1. Improving the School Nutrition Environment.... Legislation, Policies and School Gardens Consultant to Steele County Public Health: SHIP - School Site Intervention

2. Health Care Reform legislation in 2008: Help Minnesotans live longer, healthier, better lives by preventing risk factors that lead to chronic disease. Reducing the percentage of Minnesotans who use or are exposed to tobacco. Reducing the percentage of Minnesotans who are obese or overweight through better nutrition and increased physical activity.

4. Steele County SHIP projects

5. 4 sites targeted for health improvement..... Healthcare Worksites Community Schools

6. HealthCare..... Develop relationships among health care providers and community leaders and build partnerships to facilitate active referral of patients to local resources that; –Increase access to high quality nutritious foods –Opportunities for physical activity –Tobacco use cessation

7. Community...... Implement policies and practices that create active communities by –Increasing opportunities for non-motorized transportation –Access to community recreation facilities

8. Worksite...... Implement a comprehensive employee wellness initiative that provides: – Health assessment with follow-up coaching –Ongoing health education –Policies and environment supports that promote healthy weight and healthy behaviors

9. Improve the school nutrition environment....... Implement comprehesive nutrition policies including;  Breakfast promotion  Healthy lunch & snack, including classroom celebrations and incentives, fundraising, concessions, & vending  School gardens  Farm-to-School initiatives

10. School Lunch Act: Federal Legislation The National School Lunch Act was passed in 1946 as a measure to “secure the well-being and health of children as well as to encourage consumption of local food.” Under President Harry Truman

11. School Lunch Programs: USA 1900-1960 to help dispose of surplus agricultural commodities owned by the government as a result of price-support agreement with farmers help prevent nutritional deficiencies among low-income schoolchildren Origins were related to national security - malnourished soldiers foodmuseum.com

12. Program Expansion & Changes 1946 National School Lunch Program 1966 School Breakfast Program pilot (1971 permanent ) 1980’s  for spending (equipment) 1995 - dietary guidelines to reduce fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sugar 1998: School Wellness Policy requirement enacted 2002 Fresh Fruit & Vegetable program 2004 WIC reauthorization - required schools to have wellness policies 2006: Wellness Policies “in place” 2009 - Institute of Medicine recommendations.......... Eat Well Nutrition Therapy (Lkaupa)

13. October 2009 Institute of Medicine report to USDA... Increase the amount and variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains Set a minimum and maximum level of calories Focus more on reducing saturated fat and sodium http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2009/School-Meals-Building-Blocks-for-Healthy-Children.aspx

14. For Immediate Release December 13, 2010 President Obama Signs Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 Into Law Legislation.

15. Legislation: Child Nutrition and Reauthorization Act Increases access to school meals to the most at-risk (streamlining paperwork/documentation) Increases program monitoring and integrity 1st meal reimbursement rate increase in over 30 years (for schools that meet updated nutrition standards) USDA authorized to set nutrition standards for foods sold during the school day (meals, ala carte, and school stores) Sets basic standards for school wellness policies Helps communities establish farm to school networks, create school gardens, ensures that more local foods are used in the school setting Breastfeeding support through WIC expanded

16. Why gardens? Eating 5 or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day is linked to less cancer, heart disease, obesity, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorders Only 10% of children in Minnesota consume “5-A- Day”

17. U.S. production of vegetables is 1/2 of what is recommended for consumption To meet needs of dark green/orange/legumes = 70% increase in production American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume 38, Issue 5, Pages 472-477, May 2010

18. U.S needs to double fruit production to meet the 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume 38, Issue 5, Pages 472-477, May 2010

19. 2008 Farm Bill: Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to: –Encourage participating institutions* –to purchase unprocessed, locally grown and locally raised agricultural products –“optional geographic preference” –7 CFR Parts 210, 215, 220, 225, and 226 –RIN 0584 ﾐ AE03

20. Owatonna School Garden Project : Growing a Healthy Community: Our Living, Learning Laboratory

21. Where are the gardens? 4 (of 4) Elementary schools Junior High School Assistance from High School Ag Class Compost bins and garden sheds are a project for the High School Tech Class

22. Gardening Activities are embedded in science curriculum 16 feet by 40 feet raised beds Organic gardening principles Each school site (with student involvement) will determine what they will grow

23. State Science Standards o Kindergarten: living organisms/basic organisms o 1 st grade: life cycle (seed to plant to fruit) o 2 nd grade: botany /history and nature of science standard o 3 rd grade: plant identification/life cycle o 4 th grade: water cycle/engineering o 5 th grade: renewable energy & material (composting)/ life science/ interactions among science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and society standard (sustainable agriculture) o 7 th & 8th grades: Life Science – botany unit/human body/ human diseases/ environmental studies/engineering 9-12 th : plant systems/environmental systems/agribusiness/engineering

24. May - August 2010..... 1/2 the children involved in the garden were unable to identify a vegetable When tending the garden in May & early June, the strawberry patch was a favorite spot August: neighborhood teenage boys harvested ingredients to make salsa at home Throughout the season, all students involved in gardening tasted the produce.

25. Funding was made possible through funding from the Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) of the Minnesota Department of Health.

28. Alternative ‘finger foods’

29. Schools are working on improvements.... 95% offer more whole grains 90% have more fresh fruit/vegetables 69% reduced sodium 66% reduce or limit added sugars 51% increased vegetable options

30. Dietary studies reflect...... 70% of foods children consumed over a 24 hour period, considered for “occasional consumption” {70%}