As Schools Buy More Local Food, Kids Throw Less Food in the Trash

Interesting story from NPR.

Check it out at http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/10/20/450294392/as-schools-buy-more-local-food-kids-throw-less-food-in-the-trash?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2045 this link.

Funding Available to Help School Districts Put Local Food in School Cafeterias

A new funding opportunity has been announced to help school districts across New York state connect to local growers and producers to increase the use of locally grown specialty crops. 

Through the Farm to School program, $350,000 in grants is now available for projects that will help pre-K through grade 12 schools procure and serve healthy, locally grown foods on school menus.

The deadline to apply is 4:30 p.m. Oct. 19. Awards will be made in November 2015.

The Farm to School program is aimed at developing and strengthening connections between farms and schools to help grow the agricultural economy and increase the amount and variety of specialty crops procured by schools for healthier meal options. 

New York state produces a wide range of specialty crops, such as fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, herbs and spices, which rank highly in the nation in terms of both production and economic value.

Applicants for the program can include Pre-K through 12 school food authorities, charter schools, not-for-profit schools, and other entities participating in the National School Lunch or Breakfast Programs and/or operating Summer Food Service Programs.
Projects eligible for grant funding across New York’s school districts may include:

** Employing of a local or regional farm to school coordinator.
** Training programs for food service staff to increase knowledge of local procurement and preparation of locally produced specialty crops.
** Purchase of equipment needed to increase capacity of school kitchen and food service staff to prepare and serve locally produced specialty crops.
** Capital improvements to support the transport and/or storage of locally produced specialty crops.
The commissioners from the state Departments of Agriculture and Markets, Health and the Office of General Services joined leaders from the New York Apple Association, Farm Fresh First, Empire Potato Growers and New York State Vegetable Growers Association, Brockport School District and the New York City School Support Services, to discuss increasing the procurement of New York state food products in New York’s more than 700 schools. 

The discussion centered on the growers’ delivery system and the school districts’ needs and purchasing process, and how to make it easier to bring the two together.

For more information on the Farm to School Grant program, click on this link -- http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/RFPS.html .

All applicants must register and apply through the Grants Gateway portal at this link https://grantsgateway.ny.gov/IntelliGrants_NYSGG/module/nysgg/goportal.aspx and use the Program Identifier "FTSCG."

New York Farm Bureau Lists its National Agenda

While in Washington, DC meeting with members of the state’s congressional delegation, New York Farm Bureau released its national public policy priorities for the year. 

The agenda originated at the grassroots level and is member approved.

IMMIGRATION REFORM

Immigration reform remains a top priority for the state’s farmers and their employees. NYFB has long pushed for a flexible guest-worker visa program that addresses both seasonal and long-term needs of New York agriculture.  

There is of special concern as the House of Representatives is looking to move ahead with an enforcement only action that American Farm Bureau Federation estimates could cost the country’s farmers as much as $60 billion and raise food prices by 5 percent to 6 percent. New York Farm Bureau is calling for a comprehensive approach to immigration reform that also takes agricultural labor needs into account.

“We need a stable workforce on our farms that benefits the rural economy and the local food supply,” said NYFB President Dean Norton during the conference call with reporters. “It must be comprehensive. Enforcement-only reforms put the chicken before the egg so to speak. They all need to go together.”

FOOD SAFETY

The implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is also a public policy priority. New York’s farmers already participate in a host of food safety programs and audits, but the Food and Drug Administration is instituting new food safety rules. 

This past year NYFB submitted comments to the FDA over its planned rollout of FSMA.  NYFB is pleased many of the concerns were addressed relating to proposed requirements for animal feed and the commodity value threshold that would trigger the new regulations on an individual farm. 

However, there are additional changes that NYFB would like to see before the rules take effect. This includes reworking the unscientific standards FDA has established for irrigation water.  The organization will continue to work with the FDA and fellow stakeholders so the final rules address the real risks that exist and can be successfully implemented on our farms. In the end, both public health and agriculture will benefit.

CLEAN WATER ACT EXPANSION

New York Farm Bureau has long been in opposition to proposed changes to the Clean Water Act that it believe broadens the jurisdiction from navigable waters to dry land. This month farmers had a partial victory in their campaign when the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers withdrew their interpretive rule as mandated by both Congress and the President.  

Contrary to what the agencies had claimed, the farm exemptions provided in the Interpretive Rule actually narrowed “normal farming and ranching” exemptions by imposing burdensome new requirements for farmers and ranchers.

NYFB will continue to advocate for the repeal of the full rule through Congressional action to stop the EPA and the Army Corps from expanding federal jurisdiction onto New York farms.

FARM BILL IMPLEMENTATION

NYFB has been closely monitoring the USDA’s rollout of the 2014 Farm Bill. It is imperative the new programs and expanded crop insurance follow the intent of the law that was passed.

Nearly half of the dairy farms in New York state have signed up for the new Margin Protection Program. This will offer a safety net should dropping milk prices fall below a selected margin, which is the gap between the price of milk and the cost of feed. Over the past few months, lower milk prices have underscored the need for effective risk management.   

NYFB will work with lawmakers to insure that it is meeting the needs as it was intended.

The organization will also review the development of new and enhanced programs for specialty crops, including the NAP buy-up crop insurance program.

TRADE

With a growing export market for a number of things that farmers produce in New York, New York Farm Bureau will continue to support the next generation of trade negotiations that remove unscientific barriers and high tariffs and provide new opportunities for our farms.

This includes renewing the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). It is imperative that the White House and Congress be on the same page during trade negotiations.  Swift passage in Congress without additional individual member amendments to already negotiated pacts is essential to having successful trade policy.

NYFB also will continue to oppose limitations based on the use of geographic indicators. New York is a big dairy producing state, but if farms and cooperatives can’t market cheeses based on how they are known around the world, like parmesan for instance, this will put New York products at a serious competitive disadvantage.

LOCAL FOOD AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS

NYFB’s final top priority will be to support additional funding for school and local food purchasing programs, food infrastructure initiatives and food-based entrepreneurship programs.  

Funding for these was allocated in the Farm Bill and it serves many important needs. For one, it connects farmers with those who often have limited access to healthy food, including children and seniors in low income communities or urban food deserts. 

Not only do these programs put food on the table but they also support local farms in New York. 

This priority also includes efforts to increase farmer food donations. Last year, New York’s farmers donated a record amount of food, more than 10 million pounds, to regional food banks across the state. NYFB would like to see that climb even higher.

Its members support the Fighting Hunger Incentive Tax Act that would help offset the costs of harvesting, packaging and transporting the food to the donation site. Corporations, like big box stores, receive a similar tax credit for food donations, and they are not the ones actually growing the food.

“We want to encourage greater donations and provide an important source of fresh, local food for low-income New Yorkers who may not have access to this food otherwise,’ said Elizabeth Wolters, NYFB’s associate director of national affairs. “It’s a win-win for our communities and our farms.”

“New York agriculture is a large part of the state’s economy. Over $5 billion in direct farm receipts and more than 200,000 jobs are created by agriculture," said farm bureau President Norton. "These issues are important to us as we strive to move the economy forward. We look forward to working with our congressional representatives to make sure that happens for us on the national level.”

Eliminating Chocolate Milk from Schools Decreases Milk Consumption in School

Other stories and studies have been done about this.

What do you think?

http://www.business2community.com/health-wellness/eliminating-chocolate-milk-school-program-decreased-total-milk-intake-01128885?utm_content=bufferfe9e3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

My feeling is you can get lowfat chocolate milk and even skim chocolate milk. So what's the harm, especially if it gets the little ones to drink some milk.

Connecticut Assembly Bans Chocolate Milk in Public Schools

Check this out -- http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/05/16/connecticut-seeks-to-ban-chocolate-milk-in-public-schools/

More news today shows the governor is against this and won't sign the bill. Big relief for dairy industry.

Ban on Chocolate Milk Backfires

Sorry I'm a little late getting this posted -- been very busy lately.

From Cornell University:

To some, banning chocolate milk from elementary schools seemed like a good idea, but new Cornell University research shows that removing chocolate milk from school menus has negative consequences.

 

“When schools ban chocolate milk, we found it usually backfires. On average, milk sales drop by 10 percent, 29 percent of white milk gets thrown out, and participation in the school lunch program may also decrease,” reports Andrew Hanks, lead author and research associate Cornell’s Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. “This is probably not what parents wanted to see.”

 

The Cornell study, which included professors David Just and Brian Wansink was published today in PLOS ONE; it examined what happened when chocolate milk was banned in a sample of Oregon elementary school. It shows what happens when chocolate milk-loving kids are suddenly confronted with something paler – and proposes what researchers hope can be a healthful compromise.

 

“Members of the school district’s PTA were adamantly opposed to offering chocolate milk in the cafeterias, claiming it was as bad as soda,” said Hanks. “While this policy does eliminate the added sugar in chocolate milk, it also introduces a new set of nutritional and economic consequences. Children typically don’t choose foods for health, but rather for taste.”

 

Nutritionally, after the milk substitution, students consumed less sugar and fewer calories; however, they also consumed less protein and calcium.

 

Here’s what the behavioral economics experts propose: “Instead of banning chocolate milk, make white milk appear more convenient and more ‘normal,’” said Wansink co-author and Director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab. “Put the white milk in the front of the cooler, and make sure that at least one-third to half of all the milk is white. We’ve found that this approach can increase sales by 20 percent or more."

 

Money Available To Help Schools Offer Healthy Lunches

From the USDA:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $25 million in grants to help schools purchase needed kitchen equipment as they continue to provide school lunches and breakfasts that give children the nutrition they need to learn and grow.

More than 90 percent of schools report that they are successfully meeting the updated nutrition standards, serving meals with more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein and low-fat dairy, and less sodium and fat. These new grants provide additional support to schools to help them prepare meals that meet those standards.


In December, USDA awarded $11 million in grants to the District of Columbia, Guam and 14 states. For the latest round of funding, USDA will ensure all state agencies receive a proportional share of the funding.

States will competitively award the funds to school districts to purchase needed equipment, giving priority to high-need schools where 50 percent or more of the enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced price meals.

New York state received about $2 million from the program in fiscal year 2014.

The Kids' Safe and Healthful Foods Project – a collaboration with The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – recently released a report on school kitchen equipment needs that shows most school districts in the U.S. (88 percent) need at least one additional piece of kitchen equipment, and more than half (55 percent) need infrastructure upgrades to serve healthier meals that meet science-based nutrition standards.

The report concluded: Investing in kitchens and cafeterias will help schools better serve the nutritious foods and beverages that students need.

Since 2009, USDA has provided $160 million in kitchen equipment funding to states and schools. The President's fiscal year 2015 budget requests an additional $35 million for kitchen equipment grants. These grants are one of several ways that USDA is supporting schools as the implement the updated nutrition standards.

The Domino Effect of One Purchase

Check out this http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/01/22/the-domino-effect-of-one-purchase/#more-49621 blog entry.

Really makes you think.

USDA Issues Grants to Get More Local Food in School Cafeterias

From the USDA:

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Tuesday announced grants for 71 projects spanning 42 states and the District of Columbia that support the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) efforts to connect school cafeterias with local farmers and ranchers through its Farm to School program.
"In rural and urban communities across the country, Farm to School programs teach students where food comes from, while providing healthy foods that are grown locally on farms and ranches across the nation," said Vilsack.

"These programs also create new market opportunities for local farmers and ranchers interested in partnering with nearby school districts – and by helping to create an even more diverse and thriving agriculture sector, Farm to School efforts hold potential to create new jobs in rural areas," he said.
Selected projects will serve more than 13,000 schools and 2.8 million students, nearly 45 percent of whom live in rural communities.

Two projects in New York state are being funded: The New York Botanical Garden and the Orange County Department of Health in Goshen.

Farm To School Census

Does your school district buy locally grown and produced foods? 

Do you want to find out? Check out http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/census#/ this census that could open your eyes to where school food is coming from.

Getting More Local Foods into Schools

Here's a good video report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture about efforts to get more local food from farms into schools.

More Schools are Adopting the USDA Healthy Meals Standards

The USDA says nearly 80 percent of schools are participating in the USDA healthy school meals program.

Students at Schools Offering More Fruits and Veggies Ate More of Them

Go to http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err-economic-research-report/err154.aspx#.Uh0Vvj_wZLs to read the whole USDA report.

Healthier Snacks Coming to Elementary, High Schools

Hey kiddos! Get ready for healthier snacks in school.

Six States Meet Nearly 100 Percent of New School Lunch Requirements

OK, what's going on in New York state?

Check out this http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/08/16/back-to-healthy-school-meals-usda-congratulates-six-states-for-nearly-100-of-schools-meeting-new-meal-standards/ story about what some states are doing to meet the new healthy school meals guidelines. Six states have met nearly all the new guidelines.

USDA Gets Ready for Back To School

The USDA plays a vital role in children's school days, from nutritional meals to new buildings. Check it out.

New York to Participate in Greek Yogurt Program in School Lunches

News from U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer:

  

New York state has been selected as one of four states to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Greek Yogurt Pilot Program.

The program will allow school districts to test Greek yogurt on their menus beginning in September. U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, who championed the program, said yogurt will provide a high-nutrition and protein alternative for children in their school lunches.

On Monday, the USDA issues a solicitation to buy Greek yogurt for delivery to participating school districts. The USDA seeks both four-ounce single serving containers of flavored yogurt and 32-ounce containers of nonflavored yogurt that could be used in various recipes.

The other states involved in the yogurt programs are Tennessee, Idaho and Arizona. Schumer said New York was a perfect selection for the program because of the large number of Greek yogurt plants (Chobani, Fage, Alpina and Muller) making the product right in New York state.

“Starting this school year, students across the state will be balancing New York-made Greek yogurt on their lunch trays. I am thrilled that New York schools will have a chance to participate in the first-ever Greek yogurt pilot program in September," Schumer said.

"Schools in New York, and the other three states participating in the pilot, will soon see that Greek yogurt is an affordable and nutritious high-protein option for their menus,” Schumer said. “I am proud to see this pilot plan reach this final step, because it’s a boon for New York yogurt and dairy industries, and it’s beneficial for the health of our kids.”

Companies wishing to bid on the yogurt contracts have until July 22. The Farm Service Agency will evaluate bids and make awards by the end of July.
 

USDA: Healthier Snacks Coming to Schools Across the Country

Check out this video on how kids will see only healthy snacks at schools from now on.