commons help you plan for a stable, resilient farm business with our Farm Law Webinars. This year we are hosting 13 different- and completely free- farm law webinars. First up, we have 8 webinars in our Farm Law Basics series. Later in the winter, we are offering 5 new Advanced Farm Law webinars.Register now at our website for the upcoming sessions:

Put Your CSA On Strong Legal Footing

Hosting Safe, Legally Secure Farm Events

Adding Value Without Adding Legal Liability To Farm Products

Farmland Leases Built to Last: Content and Legal Context

Food Safety Liability And Regulations For The Farm

Sales Contracts for Farm Produce: Why and How

Making Employment Law Work For Your Farm

Farm Sole Proprietorships, LLCs, S Corps, C Corps, and Coops: Which? Why? How?

Going In-Depth With CSA Farm Law

Getting Farm Work Done Legally With Interns, Apprentices, And Volunteers

Financing A Farmland Purchase: Legal basics for traditional and non-traditional farmland purchases

Efficiently Manage Your Farm’s Risks With Insurance

5.Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference will be held January 14-17, 2015 in Mobile, Alabama
The 24th annual Southern SAWG conference is for serious organic and sustainable producers, farm to school participants, urban farmers or those interested in creating more vibrant community food systems. The event offers informative pre-conference courses and field trips, practical conference sessions, networking, trade show, Taste of Alabama event and more. Each year, participants go home with information to use immediately to improve their operations.
Schedule available at

6.Free Training from NFSMI Coming in 2015
The National Food Service Management Institute is offering free face-to-face training sessions in Oxford, Mississippi for 2015. Keep thecalendarhandyand plan your training session soon. Trainings at the NFSMI headquarters in Mississippi are only one of the many options for taking advantage of NFSMI training. If you are unable to attend a training in person at NFSMI, please consider the free online courses:Visit the NFSMI website at click on the tab for NFSMI's Online Courses page ( for more information

7.NFU’s 2015 Women’s Conference Registration Now Available
National Farmers Union (NFU) announced the opening of registration for the 2015 NFU Women’s Conference, a conference for farm and rural women. The national event, set for Jan. 17-21, 2015, in Clearwater, Fla., will provide participants with tools and information to confidently manage business risks on their farm or ranch operations and improve their rural leadership skills.

8.Children's Environmental Health Network Research Conference
CEHN will be hosting its 2015 Research Conference, “Children: Food and Environment,” about how the interaction between food and environmental factors affect children’s health, along with further policy, regulatory, and research implications. The research presented will include micro-level factors such as nutrient-mediated microbiome effects as well as macro-level influences such as contaminants rising from modern food production practices. The conference will take place on February 4-6, 2015 in Austin, TX, and provides an excellent opportunity to meet leading researchers, administrators, and public health leaders with at least 150 professionals expected to attend.

9.Partnership for a Healthier America 2015 Building a Healthier Future Summit
PHA, in coordination with PHA Honorary Chair First Lady Michelle Obama and Honorary Vice Chairs The Honorable William H. Frist, MD and the Honorable Cory A. Booker, invites you to the fourth Building a Healthier Future Summit. Join us for breakouts, nationally renowned speakers, thought-provoking keynotes, and an audience of industry leaders. We look forward to seeing you there.
February 25 – 27, 2015
Washington Hilton
Washington, DC
Register today and lock in early bird pricing.

Grants, contests, awards: (the first time an opportunity is posted, it will be highlighted)

1.Local Food System Community Planning Awards Announced
On December 3, the White House Rural Council, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other agencies, announced 26 communities in 19 states chosen to take part in the Local Food, Local Places Initiative. The new initiative provides technical support to help them develop and implement action plans promoting local food and downtown revitalization.

2.Nominate a Farm to Preschool program for a Let’s Move Child Care Award!
(separate categories for home and center based programs, as well as for CACFP sponsors and state agencies)
Let’s Move! Child Care (LMCC) is excited to announce a call for nominations for child care and early education centers and homes who are participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and primarily serve children 0-5 years of age; CACFP sponsoring agencies; and State CACFP agencies who are making outstanding efforts to improve child nutrition programs that promote young children’s health and prevent childhood obesity. The top nominees and their efforts will be recognized and showcased at an LMCC Recognition Event at the 2015 National CACFP Sponsors Association Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. To make a nomination for this special recognition and see the selection criteria, go to:

3.Real Food Media Contest
This contest is the project of the Real Food Media Project, a collaborative initiative using online movies and a web-based action center along with grassroots events around the country to spread the stories of sustainable food and farming. We are especially excited to partner with School Ambassadors who are helping us connect with students who may be interested in participating in the Contest. Ambassadors are also welcome to screen the winning films on campus at the end of the Contest. If you are interested in becoming an Ambassador, please email us.
New this year we are giving cash prizes for student films and underreported issues. Winning films also get a ton of exposure through our distribution networks and Pop-Up Film Festivals (now happening around the world!). In addition, another several dozen new films will live on the website in our Film Library. For more information and to enter the contest, visit the Real Food Media website.

4.Food Rebel Video Contest
Applegate Natural and Organic Meats is sponsoring the Applegate #FoodRebel Video Contest. The winner will receive a $3000 cash grant! Contestants simply need to submit a 90-second video about how they or someone they know is changing the way their communities eat for the better. Timeline for contests: November 5th- Contest opens for video submissions and voting; December 31st- Submissions Closed; January 10th- Voting concludes; January 11th- Winner announced

5.Katie’s Krops
This grant would support any vegetable garden, big or small, that plans to donate the harvest to charitable organizations. This would be a great way to expand a school garden’s connection to the community or to being one. The application deadline is December 31st. Go to Katie’s Krops for more information:

6.Sow it Forward Grants
DEADLINE: January 9, 2015
In a partnership with Kitchen Gardeners International, Sow It Forward is offering 100 full grants ($500) and 60 partial grants ($325) to nonprofit organizations (including schools) for starting or expanding food garden projects. Grants consist of seeds, gift certificates for garden supplies, KGI's online garden planer, and cash. Applications may be submitted on KGI's website.
URL:

7.Lowe's Toolbox for Education Program
DEADLINE: February 13, 2015
Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation is looking to award $5,000 to as many as 1,000 schools this year. Grants are available to both educators and parent groups with project ideas to enhance their school or community.
URL:

Job opportunities:(the first time an opportunity is listed, it will be highlighted)

1.Director Of Education at Oceanfront Organic Nonprofit Farm (Freeport, OR)
The Director of Education (DoE) will play a key role on the Foundation’s senior leadership team, will report directly to the Foundation’s Executive Director and will collaborate closely with Foundation Staff as well as with the Board of Directors to provide inspirational and strategic direction to all Education programming at Wolfe’s Neck Farm. The DoE will connect with other agriculture and education related partners and organizations throughout the region to design, promote and execute programs for a range of age groups that teach all aspects of sustainable agriculture; all the while supporting a stronger local and regional food system. The DoE will be responsible for identifying, designing and successfully launching a range of new, innovative educational offerings aligned with the Foundation’s mission, in addition to strengthening the focus and implementation of current programming. This is a terrifically exciting opportunity for the right individual to join a growing organization at the launch of a new Strategic Vision. For more information about how to apply for this position, please visit the job announcement.

2.Georgia Organics Farmer Services Coordinator
In partnership with UGA oversee outlined deliverables including developing beginning farmer financial and production curriculum, a Farmer-to-Farmer Mentoring, Apprentice, and Incubator Farm Program and serve on advisory and outreach teams with University Researchers. This will be a primary responsibility of this position for the next three years. For the other responsibilities and application instructions please visit the Georgia Organics website. Deadline December 14th.

In the news: (western media and/or NFSN staff in yellow)

1.Schools in eight states to use locally grown produce through USDA pilot
Helen Dombalis, NFSN’s Policy and Strategic Partnerships Director, is interviewed in this article about the recently announced USDA Pilot Project for Procurement of Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables to increased purchases of locally grown fruits and vegetables in school meal programs. Agri-Pulse

2.Farming at school helps special education students
At North Florida School of Special Education, for students with various intellectual disabilities from ages 6-22, students grow dozens of varieties of fruits and vegetables on their 3.5 acre farm, use aquaculture for fertilizer, and even have tanks of Blue Gill and Tilapia for harvest as well."There's a therapy that happens out here," said school administrator Ellen Hiser. "It's so peaceful and calming out here and the students love it."First Coast News

3.Kids' University Teaches The Value Of Healthy Eating
Jessica Manly of Kalispell is one of two Food Corps members who’ll be putting on a special half-day class called “Kids' University” at the Montana Organic Association’s annual conference. She will be teaching a lesson in preparing home-made humus, and put on a skit that dramatizes the story of the typical tomato as it travels from the fields of Mexico to the vegetable aisle of your local market. Montana Public Radio

4.Oregon lands coveted slot in schools' local food program
Oregon is one of eight states that'll take part in the Pilot Project for Procurement of Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables, introduced by U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden as a Farm Bill amendment. The program promotes farm-to-school programs that encourage more schools to add locally produced foods to their menus. Portland Business Journal.

5.Of Carrots And Kids: Healthy School Lunches That Don't Get Tossed
A taste testing contest in DC allows kids to be a part of planning their school’s lunch menu planning process. Katie Nash, from DC Central Kitchen, says it really does work. When the winning recipes show up on lunch plates at Walker-Jones, the children remember: Oh, yeah, I voted for this! It was good! NPR

6.Congrats to Oregon Farm to School for their feature in the American Gardener Magazine! See attached file.

7.Gardens in Schools Inspire Healthy Eating, Combat Hunger and Obesity
NFSN’s Communication Director Chelsey Simpson is interviewed in this piece about the farm to school movement and how it is helping change the way kids eat. The Ventured Life

8.Farm to School Program Grows Local Economy
Burke County Public Schools (GA) is integrating local, organic food into daily menus. The school system is keeping students healthy while supporting the local economy with farm to school initiatives. WJBF.com

9.Food Literacy Center seeks help teaching youngsters about healthy eating
The fundamental mission of the Food Literacy Center is to inspire kids to eat their vegetables. Many students enrolled in the program are from low-income families and are on subsidized lunch programs, and most have had little exposure to fresh produce and concepts such as reading food labels and thinking about the environmental effects of certain foods. The Sacramento Bee