Get Food Smart TN Quarterly NEwsletter

Summer 2022 Edition

Hi friends,

I am so excited to share the successes of our inaugural Food Waste Awareness Week, which was April 4-9 this year. We engaged with many Tennesseans, through education and outreach, we collected food for local food pantries through a statewide food drive and partnered with many great businesses and organizations to share information on reducing food waste and increasing food recovery and diversion in Tennessee.

We are already planning for another great week in 2023 and I know it's going to be bigger and better than this year's!

Check out the graphic below for specific successes for Tennessee's Food Waste Awareness Week!

Thanks,

Ashley Cabrera

The USDA has committed $2 billion to strengthen food supply chains, including $90 million for food recovery. The goal behind these commitments along with others outlined in their new program framework, is to strengthen the food system and make it more resilient.

You can read more about the plan here.

Participant Spotlight

Compost Nashville

Compost Nashville was started by Matthew Beadlecomb in 2014. He had two friends who wanted him to compost for them and a Toyota Camry. Since then, they have grown to service over 1,800 residential locations and nearly 100 businesses in the greater Nashville area, as well as providing composting services for festivals, farmers markets, weddings, and other events. They even source compostable goods for restaurants and events to help close the loop.

Partner Spotlight

Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association

Since 1978, the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association (TGCSA) has been representing Tennessee’s food industry. Their current 300 members consist of retail grocery stores, convenience store operations, and food industry wholesalers, manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers. They advocate for these businesses and their customers, as they work with the Tennessee General Assembly, governor, and other agencies.

Blueberry Jam

June 26, 2022

4-7pm

Join Erin's Farm for a day of music, food, and blueberry picking. Music starts at 5pm. There will be pre-priced U-pick containers for the event.

More Info

Tennessee Recycling Coalition Annual Conference

August 24-26, 2022

The Tennessee Recycling Coalition will be partnering with the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry for their 33rd annual conference. Click on the link below for more information and to register.

Register Here

Training Opportunity

131° School of Composting is a new online platform with a mission to "build a regenerative, inclusive and equitable food system through the act of composting. "The 131° School’s Compost Operator Certificate includes four live training sessions, two live review sessions, and two discussions with composting site operators (one medium to large-scale and one small-scale). The remainder of the course is recorded lessons.

Register HERE

Funding Opportunity

USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Sustainable Agriculture Systems Funding

This fund supports approaches that promote transformational changes in the U.S. food and agriculture system. USDA seeks creative and visionary applications that take a systems approach for projects that are expected to significantly improve the supply of affordable, safe, nutritious, and accessible agricultural products while fostering economic development and rural prosperity in America.

Apply Here

Deadline: July 28, 2022

Food Waste Recipe

Mediterranean Flatbread

For Restaurants

he Conduct a food waste audit to better understand how much waste and what kind of waste your restaurant is producing. The EPA has a few resources to help you assess how much waste you have. You can also use the Whole Earth Calculator from Rock and Wrap it Up to convert pounds of food diverted from landfill into greenhouse gas emissions avoided and food donations into meal equivalent.

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William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue
Nashville, TN | 37243 US