A slight shift

The world of Michigan legislation has shifted - slightly. The information below shows that an amendment to pending legislation will not require schools to outsource their cafeteria functions. To me this is a good thing. Let's keep the ownership of decisions about such things in the hands of the people who are impacted. If individual schools can find a way to feed children more healthily, more economically and more creatively, let's let that happen and learn from it.

"This morning the House Education Committee held a meeting in Lansing on House Bill 4306, which would amend the revised school code. 

A new substitute version of this bill (which again, may still change and has not been adoped by the House; see 

attached) is now on the table. This substitute bill (H-2) still requires school districts to collect bids for food, 

custodial, and transportation services but does not mandate that schools/districts privatize these services; "a school district, intermediate school district, or public school academy may contract with any person or entity to provide these services, or may have these services provided on an employment basis by a group of its employees after obtaining competitive bids..." This new version of the bill also exempts school food service programs that make a profit from that requirement; "(4) This section does not apply to...(B) the provision of food services, if the revenues that the school district, intermediate school district, or public school academy receives from its food service program exceed the costs of operation of the program."

With a packed room including numerous school food service directors, spoken testimony and submitted testimony cards were overwhelmingly in opposition of this bill, although there was some confusion between the different versions of the bill as many had not yet seen the newest substitute bill that began circulating late yesterday. Please check the House Education Committee homepage in the coming days for minutes and testimony from this meeting - http://www.house.mi.gov/committeeinfo.asp?lstcommittees=education.

Best,

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist

CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

Michigan State University

303 Natural Resources Building

East Lansing, MI 48824-1222

517.432.0310

www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu"

Budget cuts and what we eat

No question that all of us are bearing the brunt of the economic fallout of the mortgage bubble. But in an effort to balance budgets, it seems that the proverbial baby is being thrown out with the bath water. In Michigan the legislature is set to "mandate" the outsourcing of all non-teaching positions in the state's schools. (For details, HB4306 can be read here. )

This has the potential to have a huge impact on the growing "farm to school" efforts to get fresh vegetables and fruits into children's diets. Of course, it's possible that the entities to which food services are outsourced would maintain the relationships that have been developed, or reach out to local farmers/growers/producers to obtain local products for the schools they serve. But it seems more possible that large "convenience" food companies persuade these outsourcing firms that there is more money to be made buying in bulk for all schools rather than taking advantage of what is available locally. Fresh food requires people to prepare it and people who are able to do this deserve to be paid more than people who open a bag or microwave a pouch. There goes the profit...

This feels wrong to me on many levels. The quality of food is only the start. Then there is the impact on the farmers' incomes. And I resent paying tax dollars to fund this type of action, taking the control of a basic choice away from individuals. Where is the sense in lessening of food choices and options in school systems, giving over control about what children eat to faceless firms that may be hundreds of miles away and whose focus is on profit. And research more and more shows the direct connection between food choices and their impact on health.

For those parents who can, food choices for their children are available by packing their children's lunches and limiting or avoiding purchases in the school cafeteria. More work for mom and dad. Yes, no doubt. But if this bill becomes law, it may be one of the few choices left about what children have access to eat at school.

More on Food Safety from the NYT editorial page

OPINION

Food Safety

Published: March 6, 2011

The House’s proposed cuts of the U.S.D.A. and F.D.A. budgets put the health of American consumers at risk.

Anticipating Summer

I know that most people are anticipating Spring, but I'm already past that and thinking about summer. The bounty that will be available (I hope!) and the fun I will have at the local markets as people talk to the growers and learn about the various varieties of things or perhaps a veggie they have never met.

It's only been fairly recently that I've realized how fortunate I was to grow up when and where I did... in the 50s and 60s with parents who not only gardened, but made wine, put up applesauce and pickles and had wonderful tasty ways to enjoy bumper crops. I think more people want to live the way I grew up. And I'm glad. But in a way sad too.

It's sad that we have to almost lose the things that have value when shiny, new products or processes come along. But in the end, the things that have staying power do just that, they stay. In the hearts and minds (and in my case, the taste buds!) of people who can pass them on to those who care to know.