<div dir="ltr"><div>See below for information on the USDA’s FARM TO SCHOOL CENSUS to see how many U.S. schools have Farm to School programs. The link takes you to an interactive website that provides a lot of interesting information. This is the first census of this kind and it will be interesting to see how many schools are using locally-produced foods and planting edible gardens in the future. </div>
<div><br></div><div>((Teaching kids about food plants and how to grow them is a great way to connect them to nature and to instill the importance of plants in our world! Does anyone know if there is a similar tool for gauging the number of native plant gardens that have been installed in schools??)).</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Also, to follow on the BITS FROM BLOGS article, the Outreach and Education Specialist for the USDA’s “People’s Garden Initiative” spoke at the September 2012 PCA meeting and you can find her presentation at:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/fish__wildlife_and/plants/pca/meetings/sept2012.html">http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/fish__wildlife_and/plants/pca/meetings/sept2012.html</a></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal">The USDA Farm to School E-letter is free and you can subscribe to it using the link at the bottom of the USDA “Farm to School” website at: <<a href="http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school">www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school</a>></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><div>Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.</div><div>Botanist, Division of Scientific Authority-US Fish & Wildlife Service-International Affairs</div><div>Chair, Medicinal Plant Working Group-Plant Conservation Alliance</div>
<div>4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110</div><div>Arlington, VA 22203</div><div>703-358-1708 x1753</div><div>FAX: 703-358-2276</div><div><br></div><div>Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants. </div>
<div><<a href="http://www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal" target="_blank">www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal</a>></div><div><br></div><div>Follow International Affairs</div><div>> on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/USFWSInternatl" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/USFWSInternatl</a></div>
<div>> on Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/USFWS_InternationalAffairs" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/USFWS_InternationalAffairs</a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">
---------- Forwarded message ----------<br></p><div><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">
<p class="MsoNormal">USDA Farm to School E-letter - November 7, 2013</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_GoBack"></a><i>November 7, 2013 | Volume 2, Issue
25</i></p>
<div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<hr size="2" width="100%" align="center">
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>News & Updates</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The USDA Farm to School Census Shows Promising Results:
IS YOUR DISTRICT REPRESENTED?<br>
</b>Earlier this year, USDA completed the first ever national Farm to School
Census, surveying over 13,000 public school districts. At the national level,
13% of the school districts surveyed indicated that they have school gardens;
is yours one of them? View preliminary results at: <a href="http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/census#/">http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/census#/</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Through November 30, 2013, we are welcoming new data
and revisions from districts that did not complete the Census or would like to
make changes or additions to their responses. To update data for your
school district or to complete the survey questionnaire, please contact Matt Benson
with the USDA Farm to School Program at <a href="mailto:matthew.benson@fns.usda.gov" target="_blank">matthew.benson@fns.usda.gov</a>.
Final results of the Census will be available in early 2014. </p><p class="MsoNormal">+++++++++<b><br></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Request for Proposals: National Farm to Cafeteria Conference</b><br>
<a href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMTA3LjI0OTc2MTYxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTEwNy4yNDk3NjE2MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODU5NzEyJmVtYWlsaWQ9UGF0cmljaWFfRGVBbmdlbGlzQGZ3cy5nb3YmdXNlcmlkPVBhdHJpY2lhX0RlQW5nZWxpc0Bmd3MuZ292JmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY=&&&102&&&http://farmtocafeteriaconference.org/7/" target="_blank">The 7th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference: Powering Up</a> (<a href="http://farmtocafeteriaconference.org/7/">http://farmtocafeteriaconference.org/7/</a>)
will take place April 15-18, 2014 in Austin, Texas. Conference
organizers need your ideas, expertise and energy to make this conference a
success! Submit your proposal for a workshop, poster or lightning talk by
this <b>Friday, November 8</b>. For full details and information, <a href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMTA3LjI0OTc2MTYxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTEwNy4yNDk3NjE2MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODU5NzEyJmVtYWlsaWQ9UGF0cmljaWFfRGVBbmdlbGlzQGZ3cy5nb3YmdXNlcmlkPVBhdHJpY2lhX0RlQW5nZWxpc0Bmd3MuZ292JmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY=&&&103&&&http://t.invoc.us/Tracking.aspx?ID=402%7C1F5DE8%7C5F34%7C1FAD%7C23%7C1A%7CF3%7C70DA8F76&Destination=http%3a%2f%2ffarmtocafeteriaconference.org%2f7%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2013%2f09%2fRFP-Farm-to-Cafeteria-2014.pdf&DChk=533C28B9" target="_blank">download the official request for proposals</a>. (<a href="http://farmtocafeteriaconference.org/7/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/RFP-Farm-to-Cafeteria-2014.pdf">http://farmtocafeteriaconference.org/7/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/RFP-Farm-to-Cafeteria-2014.pdf</a>)</p>
<div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><hr size="2" width="100%" align="center">
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">+++++++++<br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Webinars</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Farm to School + Extension Webinar Series Update</b><br>
On <b>November 19 at 1:00 p.m. ET</b>, Julia Govis from University of
Illinois Extension and Morgan Taggart from Ohio State University Extension will
discuss how they support farm to school through the development of educational
resources and curriculum. For information on how to join the webinar, and to
view recordings of previous webinars, click <a href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMTA3LjI0OTc2MTYxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTEwNy4yNDk3NjE2MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODU5NzEyJmVtYWlsaWQ9UGF0cmljaWFfRGVBbmdlbGlzQGZ3cy5nb3YmdXNlcmlkPVBhdHJpY2lhX0RlQW5nZWxpc0Bmd3MuZ292JmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY=&&&104&&&http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/webinars" target="_blank">here</a>. (<a href="http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/webinars">http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/webinars</a>)</p>
<div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<hr size="2" width="100%" align="center">
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">+++++++++</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Bits from Blogs</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>RISE Volunteers Mentor Young Gardeners</b><br>
<i>Guest post by Brad Gaolach, Project Director, Washington State University
Extension</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Grandview Elementary School in Monsey, NY is one of 50
schools across the U.S. taking part in USDA’s <a href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMTA3LjI0OTc2MTYxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTEwNy4yNDk3NjE2MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODU5NzEyJmVtYWlsaWQ9UGF0cmljaWFfRGVBbmdlbGlzQGZ3cy5nb3YmdXNlcmlkPVBhdHJpY2lhX0RlQW5nZWxpc0Bmd3MuZ292JmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY=&&&105&&&http://nyc.cce.cornell.edu/UrbanEnvironment/Pages/PeoplesGarden.aspx" target="_blank">People’s Garden School Pilot Project</a> – “Healthy
Gardens, Healthy Youth” (HGHY). This research and education project aims to
understand the impact of school gardens on fruit and vegetable consumption,
physical activity, science and math learning, and other outcomes.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">People’s Garden School Pilot Project: <a href="http://nyc.cce.cornell.edu/UrbanEnvironment/Pages/PeoplesGarden.aspx">http://nyc.cce.cornell.edu/UrbanEnvironment/Pages/PeoplesGarden.aspx</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">More info: <a href="http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/10/31/rise-volunteers-mentor-young-gardeners/">http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/10/31/rise-volunteers-mentor-young-gardeners/</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">++++++++++++++++++<br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Stay up-to-date on all the latest USDA news and stories on
the <a href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMTA3LjI0OTc2MTYxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTEwNy4yNDk3NjE2MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODU5NzEyJmVtYWlsaWQ9UGF0cmljaWFfRGVBbmdlbGlzQGZ3cy5nb3YmdXNlcmlkPVBhdHJpY2lhX0RlQW5nZWxpc0Bmd3MuZ292JmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY=&&&107&&&http://blogs.usda.gov/" target="_blank">USDA Blog</a>!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Learn more at <a href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMTA3LjI0OTc2MTYxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTEwNy4yNDk3NjE2MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODU5NzEyJmVtYWlsaWQ9UGF0cmljaWFfRGVBbmdlbGlzQGZ3cy5nb3YmdXNlcmlkPVBhdHJpY2lhX0RlQW5nZWxpc0Bmd3MuZ292JmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY=&&&108&&&http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/" target="_blank">http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool</a> or contact us at <a href="mailto:farmtoschool@fns.usda.gov" target="_blank">farmtoschool@fns.usda.gov</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file
a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary
for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW,
Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service),
(800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).</p>
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