The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently published in the Federal Register a Proposed Rule, Restoration of Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Flexibilities,which seeks to reinstate vacated milk, whole grains, and sodium flexibilities and make them available once again to schools and institutions participating in Child Nutrition Programs. For further background, visit the USDA announcement to stakeholders.Comments can be submitted on the Proposed Rule via regulations.gov through December 28, 2020.
Maintaining Participation in School and Out-of-School Time Meals During COVID-19
December 17 // 3pm ET
Across the country, schools and community sponsors are working to ensure children have access to meals through the federally-funded Child Nutrition Programs, regardless of what the school day looks like. While the extension of key waivers through June 2021 has provided much-needed flexibilities for meal service, the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on the school day and out-of-school time hours means that program operators are being faced with new challenges as well as opportunities. This webinar series will highlight promising practices and key considerations for maintaining participation as the 2020-21 school year continues.Register here.
Building Food Council Networks That Support Health, Local Economies and Equity
December 17// 2:30pm ET
This webinar will share how Kansas, Michigan, and North Carolina have each developed robust local food (policy) council networks. These networks connect councils and local level coalitions to foster more equitable food systems that advance health and economic opportunity locally, regionally, and statewide. Presenters will discuss how they have leveraged partnerships to support more democratic action on local food, farming, and health issues and inform state policy. They will discuss responses to COVID-19 in their work, the importance of using an equity lens, lessons learned, and where their work is going next.Registrationfor this webinar is required.
2020-21 N.C. Jr. Chef Competition Intent Forms are due 12/18
Intent to compete forms are due 12/18 and submission forms with application and recipe, recipe photo, and permission forms are due 2/1.
High school CTE Jr. Chefs - Don't miss the opportunity to enter your school lunch entrée recipe in the virtual 2020-21 NC Jr. Chef Competition (NCJCC). The NCJCC challenges teams of 2-4 high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) students enrolled in Culinary Arts and Hospitality, Food and Nutrition, or Food Science and Technology courses to work with their Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher and local School Nutrition Program to create a recipe for a school lunch entrée that features at least two North Carolina grown ingredients and one USDA Foods item, adheres to federal nutrition guidelines and meets student taste preferences. Scholarships available. Learn morehttps://bit.ly/2KVeO4f .
Grant Opportunities
2021 Gro More Good Grassroots Grant
Grant application opens: January 2021
The 2021 Gro More Good Grassroots Grant presented by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening is designed to bring the life-enhancing benefits of gardens to communities across the United States. Awards provide funding for the development of new and expansion of existing youth garden programs and greenspaces serving 15 or more youth. Winners will be selected based on their commitment to the maintenance and sustainability of their garden program including plans for growth and future fiscal stability. The Gro More Good Grassroots Grant is open to all nonprofit and tax exempt organizations (including schools) in the United States and U.S. Territories. Sign up to be notified when the grant application opens.
Please send grant opportunities to Arneisha Smallwood, ansmallw@ncsu.edu, or Tessa Thraves, tes_thraves@ncsu.edu.
Racial Equity Resources
Save the Date: 5th Annual National Day of Racial Healing
January 19, 2021
On Tues., Jan. 19, 2021, W.K. Kellogg Foundation invites you to join them for the 5th annual National Day of Racial Healing. The day will be centered around experiences rooted in truth-telling that lead to racial healing for a more just and equitable future. It’s a day for authentic dialogues, so people can start to see and hear each other. It is a day to share our stories and to recognize our shared humanity, so we can come together and transform the world around us. This year, Baratunde Thurston is the host, and you'll be joined by leading advocates, musicians, artists and others, who are taking action to help heal our communities. Learn more about WKKF’s YouTube premiere event for the National Day of Racial Healing and RSVP today.
Additional Racial Equity Resources
The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), one of our Farm to School Coalition of NC partners, has created a document of current webinars as well as resources to facilitate engagement and learning around Racial Equity, both in general and especially as it relates to food systems and education. View webinars/ resourceshere.
National Farm to School Network
Farm to School Policy Wins During the 116th Congress
As the 116th Congress begins to wrap up, the National Farm to School Network is looking back at some of the important farm to school and food justice bills that were introduced these past two years. Take 5 minutes to join us in thanking the co-sponsors of these bills and letting your legislators know you want to see more like this when the 117th Congress begins on January 3, 2021. Read more on the NFSN blog.
