Good Food for All

Daily Digest: Aquaculture in Milwaukee and Local Foods Week in Michigan

Sweet Water Organics, an urban farm based in Milwaukee, WI, is featured in the Wall Street Journal for selling fresh yellow perch and lettuce to local residents and restaurants.  

The Peterson Garden Project, a former Victory Garden during World War II, is offering community garden plots.  

The Mike Nowak Show will feature a live broadcast, "Growing in Austin", from the Third Unitarian Church in Austin on Sunday, May 16, where community members will be planting a vegetable garden. 

Governor Granholm of Michigan proclaimed May 16-22 to be Local Foods Week, in conjunction with the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit May 17-19. 

Schools in central Ohio are banning processed foods in favor of local and fresh products to serve in cafeterias.

Fruit and Vegetable Study Reveals Significant Potential for New Jobs and Increased Income in Illinois

Illinois could gain more than 5400 jobs and over $988 million in retail sales through increased production and marketing of 28 types of fruits and vegetables for local consumption according to a major study of the economic potential of increased fruit and vegetable production in the upper Midwest. 

The same analysis shows that if local fruit and vegetable production were focused on the state's nearby major metro areas, including St. Louis, the potential gain could be approximately 4,100 jobs and over $783 million in retail sales. 

The study, done by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University and funded in part by Fresh Taste, reveals that meeting our entire statewide need for fruits and vegetables would require only about 69,000 acres of land, or just 0.3 percent of the state's 23.7 million acres of cropland. Just under 50,000 acres would be needed for the urban center option. 

To download the full press release,  click here. 

To read the full AP story, click here. 

The Leopold Center study is the first multi-state study in the upper Midwest to examine the potential economic benefits of fruit and vegetable production on a scale that would meet the needs of consumers in each of the six states.  Download the full report here. 

Daily Digest: Regional Foodsheds, Dill Pickle Co-op & Local vs. Non-Local Food Price Comparison

MIT and Columbia researchers propose that an integrated regional foodshed system can help combat obesity.  Click here to read more about additional models offered, such as mobile markets and food terminals.  

The Dill Pickle Food Co-op officially opened last week in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood.  To learn more about membership, visit the website. 

Is local food more expensive? The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture conducted a price comparison study between local and non-local foods purchased in Iowa.  Read the executive summary. 

Despite pledges from major food companies to advertise healthier foods to children, most products are still of low nutritional quality. 

Models for local foods distribution and beginning farmers

A non-profit in Virginia, Local Food Hub, is providing a much needed service for the community: local food aggregation and distribution.  

Illinois is one of 18 states to receive grant money from USDA for programs that will combat childhood obesity.  The Illinois Stewardship Alliance website also offers up-to-date information on the Conservation Stewardship Program, Value-Added Producer Grants, and more federally-funded initiatives. 

Begin Farming Ohio is a new site for beginning farmers in Ohio, with resources and profiles.  To find out about such programs in Illinois, visit The Land Connection. 

Daily Digest: Pacific Garden Mission, AUA Food Map, and Midwest CSA Producer Survey

WBEZ featured a story on Pacific Garden Mission and their new greenhouses. 

Add your community garden or growing plot to the Advocates for Urban Agriculture Chicago Food Map. 

Fish farmers in Southern Illinois could receive funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

A 2009 CSA producer survey focuses on the business and marketing tactics in nine states, including Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.  

Food stamps have been linked to obesity, in a recent study. 

The White House garden has an even lower lead level than before, thanks to soil amendments. 

Wednesday's Blogroll

Healthy Schools Campaign gives an overview of the Food Marketing in Schools Assessment Act, which would require government agencies to study the effects of food and beverage marketing in schools. 

Marion Nestle links to the new USDA report on the rapid adoption of genetically modified crops in the U.S. since 1996.  60-70% of corn and cotton, and 90% of soybean crops are GM varietals. 

RSF Social Finance's Elizabeth Ü provides extensive resources on Program Related Investing (PRI) and Mission Related Investing (MRI). 

Chicago banking is turning green, thanks to ShoreBank and GreenChoice Bank. 

Do you love your farmers' market? From June 19 - Sept. 17, you can vote for your favorite farmers' market sponsored by Care2 and LocalHarvest.org.  View the Top 100 here. 

Wednesdays = Veggie Bingo! Raise money for Chicago's community gardens from July 8 to September 9. 

(Photo Credit: Charlie Neibergall, AP)

Daily Digest: National obesity rates at record levels

The Illinois Fresh Food Fund was approved last month by the Illinois General Assembly.  The legislation iss modeled after the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative, which received attention from The New York Times today. 

Read an in-depth interview with Growing Power's Will Allen in this Sunday's NYTimes Magazine. 

One more reason why the average age of an American farmer is 55 and rising: "Nationally, farmland prices per acre reached a record high in 2008, up 72 percent from 2004." 

Could fast food marketing towards young children be changing? 

National obesity rates are at an all-time high, according to a new report by Trust for America's Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 

(Photo credit: D. Morris - Associated Press) 

Direct farm marketing sales increase, Bureau County, and VAP grants

Bureau County's CATCH (Coordinated Approach to Children's Health) program is gaining ground. Literally. 

Farmers' Market Coalition (FMC) reports the value of direct farm-to-consumer marketing has significantly increased over the past decade. 

In a new report from USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, all regions including the North Central region, direct-to-consumer food marketing sales far surpassed total agricultural sales.  Download Direct-to-Consumer Food Marketing Report. 

Applications for the Value Added Producer Grants are due July 6. 

Update: A new Foundation Finder tool has been added to the Good Food for All Grants Database page. (Credit to Change.org's Social Entrepreneurship Blog)