N.Y. farming economy grew 22%

Read more here.

FOOD WASTE IS SERIOUS ECONOMIC ISSUE

A new report shows that about 60 million metric tons of food are wasted a year in the U.S., with an estimated value of $162 billion. About half of it ends up in municipal landfills, at a cost of about $1.5 billion a year to local governments. The problem is not limited to the U.S.—1/3 of all the food produced in the world is never consumed, and the total cost of that food waste could be as high as $400 billion a year. The UN says food discarded by retailers and consumers in the most developed countries would be more than enough to feed all of the world’s 870 million hungry people.

Source: New York Times, 2/26/15, Food Waste Costs

Sometimes snow days = no food days

From an article in the Huffington Post last week:  "While most kids rejoice upon hearing the news of a snow day, many low-income children dread that phone call more than anything else during the winter season."

Why?  Because sometimes their only healthy meals of the day are the ones they get at school!

In one of my "getting acquainted" meetings recently, I was glad to hear that some school superintendents in the North Country are reluctant to call snow days, because they know the kids will be home with no food, maybe no or little heat, and maybe no supervision.

I'm a parent and a grandparent.  I want the kids to be safe.  But I also want them to have healthy meals so they can grow and learn and become productive members of society.

How do we solve this?  I'm not sure I know.  But I do know that we won't solve it if we aren't acknowledging it and talking about it.  And I also know that I cannot tolerate living in a society where it's okay for children to go hungry, so I will keep fighting with every fiber of my being until we do solve the problem!

Gloria

Food Day -- looking back, looking ahead

On and around October 24, 2014, more than 8,000 events and activities took place in all 50 states in celebration of Food Day. The Food Day 2014 Campaign Report offers a visual snapshot of what the fourth annual Food Day celebration looked like. Check it out today! Full of event ideas, use it as a source of inspiration as you begin to plan for Food Day 2015.

Because we want everyone to eat better and healthier diets not only on Food Day, but every day, we’re sharing three delicious stews created by The Healthy Cook Kate Sherwood. They’re hearty and satisfying. And because vegetables and legumes take center stage, they’re better for you and the planet.

This coming October, GardenShare will be hosting our biennial North Country Food Day Youth Summit - a day of workshops, networking, and action planning for high school students from across the North Country.

Topics include:

·         diet and health

·         sustainable agriculture

·         hunger in our communities

·         junk food marketing to kids 

A volunteer committee planning this event - contact us if you would like to help!

And, watch for more information coming out soon!

ONE IN FIVE CHILDREN ON FOOD STAMPS

The number of children receiving food stamps remains higher than it was before the start of the Great Recession in 2007, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau table.

The rate of children living with married parents who receive food stamps has doubled since 2007. In 2014, an estimated 16 million children, or about one in five, received SNAP assistance compared with the roughly 9 million children, or one in eight, that received this form of assistance before the recession.

Source: Census Bureau, 2/20/15, Kids on SNAP

Food pantry funding

Did you read the article on the front page of today's Watertown Times - Food Pantries Cope with Loss of Annual Grant Program?

Nothing I say or write is meant to disparage Mr. Feinstein or his Foundation - he has been giving away a million dollars a  year for a long time.

But, one line in the article says it all for me... "Last year, the Carthage pantry collected around $20,000 worth of donations during the two-month challenge, which earned it a $300 grant from the Feinstein Challenge."

The organization I was previously with stopped participating in this program a few years ago because we did not feel we could call it a "matching grant" or even a "challenge grant" when we knew we would receive only pennies on the dollar.

I am sure that each of the food pantries mentioned in the article and many others around the region could find a local sponsor who would donate $300 or even $1,000 to sponsor a challenge.  I was glad to read on and find that the Lowville Food Pantry was thinking about it that way.

The bottom line - people are generous and they want to help.  With or without a challenge grant, people will respond if we explain the needs and ask.

Gloria

Food Safety Modernization Act webinar for farmers next Monday

The Food Safety Modernization Act, or FSMA, is a sweeping overhaul of federal food safety regulations that affects fruit and vegetable producers significantly. After the release of initial proposed regulations, the US Food and Drug Administration received thousands of public comments and have since revised the proposed rules. Join Farm Credit East’s webinar on Monday, March 9, at 11:00 AM to find out the FSMA’s current status and how it will affect your business. Participation is free.

Wesley Kline, of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, will present this webinar. He’ll take a look at what’s known, what is still uncertain and what may change in 2015 regarding the Food Safety Modernization Act. Mr. Kline will cover the timeline for compliance, compliance considerations for various size farms, as well as considerations for “mixed facilities,” such as those who handle other farm’s produce, including CSAs. Finally, he’ll explain integration with existing programs, such as Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).

Producers are invited to join this webinar on Monday, March 9, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM to learn more about the Food Safety Modernization Act. This webinar is free to participate. Click here to register to attend.

—Farm Credit East

For more articles on food safety, click here.