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This Week in Farm to School
February 10, 2022
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Farm to school connects local agriculture, schools, and partners to benefit students, educators, farmers, families, and communities.
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Recovery and Resilience Series
Tomorrow! February 11, 2022 // 12 - 1:30 pm EST, & ongoing monthly
Join the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, Colorado State, and the University of Kentucky for their Local and Regional Food Systems Response to COVID webinar series. This month’s topic is Making Lemonade Out of Local Lemons: Innovative Multi-Sector Strategies for Leveraging Emergency Supply Chain Funds.
Navigating the GAP Audit: Food Safety Best Practices for Produce Farms
February 21 - March 7, 2022 // 4 pm - 5:30 pm EST
If you plan to get GAP certified under the USDA Harmonized GAP Standard in 2022, then this free training series provided by the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association is for you! They will take each section of the GAP audit in 1.5-hour chunks and break down, step-by-step, what you need to do to get GAP certified this year. They will cover all the changes that became effective last May, and what they learned from helping farms get GAP certified throughout 2021.
Virtual Training: Better Being for Clearer Seeing
February 24, 2022 // 12 - 3 pm EST
Approaching evaluation with a foundation of equity and justice is a vital component in moving towards the National Farm to School Network’s Call to Action that 100% of communities hold power in a racially just food system by 2025. To better equip the farm to school community with the experience and tools to move towards anti-racist, equitable and liberatory evaluations, please join the National Farm to School Network for this special 3-hour training session with Dr. Geri Lynn Peak of Two Gems Consulting. This workshop is designed to help evaluators examine the construction of persistent biases that impede excellence in discerning reality with a particular emphasis on learning within the farm to school and farm to early care and education (ECE) context.
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North Carolina Youth Institute (NCYI)
Registration due: March 4, 2022
Event date: April 1, 2022
The NCYI is hosted by NC State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences and is a part of the World Food Prize's Global Youth Institute. This program provides a platform for youth to research and give recommendations to solve key global challenges that range from food insecurity, access to potable water, poverty, human rights, engineering issues, and more. Students research issues they care about and propose their ideas to solve these grand challenges. There is no registration cost to participate in the Institute and meals will be provided during the event. However, both student and teacher/mentor participants must organize their own transportation to and from the event in North Carolina.
Build a Better District Wellness Policy
March 24, 2022 // 2 pm EST
Join an Alliance for a Healthier Generation as they guide participants through revising their district’s wellness policy. Participants in this 30-minute session will learn how to use Healthier Generation's one-of-a-kind digital policy builder tool to select evidence-based practices, add state or local policy requirements, along with USDA final rule language, and collaborate with district leadership to update your policy for school board approval.
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North Carolina Summer Food Service Program Sponsors
Children and teens in North Carolina need you! The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is recruiting community organizations to serve as sponsors for NC Summer Nutrition Programs to provide free, nutritious meals and ensure no child goes hungry when school is out.
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Finding School Garden Lessons
Here are some helpful tools, curated by the School Garden Support Organization Network, to determine school garden lessons relevant to your context and goals.
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#PoeFitVideos
Check out Poe Center for Health Education’s Youtube channel. Here you can find resources exploring cooking recipes, gardening basics, and mindfulness demonstrations.
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Growing School Food Gardens Community
KidsGardening is thrilled to announce that the new Growing School Food Gardens Community is live in the Kids Garden Community. With the support of the USDA, they will facilitate peer-to-peer learning opportunities, mentorship programs, regional networking, and resource exchanges among food garden educators across the country. They hope that you will join them to: connect with other educators teaching in school food gardens, get support from experienced peer garden educators, share your expertise growing a school garden, and find vetted school food garden and farm to school resources to support your growing and teaching adventures.
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Climate Justice For All Project Grants
Deadline: March 7, 2022
The Climate Justice for All Grant Program (CJA grants) is an initiative that supports organizations or grassroots groups run by and primarily serving frontline communities in developing community solutions to environmental injustices in the US and Puerto Rico. Selected organizations receive a one-time grant of up to $20,000, access to our curated library of resources, and opportunities to help amplify and spread their message in partnership with Climate Reality and peer organizations.
As part of the grant cycle, organizations are invited to participate in capacity-building workshops, check-ins with Climate Reality staff, and peer-learning opportunities with other grantees. Their grant-making approach is based on working collaboratively with all grantees and building authentic relationships together. While they work closely with grantees to ensure their solutions are advancing at a steady pace, grantees are always in the driver’s seat. With flexibility, trust, and recognition of their expertise, they see organizations as working partners in the pursuit of an equitable and sustainable future for all.
School Nutrition Foundation Equipment Grants
Deadline: March 31, 2022
The School Nutrition Foundation is teaming up with industry partners to provide new kitchen equipment to deserving districts. Apply now for the 2022 SNF Equipment Grant Program, featuring applications for not one but 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. This year, only finalists will be asked to submit a 2-3-minute video. They will announce the recipients in May of 2022.
WNC Farm to School Jumpstart Grant
Deadline: August 2022
The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s Growing Minds Jumpstart Grant is now open! Eligible schools and organizations can apply for funding in the amount of $500 to $1,000 to support their farm to school project. Funding can be used to start new projects or to expand upon existing activities. Pre-k through 12 schools, homeschool groups, teacher and nutrition education programs, and community-based organizations serving children and families are eligible to apply (see below for more details). Schools/organizations must be located within the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina (Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey) or the Qualla Boundary. Applications are due on the 15th of each month through August 2022.
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Farm Bill Guide
Check out this resource from the Food Policy Networks for food councils on the upcoming Farm Bill. This guide explains the Farm Bill’s legislative process, funding practices, and influence on our food system. Additionally, the guide provides examples of how food councils have engaged in Farm Bill advocacy.
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CSFA) Member Advocacy Program
Are you passionate about sustainable food and agriculture? Apply for the next cohort of CFSA’s Member Advocacy Program! The 12 members selected for the program will learn more about meeting with lawmakers and agency officials, grassroots advocacy, networking, storytelling, educating their community, the legislative and administrative process, building coalitions, and more. The curriculum includes five virtual classes, (at least) two chances to participate in real-world advocacy activities and the opportunity to before a CFSA Policy Ambassador. The deadline to apply is Friday, February 11th.
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15 Black-Led Organizations Transforming Social Justice
Each of these organizations supports justice and equity through environmental activism, youth organizing, food systems work, and more.
28-Days of Black History
Curated by Black artists, educators, curators, and visionaries, subscribe to Anti-Racism Daily's free, daily email series to celebrate Black History Month this February. Each email will include a cultural artifact, action steps, and discussion questions!
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