COFSAC Digest: Month of December

Contents:
I. Colorado Events II. Reports and Articles III. Funding Opportunities IV. Webinars V. Non-Colorado Events VI. Resources VII. Colorado Legislation VIII. National Legislation

I. Colorado Events
The First Annual Western Slope Food & Farming Forum When: January 10, 2013, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Where: Montrose County Fairgrounds Friendship Hall. This conference will provide education, resources and networking for western slope producers and land owners with the goal of sustainably improving the production, marketing, and consumption of locally grown food. http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/TRA/Special/WSFFFflyer_2.pdf. Colorado Farm Show This annual three-day event features almost 350 ag-related exhibits and draws more than 30,000 visitors from throughout the region interested in learning more about agricultural products, services, and machinery. The show takes place January 29-31st in Greenly; www.coloradofarmshow.com Front Range Local Food Summit Monday, February 11th from 10-6 in Denver (McNichols Building 144 W. Colfax Denver, CO). Mile High Business Alliance is happy to announce Colorado's largest gathering of businesses and organizations interested in strengthening our local food economy. The Local Food Summit will bring together local food producers, farmers, retailers, restaurateurs and other local food leaders from throughout the region to share, design and implement solutions to increase local food production and community access to healthier local food. For more information, contact Sarah Wells at sarah.wells@milehighbiz.org or 303.437.3765. Colorado Agriculture Big and Small Conference The mission of the Colorado Agriculture Big and Small conference is to provide ag producers, land managers, ag professionals, input suppliers and other stakeholders with an opportunity for education, networking and community development to meet their goals of sustainability (environmental, economic and social). When: Wednesday, February 13 Thursday, February 14, 2013 Where: Adams County Fairgrounds (Brighton, CO), Waymire Dome Complex The conference features sessions from farmers, agriculture professionals, and scientists for commercial crops and livestock producers engaged in direct market and/or wholesale and organic, biological, or low 1

input production systems. For more information see www.coloradoagriculturebigandsmall.com. Contact Adrian Card, Adrian.Card@ColoState.EDU, with any questions about the conference. Commercial and non-profit vendors are welcome to participate. Contact Jennifer Cook (303-659-7004 Ext. 3) for information on booths and sponsorships.

II. Reports and Articles

Community Use Program in Schools The CDPHE recently posted Sharing Schools: Community Use of School Kitchens that outlines the benefits, policy considerations and operational needs for implementing a community use program. Farm Bill Update from NSAC Read this mid-month farm bill update from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. Innovative Grocery Store in Food Desert Grist released this article about an innovative grocery store for the people in West Oakland, CA. http://grist.org/food/a-grocery-store-for-the-people-planned-for-west-oakland-food-desert/ Increased SNAP Participants See the numbers in this article regarding the increase in SNAP participation, which includes a map of participation rates in all states. State Food Policy Council Toolkit The Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic is excited to announce the release of Good Laws, Good Food: Putting State Food Policy to Work for Our Communities, the second toolkit in a two-part series for communities seeking to make change in their food and agriculture system. Los Angeles Food Policy By issuing an Executive Directive in support of a food purchasing policy designed to increase the purchase of locally grown, sustainable food, Los Angeles implemented one of the most comprehensive city food procurement policies in the country. Healthy Corner Stores In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the health inspection checklist for corner stores includes specifications for providing and displaying fresh, low-cost produce. Sustainability Plans and Food Systems: National Survey Planning for Food Access and Community-Based Food Systems: A National Scan and Evaluation of Local Comprehensive and Sustainability Plans is a 175-page report highlighting evaluations, recommendations, and case studies developed out of a national survey of sustainability plans that address food systems. Urban Agriculture Three major US cities evaluate how local policies can support urban agriculture. Their reports provide a look at the status of urban agriculture today, explore the potential for urban agriculture in their respective cities, and identify challenges to be overcome. 2

III. Funding Opportunities

Specialty Crops Grower Research and Education Grants The 2013 Specialty Crops Grower Research and Education Grants are intended for research, demonstration, and/or education projects addressing specialty crops production, processing, and marketing issues faced by small farmers, beginning farmers or socially disadvantaged farmers in Colorado. For more details and information, visit http://www.specialtycrops.colostate.edu. Sow It Forward Sow It Forward is the grants and partnership program of Kitchen Gardeners International. The grant funds new or expanding food garden projects. The $600 grant. The deadline is January 11. http://kgi.org/sowit-forward. Kitchen Community: Learning Gardens The Kitchen Community has released a call for applications for Learning Gardens. There are two ways to obtain a Learning Garden based on your school Free and Reduced Lunch or low-income ratio. Deadline is January 15. Sustainable Community Gardening To support sustainable community gardening efforts Gardeners Supply Company will assist American Community Garden Association in recognizing established or developing community gardens with grants of up to $1,000. You or your organization must be a member of ACGA to apply for this award. Deadline is January 18. CO Food Hub Implementation In support of the Food Hub project in Northern Colorado, proposals for mini-grants geared towards project implementation in 2013 are being accepted. Application deadline is January 15. http://www.healthyweld2020.com USDA Funding for Pest Management Solutions On Monday, December 3, USDA announced over $33 million in funding for research, education, and extension grants that support innovative pest management solutions to address the pest and disease problems farmers face across the nation. http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2012news/12031_pest_management.html EPA: Community Environmental and Public Health US EPA has opened applications for Environmental Small Grants totaling $1.5 million for community initiatives advancing environment and public health. The program assists recipients in building collaborative partnerships to help them understand and address environmental and public health issues in their communities. Deadline is January 7.

IV. Non-Colorado Events

Southwests Premier Conference for Organic Agriculture Farm to Table, New Mexico Department of Agriculture, and New Mexico State University present the Southwest's Premier Conference for Organic Agriculture. When: Friday, February 15 * 7:30 am to 5:30 pm Saturday, February 16 * 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. Where: Marriott Albuquerque Pyramid North. See the full program here. To register, use this form form or go to www.farmtotablenm.org. Anti-Hunger Policy Conference The 2013 National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference will be held March 3-5, 2013 at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. The event is co-sponsored by the Food Research and Action Center and Feeding America, in cooperation with the National CACFP Forum. Visit the conference website.

V. Resources
Health and Well-Being Assessment Tools CHNA.org, a state-of-the-art, FREE, web-based utility nested in Community Commons that will prove to be an invaluable resource in the work we all do to assess and make measurable improvements in community health and well-being. Other new Health Impact Assessment resources are available online: Guidance and Best Practices for Stakeholder Participation in Health Impact Assessments CDC Healthy Community Design News Listserv Spanish Language HIA Portal. New Organic Certification Guidelines Earlier this year, USDA launched its new Organic Literacy Initiative, an effort to help connect current and prospective organic farmers, ranchers, and processors with the USDA resources available to them. As part of this initiative, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) has partnered with the National Organic Program (NOP) on four new guides with detailed information about organic certification. Read more... MOSESs Rural Womens Project The MOSES Rural Women's Project (RWP) supports women farmers and food-based ecopreneurs, providing resources, networking and collaborative opportunities to champion new business start-ups that support food system change. http://www.mosesorganic.org/womensproject.html LiveWell Colorado: Food Systems Resource The LiveWell Colorado Food Systems website is now available. This website provides information and numerous resources on various food systems topics from food and agriculture coalitions to healthy food access to community food production, processing, and marketing. Food Systems Resource The HUFED Center of The Wallace Center at Winrock International offers numerous resources for food systems stakeholders including webinars, reports, articles, and tools on topics ranging from healthy food access to consumer education to funding opportunities. Healthy Community Food Systems 4

Healthy Community Food Systems, a Colorado non-profit, developed a toolkit that offers tools and resources for food systems policy makers, farmers, and consumers on healthy and local food topics. Food Systems Policy and Planning Models SCOTie (Successful Communities Online Toolkit information exchange) is a database of policy and planning models and best practices from western communities, including community food initiatives.

VI. Colorado Legislation

None this monthstay tuned

VII. National Legislation

Dec. 11, 2012 S.3669 : A bill to provide assistance for watersheds adversely affected by qualifying natural disasters. Sponsor: Sen Bennet, Michael F. [CO] (introduced 12/11/2012) Latest Major Action: 12/11/2012 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Dec. 13, 2012 H.R.6666 : Healthy Communities through Helping to Offer Incentives and Choices to Everyone in Society Act Latest Major Action: 12/13/2012 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Education and the Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. Dec. 19, 2012 S.AMDT.3367 to H.R.1 To extend certain supplemental agriculture disaster assistance programs. Latest Major Action: 12/28/2012 Proposed amendment SA 3367 withdrawn in Senate.