December 13, 2016
FINYS is pleased to end the year 2016 with this Update sharing exciting news for Farm to School, our OpEd in the Albany Times Union, and fresh grant opportunities for New York farmers to market their products in New York!
Second Round of NYS Farm to School Funding Announced
Earlier this month, Governor Cuomo announced $500,000 in awards to seven farm to school programs benefiting nearly 300,000 students across the state! “These Farm-to-School programs are a win-win that supports New York farmers and helps ensure our children have access to healthy, locally grown produce,” Governor Cuomo said. “This is one more step toward a stronger, healthier New York for all.” The awards will be used to hire Farm-to-School coordinators, train food service staff, provide nutrition education in classrooms and cafeterias, purchase equipment to support food preparation, and increase the volume and variety of local specialty crops used in school lunches. Congratulations to all the awardees!
A Healthy Harvest for New York’s School Children
FINYS Coordinator Glenda Neff recently wrote to the Albany Times Union about how New York State is poised to become a national leader in the year ahead by putting the bounty of our local farms on school cafeteria menus, and providing schools with an incentive to buy locally. With New York schools spending nearly $850 million each year on food purchases, keeping these dollars in New York helps our farmers, feeds our children healthy food, and bolsters our state’s economy. Read the op-ed here!
New York Grown & Certified Funding Opportunities for Farmers
The January 20th deadline is approaching for New York fruit and vegetable growers who wish to apply for funding to reimburse the costs of participating in a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) audit. Farmers who complete a GAP audit may be eligible to join New York State Grown & Certified, which includes a major marketing campaign to promote New York producers who meet the program standards.
Check out NYSDAM’s New Database for Finding Local Farms and Food
New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets (NYSDAM) has a new searchable database available for consumers and wholesale buyers looking to find farms, processors and distributors by the products they carry.
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