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Monthly Newsletter from the MU Extension Implementation Team

for the MFH Healthy and Active Communities

Grantees

Healthy Community Communicator

MU Extension Project Coordinator Working to Increase

Local Food in Missouri Institutions

University of Missouri Extension, in

partnership with the Missouri Coun-

cil for Activity and Nutrition

(MOCAN), is contracting with the

Missouri Department of Health and

Senior Services (DHSS) to implement

the Missouri Farm to Institution Pro-

ject. The project is funded through a

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) grant. Overall, the

project intends to increase the num-

ber of Missouri institutions serving

healthy, locally grown food; create

new market opportunities for Mis-

souri farmers; and improve the

health of Missourians.

Farm to Institution involves purchas-

ing and using locally and regionally

grown and raised products in

schools, hospitals, child care centers,

universities, prisons and other insti-

tutional settings. It may also involve

school or worksite gardening, cooking

classes, farm tours, farmer/chef visits,

Harvest of the Season and special food

related events.

Bill McKelvey, MU Extension, is Project

Coordinator for the Missouri Farm to

Institution Project. In a recent inter-

view, he said that the project’s initial

focus will be on schools, building on the

momentum from other efforts to im-

prove school lunch such as Let’s Move!,

the National Farm to School Network

and the Childhood Nutrition Reauthori-

zation Act.

Throughout the grant period, the Mis-

souri Farm to Institution Project will

provide tools to help Missouri institu-

tions make connections with local farm-

ers and local food. The project will also

assess the current status of

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I S S U E

S p e c i a l E d i t i o n 2 0 1 0

9A Photo credit: Annette Triplett Story by: Casi Lock, Bill McKelvey

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farm to school activities in Missouri; develop of a media campaign; conduct regional

networking and training events; and create a farm to institution resource guide.

Research shows that farm to school programs impact students, school foodservice per-

sonnel and farmers in a variety of ways. For example, students consume more fruits

and vegetables and have greater knowledge of agriculture and healthy eating. School

foodservice personnel increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables served and

schools see increased revenue thanks to increased participation in the school lunch

program. Farmers diversify their markets, secure contracts for their products, increase

collaboration and establish grower cooperatives.

Missouri is home to a number of farm to school and related programs. At least 125

schools involve students in fruit and vegetable gardening and at least 15 schools incor-

porate locally grown food into school meals and snacks.

As part of the Missouri Farm to Institution Project’s outreach efforts, Bill is organizing

regional workshops that will be held in early 2011. These workshops will be educa-

tional and will provide information about starting and improving farm to school pro-

grams. Workshop attendees will benefit from networking with others in their region

who are working on related projects.

If you would like more information about the Missouri Farm to Institution Project or

are interested in receiving a monthly newsletter with updates and information about

farm to school related events and opportunities, please contact Bill McKelvey

(McKelveyWA@umsystem.edu).

(continued on page 3)

MU Extension Project Coordinator Working to Increase

Local Food in Missouri Institutions

(continued from page 1)

Photo credit: Rhonda Smythe,

St Louis University, Healthy

Eating with Local Produce

(HELP) project

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Photo credit: Charlie at the Southern Boone County Learning Garden (Bill McKelvey)

Through experience and professional development trainings, many MU Extension regional spe-

cialists around the state are knowledgeable about farm to school and farm to institution efforts

in Missouri. Several regional specialists currently assist in the development of school and com-

munity gardening programs. In northeast Missouri, regional specialists are engaged in a variety

of farm to institution activities in conjunction with the Scotland County Healthy Lifestyle Initia-

tive. To locate local MU Extension offices and regional specialists, please visit:

http://extension.missouri.edu.

The National Farm to School Network (http://www.farmtoschool.org) is a good resource for

finding out about farm to school projects around the country.

MU Extension Project Coordinator Working to

Increase Local Food in Missouri Institutions

(continued from page 2)

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Photo credit: The Commu-nity Partnership

You are invited to participate in a Peer to Peer Exchange in Rolla, Missouri! The theme

of this exchange is Community Food Systems. Join the discussion with other grantees

and MU Extension specialists about best practices, opportunities and challenges of

food-related projects such as community and school gardens, farmers markets and

farm to institution projects.

Facilitated small group discussion and a visit to one of The Community Partnership’s

community garden sites will be beneficial for those who are currently involved in a

food-related project and those who are not yet but are considering it.

When: Wednesday, October 20, 2010; 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Where: The Community Partnership, 1101 Hauk Drive, Rolla, MO 65401

RSVP: Lunch is provided so please RSVP to Casi Lock (LockC@missouri.edu or

573-882-9986) by Friday, October 15, 2010.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Other MFH Capacity

Building Teams

EVALUATION TEAM

Contact:

Jessi Erickson, MPH (Technical Assistance Coordinator) Phone: 314-977-8280 Email: ericksjl@slu.edu

DISSEMINATION TEAM

Contact:

Carl Filler, MSW (Program Manager) Phone: 314-362-9649 Email: cfiller@gwbmail.wustl.edu

Beth Leinauer (Program Assistant) Phone: 314-747-1634 Email: bleinauer@gwbmail.wustl.edu

MFH Healthy & Active Communities—Implementation Team

Purpose: The MU Extension Implementation Team provides grantees with assistance in implementing project activities. They are available by phone and email and for meetings in your community to provide program implementation support. Types of assistance might include: program specific assistance on topics such as worksite wellness, farm to school, and starting and sustaining community gardens; recruiting par-ticipants for community initiatives; fostering organ-izational buy-in and support; effectively engaging policy makers; and strategies to build community-partnerships to ensure program sustainability.

Primary Contact: Ann Cohen, MS, RD, LD Phone: 573-882-2435 E-mail: CohenA@missouri.edu

Secondary Contact: Casi Lock, MS Phone: 573-882-9986 E-mail: LockC@missouri.edu http://extension.missouri.edu/healthylife/

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*Special thanks to Bill McKelvey, MU Extension, for his contributions to the text and photos. Thanks also to Annette Triplett, MU Extension; Rhonda Smythe, St. Louis University; and The Community Partnership for their contributions to the photos.

MU Extension and The Community Partnership to Host Peer to Peer Exchange on October 20