Setting the Table for Success: A Toolkit for Increasing Local Food Purchasing by Institutional Food Service Management
Organization: FINE
Published: 2016
This food service toolkit describes the process to request proposals from and negotiate contracts with food service management companies in order to maximize opportunities to incorporate regional food. These tools are also applicable to self-operated facilities for use in setting internal goals and contracting with group purchasing organizations or directly with suppliers. Information generated from more than 40 interviews with food systems advocates and staff from food service management companies.
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Setting the Table for Success: Increasing Local Food Purchasing by Food Service at Institutions
Organization: FINE
Published: 2016
How can we get more local and regional food into schools, colleges and hospitals? The process often involves many different parties and steps to navigate. This webinar provides an orientation to “Setting the Table for Success: Increasing Local Food Purchasing by Institutional Food Service Management,” (https://www.farmtoinstitution.org/food-service-toolkit) a brand new toolkit designed to help you understand the process of working with food service management companies to maximize opportunities to incorporate local and regional food into your menus. The toolkit is also applicable to self-operated facilities for use in setting internal goals and contracting with group purchasing organizations or directly with suppliers. More than 400 people food service folks, institution staff, food system advocates, consultants, technical assistance providers and local food supporters registered for this webinar in 2016.
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The Significance of Farm to Early Care and Education in the Context of COVID-19
Organization: National Farm to School Network
Published: 2020
Included in this factsheet are reasons farm to early care and education (ECE) is even more relevant during a pandemic and a post-pandemic world in supporting providers in meeting the needs of children and families. This information can provide talking points and help you connect to interested providers, families, communities, and stakeholders to help build or rebuild farm to ECE initiatives and activities. From the National Farm to School Network and Association of State Public Health Nutritionists
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Smith Campus Chefs Participate in Training on Plant-Focused Meals
Author: Peggy Briggs
Organization: FINE, New England Farm and Sea to Campus Network
Published: 2017
Tips and resources to increase plant focused delicious meals from Smith College located in Northampton, Massachusetts.
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SNAP state by state COVID-19 waivers
Organization: USDA
Published: 2020
Map and list of COVID-19 waivers by state.
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Starting a Wholesale Food Business
Organization: Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
Published: 2020
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Food Protection Program has prepared this guide to help you comply with Massachusetts and federal requirements in order to start a wholesale food business. A wholesale food business sells products to other businesses, it does not sell products directly to the consumer.
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State Farm to School Policy Handbook 2002-2018
Organization: National Farm to School Network
Published: 2019
The State Farm to School Policy Handbook: 2002-2018 is a tool for those working to advance the farm to
school movement, whose core elements include local food procurement, school gardens, and food and
agriculture education. The Handbook summarizes and analyzes bills and resolutions introduced between
January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2018, from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories.
It enables users to search bills by both jurisdiction and topic.
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Strategies for Remote School Garden Engagement
Organization: Maine School Garden Network
Published: 2020
A Google document sourcing COVID-19 strategies being used in the remote school garden.
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Student Food Access and Security Study
Author: Suzanna M. Martinez, Katie Maynard, Lorrene D. Ritchie
Published: 2016
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that one out of every seven households in the United
States is considered to be food insecure, meaning that lack of money or other resources limits their
access to adequate food. As awareness about the prevalence of food insecure households has
increased, anecdotal reports from colleges and universities throughout the country have raised concerns
about food insecurity among students. Because there is limited data about food security among college
students, the University of California is working to better understand the scope of food insecurity on
its campuses
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Summary of COVID-19 Child Nutrition Program Response Nationwide Waivers & Memos
Organization: No Kid Hungry
Published: 2020
This resource briefly describes all nationwide waivers and guidance memoranda released by the USDA in response to the coronavirus.
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Summer, after-school, and weekend meals
Organization: Health Care Without Harm
Nationwide, approximately 13 million children live in food-insecure households. While school-age children can eat nutritious foods offered through school meal programs, many lack access to healthy food resources outside of school. Summer and Child and Adult Care Food programs, part of the USDA’s child nutrition portfolio, help to address this need. Across the country, weekend meal bag programs also serve to fill this gap and ensure children have access to food when school is not in session. Hospitals can be a valuable partner in these efforts. Hospital roles include: operating a federally subsidized meal service program for summer months and/or at-risk communities, independently establishing an alternative meal program to ensure children have access to food outside of federally funded programs, and supporting feeding programs (with financial or staff resources) run by community-based partners to increase the impact of existing efforts.
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Sustainability Guidelines for Food Service Purchasing Emory University Sustainable Food Committee
Organization: Emory University
Published: 2016
Emory University has shared the sustainability guidelines used by their food service purchasing team.
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The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System
Organization: The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
(STARS) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for Campuss and universities to measure their sustainability performance.
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Sustainable Dogfish Gains in Popularity at Maine Universities: Utilizing an Under Appreciated Fish Source on Campus Dining Menus
Author: Taylor Witkin
Organization: FINE, University of Rhode Island Marine Affairs
Published: 2017
Utilizing an Under-Appreciated Fish Source on Campus Dining Menus
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Sustainable Foods Definitions: Healthier food purchasing standards
Organization: Health Care Without Harm
Fact sheet defining sustinable food labels, including raised without antibiotics, rBGH-free, certified grassfed, and local.
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Tips for Selling on the Internet
Organization: National Center for Appropriate Technology ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture Program
Published: 2020
The Internet is a communication and marketing tool that can provide exposure to a large number of potential customers, especially in response to COVID-19. This tip sheet highlights the advantages, considerations, useful tips, and key questions you should ask yourself when considering selling your products via the Internet.
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Tips for Selling to Institutional Markets
Organization: National Center for Appropriate Technology ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture Program
Published: 2020
Institutional markets - such as cafeterias in state and local government buildings, schools, universities, prisons, hospitals, or similar organizations - are becoming more interested in buying local food, which provides a new marketing opportunity for a medium to large-scale farm. This tip sheet highlights the advantages, considerations, useful tips, and key questions you should ask yourself when considering institutions as a market for your farm products.
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To Safeguard the US Food Supply Chain During the Covid-19 Pandemic, We Must Protect Food and Agricultural Workers: Recommendations for Policymakers and Employers
Organization: Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
Published: 2020
COVID-19 has exacted a heavy toll on workers at every stage of the US food supply chain. Infections have been reported among workers at farms, meatpacking plants, food-processing plants, distribution facilities, grocery stores, and restaurants. Urgent action is needed to protect the US food and agricultural workforce against COVID-19. The SHIELD · TEST · TRACE · TREAT framework proposed in this brief outlines evidence-based public health principles and approaches that companies, labor unions, and government agencies can take to enhance food and agricultural workforce protections.
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A Toolkit for Institutional Purchasers Sourcing Local Food from Distributors
Organization: FINE
This toolkit is designed to assist you in communicating with a current or potential distributor about meeting your institution’s need for both product and tracking reports that document local and sustainable purchases.
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Tools for MA Farmers, Fishermen, and Food Producers
Organization: Massachusetts Farm to School
This series of website guides on farm to school includes garden and classroom lessons, advocate materials, recipes, getting started in farm to school, and farm visits 101. Also includes a farm to school business directory in MA.
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