Federal Farm to School Legislation and Implementation in Process, and What You

Can Do!

Claire Benjamin, Office of Congresswoman PingreeHelen Dombalis, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Diane Kriviski, US Department of AgricultureBetti Wiggins, Detroit Public Schools

2012 Farm to Cafeteria Conference

IcebreakerStand up if you’ve heard of the Farm Bill

Stand up if you’ve ever worked on a Farm Bill

Stand up if you know the names of your two Senators

Stand up if you know the name of your Representative

Stand up if you’ve ever contacted one of your Members of Congress about an issue important to you

Stand up if you’ve ever met one of your Members of Congress

Child Nutrition Reauthorization:Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010

CNR 101: HistoryOmnibus legislation

renewed roughly every five years

Includes the National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act

This policy can have huge effects on federal meal programs and their participants

CNR 101: ProgramsThe National School Breakfast, National School

Lunch Program (NSLP) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) are permanently authorized through the federal Child Nutrition Program

These and other programs are considered during CNR reauthorizationSummer Food Service ProgramWIC, and including WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition

ProgramFresh Fruit and Vegetable ProgramSpecial Milk Program

Advocacy: Farm to School GrantsMulti-organizational advocacy

National Farm to School NetworkNational Sustainable Agriculture CoalitionCommunity Food Security Coalition

The ask: $50 million over 10 years ($5 million per year)

What we didJoint hill meetingsSign-on letters

The win: $40 million over 8 years ($5 million per year)

Implementation:Joint letters to USDA

Farm to School Grant Program ImplementationRequest for ApplicationsSelection processRemaining $1.5 million

Farm to School In Action

Engaging with Partners

Farm Bill 2012

Farm Bill 101: Overview• Title I – Commodity

Programs

• Title II – Conservation

• Title III – Trade

• Title IV – Nutrition Programs

• Title V – Credit

• Title VI – Rural Development

• Title VII – Research

• Title VIII – Forestry

• Title IX – Energy• Title X – Horticulture &

Organic Agriculture• Title XI – Livestock• Title XII – Crop Insurance• Title XIII – Commodity

Futures• Title XIV – Miscellaneous• Title XV – Trade & Taxes

Farm Bill 101: Programs and BackgroundNutrition

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)Community Food Projects (CFP)

AgricultureBeginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program

(BFRDP)Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG)Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG)National Organic Certification Cost Share Program

ConservationConservation Stewardship Program (CSP)Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Farm Bill 101: Congressional Committees

Authorizing Committees: write the Farm BillHouse Committee on

AgricultureSenate Committee on

Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry

Appropriations Committees: determine how much funding should be allocated for specific programs during each fiscal year

Farm Bill 101: Key Players

Agribusiness Lobby Anti-Hunger

AdvocatesNutrition/Public

HealthCommunity Food

SecurityConservation/

Environmental Groups

International Trade and Globalization

Renewable EnergyGovernment

AgenciesOrganic Groups Sustainable Ag

Congresswoman Pingree’s Farm to School Advocacy

Eat Local Food Act

Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act

Advocacy: Farm to Cafeteria in the Farm Bill

USDA Foods (commodities)Establish a “local food credit program” that allows

schools to use an amount equal to 15 percent of their USDA Foods dollars for purchases of local and regional foods in lieu of commodities

Department of Defense FreshAllow schools and other service institutions a

discretionary option to use their DoD dollars for a “local food credit” with which to make their own purchases of local and regional produce

Where We Stand NowSenate-passed Farm Bill:

Authorizes pilots in five states to explore local food procurement in schools

House Agriculture Committee-passed Farm Bill:Authorizes schools with low annual commodity entitlement

values (small rural schools) to start making their own food purchases in lieu of USDA commodities, provided USDA determines this would yield reduced administrative costs

Creates demonstration projects in at least 10 schools to test alternatives to USDA distribution through  farm to school procurement

Authorizes a five-state pilot program to explore alternatives to the DoD Fresh program for procurement of fresh fruits and vegetables

How potential Farm Bill legislation might impact food service directors on the ground

Status of the Farm BillCurrent Farm Bill

expires Sept. 30, 2012

Full Senate passed bill June 21, 2012

House Agriculture Committee passed bill July 12, 2012

Conference? Extension?

What You Can Do!Sign up for NSAC and CFSC/NFSN action

alerts

Call and/or meet with your Members of Congress and tell them what matters to you. How do you know who to call? Go to congress.org and type in your zip code.

Apply for a Farm to School Grant next year

Questions?