MOCAN Minutes
10/21/15
Bradford Farms
9:10a.m. Meeting called to order by Mary Ellison, Chair.
Introductions
MoCAN Mtgs – New locations? o January 2016– Meet at Bradford Farms. o Think for future meeting sites to host around the state. o Dale - Will there be events on the road where we could partner with other events? o Donna – we have a small budget for each Workgroups, but will need to take into consideration if funds available for events.
Workgroup Meeting Reports of Work Accomplished During Last Month or So: o Food Systems
 Last week submitted comments on “added sugar to food label” to FDA.
 Sample nutrition discussion & overall farming.
 Round table submitted last week & discussed sustainable nutrition & feeding the world in the future.
 Waste about 1/3 of food purchased.
 Have information on Dairy sustainability. o Schools & Childcare
 Last year, groups met individually.
 Schools – proposal for office for student wellness to find funding.
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In 6-8 months will hopefully have proposal to fund an office within DESE for one person staff. o Healthcare
 Proposed set of 5 recommendations for reimbursement of costs associated with treating childhood obesity.
 May require legislative help to educate MO senators and representatives on childhood obesity and best treatment practices. o Worksites
 Updating the current WorkWell MO Toolkit.
 Meetings underway to discuss what is needed to update – want updated by the end of the year.
 Will have trainings.
 Funds are available from DHSS to improve lactation rooms – contact workgroup or DHSS. o Messaging
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 Working to update Website (Maureen Jenkins – University of MO is changing the website per Work Group decisions).
 The site will be more intuitive & Index page easier to navigate.
 It will make easier for people to learn how to become a member
 Updated logo.
 Abbreviated Menu
 Description of MoCAN was added. o Policy
 Dave Zellmer and Patty Miller – YMCA – leads a committee & see MOCAN coming through that realm of group – 9 different priorities.
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Encourage physical activity in schools & nutrition for young children.
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No guidelines for high school.
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Daycare Centers – Licensed – need dietary regulations.
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BMI – possibly to have requirements for start of grade school & high school. o Built Environment
 Nobody present who could report. o Farm to School Conference Update – Donna Mehrle and Jill Luecht
 Keynote yesterday, speaker today – Director/Co-Founder Farm to School
Network.
 150 people attended the conference.
 There were concurrent & joint sessions on:
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Food Safety
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Portioning
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Producers – Liability important part of discussion
 Broke into 4 regional groups
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How we could keep making an impact
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Change culture to locally grown foods
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How do we grow
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Education & awareness
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Need more training for farms to school
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Great if we could get providers & farmers in same room
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Start with an element that works for you
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Start small – 5 years
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RND – “Rip Off And Duplicate”
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Celebrate successes
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What outcomes are you trying to reach? o Funders o Interested people o Beverage Company o Speaker – Anupama Joshi - Director/Co-Founder Farm to School
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 Power Point Presentation—posted to MOCAN website.
 Coalition is a work in process
 Farm to School – rapidly growing movement
 Coming together as different groups – what is our impact together?
 Strive for collective Impact
 Need common Agenda
 Shared metrics
 Activity engaging
 Continuous communication
 Slide #1 – Collaboration & Collective Impact
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As a group – what are the outcomes MoCAN is thinking of?
 Slide #2 – Current Structure of Farm to School Network
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Intentionally partnered with Regional organizations – related to farmer’s markets or healthcare o Can leverage partnerships those organizations bring o Not creating a separate redundant structure
 Slide #3 – 8 Regional Lead Agencies
 Slide #4 – A Growing Movement
 Slide #5 – Early Years
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1996-1997 – first Farm to School Programs
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2004 – first National Farm to School Website o Function – collation of information
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2002 – first conference o 200 ppl
 Slide #6 – Expansion
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2007 – National Network Established
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2008 – looked at organizational structure of model & how groups work together
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Core Values Document
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Believe Farm to School can be a solution
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Environmental sustainability aspect
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Decision making matrix
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Who is the final point person?
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2010 – worked on Federal Policy o Able to get federal grant farm to school grant program legislated - $5M o Geographic preference approved – schools/products o Congress passed resolution to dedicate October National Farm to School month
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2011 o In existence in all 50 states
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o Budget/scope had outgrown program o Fiscal sponsorship & fundraisers o 2017 – no changes o Policy Advocacy – major role
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Slide #7 – Sustaining the Movement o 2014
 2014 Conference – 1100 people – too many
 Website reformatted
 Reframed organizational priorities
 Changed logo o 2015
 Policy Advocacy major priority
 Information Advocacy & networking
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Slide #8 – Our Role o 2015
 Funding for Regional Agencies
 Re-granting process
 Importance of keeping lines of communication open – but not too much information
 Monthly core partner update
 Weekly Newsletter to Regions
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Slide #9 – Core Elements o School Gardens, Education , Procurement & Seeds o 2014 – created evaluation framework o Tools to evaluate initiatives o How to define Farm to School o Framing guidance around communication & how-to’s o USDA using framework to guide farm to school guidance
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Slide #10 – October Farm to School Month Graphics o Weekly Communication Kits o Highlight work of partners o Blog
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Slide #11 – A Win for Kids, Farmers & Communities o 2015 – Bipartisan Bill – Farm to School Act of 2015 o Expands scope to pre-schools o #CNR2015 – in a holding pattern – continuing resolution until
12/11 to do something with the Bill o Federal Level – work on Administrative issues
 USDA
 Food Safety
 Farm Bill issues
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 Feedback/comments o State Level Policies
 Collect the best of the best
 Available on website
 Use graphics o Slilde #12 - 8 th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference - June 1-4,
2016 – Madison, WI o Slide #13 - Seed Change
 Develop statewide network
 Innovation Fund
 Growing Farm to School state by state
 Money for funding - $5k mini grants
 100 grants within last two months
 Think about how you are framing it with funders
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Questions o Who funds Farm to School Network?
 The WK Kellogg.Foundation – since 2005
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Multi-year grants
 Have diversified funding in later years
 85% grant funded
 Need to continually educate funders
 Starting to dabble in corporate partnerships o How do you keep the energy going with the organization?
 Annual Meetings critical
 Camaraderie
 Support each other o (3 rd question – could not hear) o Break – 10:50-11:10a.m. o Review of Progress in Strategic Planning Framework- Mary Ellison
 Goals
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Increase membership from all regions
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Increase member participation in meetings
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Increase diversity
 Objectives
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Strengthen MoCAN impact roles
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Work on collective impact
 Activity/Task
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Folks feel grounded
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Our history
 Communicate Activities & Results
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What it is that we do
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Making sure our members are connected
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Goals o Sharing Success Stories o Increase awareness of MoCAN o Actively address cultural & political issues
 Lifestyle obstacles
 Political obstacles o Diversify ways members can interact with MoCAN o Achieve financial stability o Retain existing financial support
 Should we all pay dues?
 More conferences?
 Work on specific grants o Foster & Support Healthy Living initiatives across the state
 Increase physical activity
 Increased vegetable consumption
 Decrease sugar consumption
 Promote breastfeeding o Group divided into two to plan for Strategy Area 4 –Johanna Reed Adams o Break into (2) groups
 Introduce yourself
 Why are you at MoCAN?
 What are your organization’s priorities?
 See documents on MOCAN website for results of this part of the meeting.
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