Thursday, July 17th – Asheville NC

Sponsored by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

and the Community Farm Alliance,

Southeast Regional Lead Agencies for the National Farm to School Network

What is Growing Minds Farm to School Program?

As part of a national farm to school initiative, Growing Minds is the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s (ASAP) farm to school training program. Growing Minds strives to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships between farms and schools that create dynamic, wellness-focused learning environments for our children. We do this by working with farmers, educators, and communities to serve local food in schools, while expanding opportunities for farm field trips, experiential nutrition education and school gardens. Currently at least one of these four components is being implemented in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, Mitchell, Rutherford, and Yancey County, as well as Asheville City Schools.

Who should attend the Farm to School Conference?

If you …

live/work in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia or Florida AND
are either an agriculture professional, farmer, Child Nutrition Director, food distributor or school personnel AND
are currently involved in farm to school work or plan to be

YOU SHOULD BE THERE!!!

Workshop topics include:

Making the Pitch to Child Nutrition Directors

Policy Panel

Distribution: Opportunities and Challenges

Connecting Farm to School with Local Food Campaigns

Child Nutrition Directors’ Perspective

The National Farm to School Network and How Farm to School Works

The Education of Farm to School

Conference cost? $50

Includes a full day of workshops, resource notebook, breakfast and lunch

Registration is limited.

Registration Deadline is July 1st!

E mail your registration and pay online

Download registration form

call 828-236-1282

Scholarships (that also cover travel expenses) are available on a first come, first serve basis. Contact Libby at libby@asapconnections.org or call her at

828-236-1282.

Accommodations available the Four Points by Sheraton

Call the reservations department (828-253-1851 or 888-854-6897) and mention that you are with Appalachian Sustainable Agricultural Project (ASAP) and that the group has a rate offer and the reservationist will automatically extend your discounted rate ($150 per night for standard king and double rooms plus 10.75% tax

Travel information

Questions?

libby@asapconnections.org

828-236-1282

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

729 Haywood Rd., #3, Asheville, NC 28806

(828) 236-1282 (phone); (828) 236-1280 (fax)

www.asapconnections.org

James Godsil wrote on Community Food Security Coalition listserve

So here is some federal legislation to work for.

H.R.2364
Title: To promote expanded economic opportunities for farmers and ranchers through local and regional markets, expand access to healthy food in underserved communities, provide access to locally and regionally grown food for schools, institutions, and consumers, and strengthen rural-urban linkages, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] (introduced 5/17/2007) Cosponsors (20)
Latest Major Action: 7/17/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.

5/17/2007–Introduced.

Local Food and Farm Support Act – Amends the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program to support value-added agricultural products which shall include a socially disadvantaged farmer and rancher component and may include a small and individual producer grant component.

Directs the Secretary to establish a Family Rancher and Rancher Viability and Innovation Fund.

Amends the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 to direct the Secretary, through the Agricultural Marketing Service, to: (1) establish a grant program for eligible entities to conduct enterprise feasibility studies, including studies of consumer preference; and (2) provide loans and loan guarantees to eligible entities and individual producers to develop processing, distribution, and information infrastructure for locally or regionally produced food.

Amends the Farmers-to-Consumers Direct Marketing Act of 1976 to direct the Secretary to carry out a direct to consumer marketing assistance program to make grants to eligible entities for projects to establish, expand, and promote farmers’ markets and other farmer to consumer direct marketing opportunities.

Extends: (1) the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) farmers’ market nutrition program; (2) the senior farmers’ market nutrition program; (3) the food stamp community food project program; and (4) the farm-to cafeteria program.

Establishes: (1) the food stamp fruit and vegetable incentive program; and (2) the urban agriculture production program.
H.R.2364
Title: To promote expanded economic opportunities for farmers and ranchers through local and regional markets, expand access to healthy food in underserved communities, provide access to locally and regionally grown food for schools, institutions, and consumers, and strengthen rural-urban linkages, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] (introduced 5/17/2007) Cosponsors (20)
Latest Major Action: 7/17/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.

by date)

Rep Allen, Thomas H.

Rep Boyda, Nancy E.

Rep Conyers, John, Jr.

Rep Davis, Artur

Rep DeFazio, Peter A.

Rep Ellison, Keith

Rep Eshoo, Anna G.

Rep Gillibrand, Kirsten E.

Rep Hare, Phil

Rep Holt, Rush D.

Rep Kagen, Steve