Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Announcements from the WI DPI School Nutrition Team (SNT)
- Updates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Other Updates and Information
Updates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Farm to School 2023 Census Correction
Recently, we learned that there was an issue with the State school and student numbers displayed in our National and State Summary Workbook as well as on the Farm to School Census website. This abnormality was due to an error in applying the individual State weighting for non-response to State data. This error has been corrected and revisions to the Census data are now available.
Please note, revised copies of the following products are now available:
- Find Nearby School Food Authorities – You may find SFA responses based on zip code or SFA search.
New Training: Identifying Top Sources of Added Sugars and Simple Swaps
Team Nutrition is pleased to announce a new addition to the training series, The Road to Successful Menu Planning for School Meals, to help schools plan and implement menus that support updates to the school nutrition standards. The new 15-minute training covers identifying top sources of added sugars in your school menus!
This training series includes quarterly 1-hour live (and recorded) webinars co-hosted with the Institute of Child Nutrition, and short on-demand trainings. Both are designed to provide school nutrition professionals with quick tips, tools, and knowledge needed to meet the nutrition standards for added sugars and sodium and to help create a road map for successful school menu planning now through school year 2027-28.
Watch this recorded 1-hour webinar with the Institute of Child Nutrition:
Check out these short (about 15 minutes each), on-demand trainings:
The trainings above can count toward USDA Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs, Key Area 1000: Nutrition and Training Topic 1100: Menu Planning.
These trainings and more are also available at the Institute of Child Nutrition’s iLearn Portal and USDA’s Professional Standards Training Database.
More trainings will be available soon. Sign up to receive our announcements and newsletters to stay up to date!
- out Team Nutrition’s Website for more menu planning, nutrition education, and promotion materials.
Apply for a 2025 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant
USDA is excited to continue its support for local foods in schools by opening applications for the 2025 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grants.
For the first time, USDA is allowing organizations to select the type of Farm to School Grant that best fits their needs by offering three different requests for applications.
Applications are due by January 10, 2025; be sure to submit yours by the deadline and find out more details on the Resources for Farm to School Grant Program Applicants webpage!
Other Updates and Information
Growing Leaders Program - Registration Open!
The 2nd year of the SNA-WI Growing Leaders program launches January 2025. This program builds on the experience and feedback from the pilot program and is being expanded to include both members and non-members. The virtual service is free to members, and $249 for non-members. Participants will also be invited to the pre-conference program (June 24, 2025). The program consists of both a series of 3 virtual courses and an in-person session at the 2025 Annual Conference in Appleton. The 4-part training series is designed for school nutrition managers and staff. Participants are asked to commit to all sessions and completing a post-session evaluation. Sessions will be recorded and available for viewing if needed.
Important Dates to Remember:
- December 10, 2024 - Registration Launches
- January 15, 2025 - Series Registrations Due
- January 23, 2025 - First Session (3-4 PM)
- February 19, 2025 - Second session (2-3 PM)
- April 10, 2025 - Third Session (2-3 PM)
- June 24, 2025 - In-Person Session in Appleton (Time TBD)
Sign-up Today to advance your career with SNA-Wisconsin!
Madison Area Master Gardener Association Call for Garden Grant Applications
Madison Area Master Gardener Association (MAMGA) grant applications are being accepted for gardening and horticulture projects for 2025.
Applications will be accepted between December 5, 2024, and March 1, 2025.
The purpose of these grants is to help support school garden projects and nonprofit community-based garden projects located within Dane County. The project must be sponsored by a MAMGA Master Gardener* and be affiliated with a school or a nonprofit organization. MAMGA grants may not be used to benefit individual home gardens or private businesses.
Individual grant applications may request up to $500. Grant funds may be used for seeds, plants, fertilizer, mulch, tools, information and education of students and the community, and garden infrastructure, but not for paid labor. There are a number of sources in Madison for free seeds, seedlings and other forms of assistance such as gardening supply stores and environmental organizations which may also help with project resource needs.
Grant application and submission information may be found on the MAMGA Website
Grant awards will be announced on or about March 15, 2025. For more information, contact Mary Collet: mpcollet@sbcglobal.net
*The MAMGA Master Gardener does not need to hold current certification but does need to be a member of the organization.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: Food Waste – We Need Your Input!
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) is looking to gather information from schools about food waste generated at schools and challenges/opportunities that may exist to support managing food waste. Below is more information about the project and the survey they are using to gather data.
This project supports WDNR’s efforts related to reducing per-capita food waste disposal. We are looking to collect data from all parts of the food system including food production, food waste, recovery and recycling, and understanding barriers to diverting food waste. Schools throughout the state are important to the broader food system, and they would appreciate info from this sector.
Please share and/or complete the survey online as soon as possible to provide valuable input. It will take less than 10 minutes to complete the Online Survey about food waste specific to your industry.
More information about the project can be found on the Project Website. Input from schools via the Survey will help us better understand where food waste is generated (and how much), and how the WDNR can support managing food waste.