February 23, 2023

This Week in Farm to School 

Farm to school connects local agriculture, schools, and partners to benefit students, educators, farmers, families, and communities.

Eight High School Teams Compete in the 2023 NC Jr. Chef Competition

Eight high school teams from across the state will show off their culinary creativity next month in the 2023 North Carolina Jr. Chef Competition. Based on recipes they submitted, the teams selected as finalists to compete in a statewide cook-off are from Apex High (Wake County Public Schools), Ashe County High, Brevard High (Transylvania County Schools), Franklin High (Macon County Schools), Havelock High (Craven County Schools), Northern High (Durham Public Schools), Swain County High, and Weaver Academy (Guilford County Schools).

2023 NCDHHS Food and Nutrition Security Summit 

March 2 - 3, 2023

The NC Department of Health and Human Services wants to help FNS beneficiaries and community stakeholders in North Carolina understand the impacts of the recent federal changes for emergency allotments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This summit will also share steps you can take to support families who may need additional food assistance when the Food and Nutrition Services emergency allotment ends.

Day one registration and Day two registration.

2023 Racial Equity Challenge Launch Webinar

March 7, 2023, 2:00 pm EST

Join Food Solutions New England (FSNE) for an informational introduction to their 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge which will be held in April. This webinar will be held over Zoom where you'll learn more about the 21-Day challenge and what you can expect from getting involved whether you participate as an organization, group, or individual. The Challenge is a great way to learn about the history and impacts of racism on our current food system while inspiring participants with resources and tools to build racial equity in their work and lives. 

Register for the launch webinar here.

Non-Linear Garden Design as an Identity-Affirming Garden Practice

March 15, 2023 // 2 pm ET

Join the Academy for Global Citizenship in a conversation on exploring nonlinear garden designs as a way to re-center the practices of ancestral growers and invite conversations about identity and heritage into our garden programs. Get inspiration and concrete strategies for culturally affirming garden education to translate for any garden program.

Register here.

2023 Community Food Gathering - Forging Our Food Future

March 15 - 16, 2023 // Rocky Mount, NC

The Community Food Gathering is Community Food Strategies’ signature statewide event which brings together farm and food system leaders, public service and nonprofit leaders, local food councils, key partners, and community food advocates across the state. This gathering organizes various food system stakeholders to explore solutions, learn skills, and strategize around how to create a food system built by us and for us. 

Learn more here.

North Carolina Healthy Schools Employee Mental Health Toolkit

This toolkit was developed by Continuum Consulting Services, LLC and RBH Wellness Solutions, LLC in partnership with the North Carolina Institute for Public Health and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (North Carolina Healthy Schools). This toolkit adds an important systemic layer of prevention and intervention in a coordinated way. It provides information guidance and reference in supporting the mental well-being of school staff and administrators. 

Learn more here.

Indigenous Foodways Are the Focus in a Growing Number of Classrooms

A recent bison harvest in Montana is one example of the work being done in a growing number of state-level curriculum programs that immerse students in sacred ceremonies and food traditions.

Learn more here.

2023 I LOVE Strawberries Educator Resources

The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is offering free resource bundles that include a copy of the AFBFA Book of the Year: I Love Strawberries!, one copy of the educator guide, and one set of 30 Specialty Crop Ag Mags. Apply to receive your free materials by February 28, 2023.

Apply here.

Black Farmers Call for Justice from the USDA

Nearly two decades ago a class action lawsuit led by Black farmers against the U.S. Department of Agriculture was settled. But two decades later despite being at the forefront of a landmark case against the USDA, Black farmers argue they are still left far behind.

Read more here.

6 Actionable Ways to Celebrate Black History Month

Anti-Racism Daily shares six ways to intentionally celebrate Black History Month. Moving through Black History Month like it’s merely a learning opportunity misses the mark. Education is essential, but we also have to take targeted actions to change the course of history.

Learn more here.

How Equity Can Build Better Organizations

Beloved Community created an Equity Audit that is designed to assess all types of organizations, from non-profits, corporations and companies, to K-12 schools, colleges & universities, and even public agencies and municipalities. Data, both quantitative and qualitative, helps us distinguish what we think, feel, or hope is true about our organization from what we know is true.

Learn more here.

RAFI-USA Farmers of Color Network 2023 Infrastructure Grant Application

Deadline: February 27, 2023

RAFI-USA’s Farmers of Color Network Fund provides support to farmers for projects that will increase farm viability, support community food sovereignty efforts, preserve traditional and cultural farming practices, as well as assist local food economies. Applicants may request up to $10,000 in funding. This applies to individual farm projects as well as collaborative projects for cooperatives, collectives, or two or more farms. 

Apply here for English and apply here for Spanish.

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.

RAFI-USA Beginning Farmers Stipend

Deadline: March 13, 2023

RAFI-USA is accepting applications for the 2023 Beginning Farmers Stipend, a new granting program. Stipends support the success of beginning farmers by helping to reduce financial barriers and may be used to cover farming start-up and/or production costs. Individual applicants may request between $3,000 - $5,000 in funding. 

Learn more here.

Growing Justice: The Fund for Equitable Good Food Procurement

Deadline: March 16, 2023

GROWING JUSTICE aims to invest in efforts to solidify leadership, dignity and power of Tribal, Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant people to identify and drive solutions that expand the market for good food from locally or regionally owned, and environmentally and economically sustainable farms, ranches, fisheries and food businesses. Awards of $50,000 to $250,000 are available to support community-led efforts to advance the vision and values of GROWING JUSTICE.

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.

NC Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom Going Local Grant

Deadline: April 15, 2023

North Carolina Farm Bureau is happy to provide agricultural outreach grants to North Carolina teachers through their Ag in the Classroom Going Local program. These grants value up to $500. Going Local Grants help educators provide Pre-K through collegiate-level students with valuable, real-world education and experiences directly related to the agricultural industry and the NC Standard Course of Study. Teachers practicing in private and public North Carolina schools, colleges, and universities are encouraged to apply. 

Learn more here.

School Meals Day of Action and Appreciation

School Meals for All NC will no longer be meeting in Raleigh on March 14 due to another rally being hosted that day. Instead, join from wherever you are on March 9 to support school meals for all and educate NC legislators and your community about the importance of school meals for all in one or more of the following ways:

• Make a phone call to your legislators. Don’t know what to say? They’ll provide a script!
• Email your legislators. Their action alert system will make it easy and convenient. 
• Post to social media with posts from their toolkit.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
• Share your school meals story.
• Write a handwritten thank you note to the School Nutrition staff at your local school letting them know how much you appreciate them. They managed to keep serving meals on the front lines throughout the pandemic, and they are committed to providing healthy meals to our children no matter what.
• Participate in another way – share your ideas with them and they can help!

Learn more here.

Proposed Updates to the School Nutrition Standards

The USDA, Food and Nutrition Service recently issued a proposed rule regarding new school meal standards addressing added sugars, sodium, milk, and whole grains. USDA held a briefing on the proposed rule on February 6. The briefing recording, proposed rule, and other related resources are available on the USDA website. The proposed rule is available for public comment from February 7 - April 10, 2023.

Learn more here.

Background on USDA Update to Child Nutrition Standards

The National Farm to School Network (NFSN) has created a guide that provides a background for the proposed updates to the Child Nutrition Standards. NFSN is currently seeking input from farm to school partners to help inform their platform surrounding these standards.

Learn more here.

North Carolina House Bill 67 - Encourage Healthy NC Food in Schools 

This proposed act aims to promote muscadine grape juice usage in the state’s learning institutions and to include muscadine grape juice producers and other fruit and fruit product producers participating in the “Got to Be NC” marketing program as participants in the farm to school purchasing program. 

Learn more here.