[Community_garden] Community school gardens in the Farm bill

[Kristen Spoales]

When will we find out how this pans out and how to
apply for available funding?
Thanks!

--- Molly McCluer <molly.mccluer at gmail.com> wrote:

> They've not yet been appointed.
> - Molly
> 
> On Dec 18, 2007 11:11 AM, gorbehfarsi at verizon.net
> <gorbehfarsi at verizon.net>
> wrote:
> 
> > Would you send us a list of conference committee
> members please? If
> > our members are not on the committee, it probably
> wouldn't have much
> > effect to contact them.
> >
> > Libby
> >
> >
> >
> > On Dec 18, 2007, at 9:41 AM, Jim Flint wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >     To:  Fellow ACGA members
> > >
> > > From:  Jim Flint, Vermont Community Garden
> Network
> > >
> > >     Re:  Senate Farm Bill and school garden
> amendment
> > >
> > > Date:  December 18, 2007
> > >
> > >
> > > Dear ACGA Colleagues,
> > >
> > > Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has included
> an amendment in
> > > the Farm Bill to authorize $10,000,000 to
> establish a pilot
> > > program for community school gardens.
> > >
> > > The Farm Bill passed the Senate by a vote of 79
> to 14 on
> > > December 14, with the school garden amendment
> intact. The Farm
> > > Bill is now headed to conference committee where
> the Senate and
> > > House will determine the final version of the
> bill which goes to
> > > the President.
> > >
> > > Time is now of the essence to ensure that the
> school garden
> > > amendment is included in the final version of
> the Farm Bill.
> > >
> > > Letters, emails, and phone calls from ACGA
> members to their
> > > representatives in the House can help make the
> difference when
> > > the House and Senate conferees meet.
> > >
> > > The key message to communicate is as follows,
> restated in your
> > > own words:
> > >
> > > "Dear Representative ________________.  Please
> make sure that
> > > the Senate provision in the Farm Bill for
> setting up a pilot
> > > program for community gardening in high-poverty
> schools is
> > > included when the House and Senate conferees
> meet.  Please
> > > support community gardening in schools as a
> means for learning
> > > about agriculture, improving the diet of
> childrens and youths,
> > > and growing healthy food for use in summer
> nutrition programs."
> > >
> > > For reference, the text of the school garden
> amendment is
> > > reprinted below. Please take time TODAY to
> contact your
> > > representative in Washington and help to ensure
> that the school
> > > garden amendment stays in the Farm Bill.
> > >
> > > Sincerely,
> > >
> > > Jim Flint, Executive Director
> > > Friends of Burlington Gardens
> > > Vermont Community Garden Network
> > > 180 Flynn Ave Studio 3
> > > PO Box 4504
> > > Burlington, VT  05406-4504
> > > 802-861-4769
> > > www.burlingtongardens.org
> > >
> > > ______________________________
> > >
> > > TEXT OF SANDERS AMENDMENT TO THE SENATE FARM
> BILL AUTHORIZING
> > > FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOL GARDENS
> > >
> > > INCLUDED IN THE HARKIN MANAGER'S AMENDMENT
> PASSED BY U.S.
> > > SENATE - DECEMBER 14, 2007
> > >
> > > (3) PILOT PROGRAM FOR HIGH-POVERTY SCHOOLS.--
> > >     (A) DEFINITIONS.--In this paragraph:
> > >
> > >     (i) ELIGIBLE PROGRAM.--The term `eligible
> program' means--
> > >
> > >     (I) a school-based program with hands-on
> vegetable gardening
> > > and nutrition education that is incorporated
> into the curriculum
> > > for 1 or more grades at 2 or more eligible
> schools; or
> > >
> > >     (II) a community-based summer program with
> hands-on
> > > vegetable gardening and nutrition education that
> is part of, or
> > > coordinated with, a summer enrichment program at
> 2 or more
> > > eligible schools.
> > >
> > >     (ii) ELIGIBLE SCHOOL.--The term `eligible
> school' means a
> > > public school, at least 50 percent of the
> students of which are
> > > eligible for free or reduced price meals under
> this Act.
> > >
> > >     (B) ESTABLISHMENT.--The Secretary shall
> carry out a pilot
> > > program under which the Secretary shall provide
> to nonprofit
> > > organizations or public entities in not more
> than 5 States
> > > grants to develop and run, through eligible
> programs, community
> > > gardens at eligible schools in the States that
> would--
> > >
> > >     (i) be planted, cared for, and harvested by
> students at the
> > > eligible schools; and
> > >
> > >     (ii) teach the students participating in the
> community
> > > gardens about agriculture, sound farming
> practices, and diet.
> > >
> > >     (C) PRIORITY STATES.--Of the States provided
> a grant under
> > > this paragraph--
> > >
> > >     (i) at least 1 State shall be among the 15
> largest States,
> > > as determined by the Secretary;
> > >
> > >     (ii) at least 1 State shall be among the
> 16th to 30th
> > > largest States, as determined by the Secretary;
> and
> > >
> > >     (iii) at least 1 State shall be a State that
> is not
> > > described in clause (i) or (ii).
> > >
> > >     (D) USE OF PRODUCE.--Produce from a
> community garden
> > > provided a grant under this paragraph may be--
> > >
> > >     (i) used to supplement food provided at the
> eligible school;
> > >
> > >     (ii) distributed to students to bring home
> to the families
> > > of the students; or
> > >
> > >     (iii) donated to a local food bank or senior
> center
> > > nutrition program.
> > >
> > >     (E) NO COST-SHARING REQUIREMENT.--A
> nonprofit organization
> > > or public entity that receives a grant under
> this paragraph
> > > shall not be required to share the cost of
> carrying out the
> > > activities assisted under this paragraph.
> > >
> > >     (F) EVALUATION.--A nonprofit organization or
> public entity
> > > that receives a grant under this paragraph shall
> be required to
> > > cooperate in an evaluation in accordance with
> paragraph 
=== message truncated ===



      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page. 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs