• Manufacturer Representative: Catherine Bauldaf, Simplot
• Distributor Representative: Ellie Lawton-Smoller, Performance FoodService

Terms end July 31, 2025 for both positions. They will begin serving on the IAB representing the viewpoints of all SNA-WI industry members. Congrats to our new IAB leaders and thank you to all those who expressed interest!

An informational webinar on the Farm to School grant will be hosted by DATCP at 1 p.m. on January 11, 2024. Registration is required. To register for the webinar, access the grant information and application materials, or learn more about the program, visit https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/AgDevelopment/FarmToSchool.aspx

For more information on the grant, email DATCPdadgrants@wisconsin.gov.

SNA-WI Growing Leaders will develop leadership skills with interactive online sessions facilitated by Joe Pettit! Advance your career with SNA-WI! At least 4.0 CEUs will be provided to attendees who complete the series.

This 4-part training series is specially designed for school nutrition Managers and Staff and open to all current/active SNA-WI members. Participants commit to attending all sessions, and completing a post-session evaluation. Sessions will be recorded for later viewing or if schedules conflict for a session.

The SNA-WI Board of Directors is excited to provide SNA-WI members with this brand new benefit for FREE! Fill out the interest form online by Monday, December 11. Space is limited!

We are excited to share the 2023 Fall edition of School Tray Today Hope it gives you the "motivation" you need in your work as a school nutrition professional in Wisconsin!

Open the pages to see photos from recent events like National School Lunch Week, the Great Apple Crunch, and more! Get connected with our Board and Industry members and learn about ways you can get involved with SNA-WI, either by attending a learning event, joining a committee, or even running for the Board of Directors!

View this quarter's edition by clicking here.

Thank you for your support through reading of the SNA-WI School Tray Today!

Read the full opinion article on THE CAP TIMES website.

More coming soon on this issue! Stay tuned...

Thank you for your support through reading of the SNA-WI School Tray Today!

Thank you for your support through reading of the SNA-WI School Tray Today!

Strengthening Plant-Forward School Meals with Beef

School nutrition professionals are faced with everyday challenges to providing affordable and versatile healthy dietary choices that the children and adolescents they serve will eat. Beef is a nutrient dense, flavorful, and familiar food that can increase nutrient quality of school meals and may encourage the consumption of other healthy foods including whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Incorporating beef as a flavorful component of plant-forward school meals can help close nutrient gaps, model healthy eating patterns, and nourish American school children - supporting their growth, development, and overall good health. In this webinar, learn innovative and simple opportunities for including beef on your plant-forward school menu.

Presenters:  Dr. Randi Boleman, RD, LD, CSSD (Director of Nutrition Services at Waller ISD) and Dr. Shalene McNeill, RD (Executive Director of Nutrition Science, Health & Wellness for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association)  

Wednesday, February 15th | 11 AM PT (2 PM ET)

Register Here Before The Webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElcOCtqTMsHNUiNiKzVsa_Mi9eaM1aZUFz

With Sincere Gratitude

By Michael Gasper, SNS

I am sitting down to write this the morning after I received some incredible news. I have been elected to serve over 50,000 great members from across the country on SNA’s Board of Directors! It is an unreal moment and one that doesn’t exactly feel like it has really happened. 15 years ago, when I started in School Nutrition, I could never have imagined this happening to me!

It has been a wonderful and wild ride to this point. There are so many fantastic and inspirational people that have served as mentors, teachers, co-workers, and most of all friends, that I have met through my involvement with SNA. There are simply far too many to thank you all by name but I will give it a shot!

Thank you to Cindy Thesing, Director in the Sparta School District, for pushing me to pursue school nutrition.

To my good friend Lyn Halverson, for all of your tremendous support.

To my assistant, Danielle Martell, for everything she does to keep me going in the right direction!

To Dr. Katie Wilson, for reaching out to me in my first days as a director to offer help and guidance.

To the Directors that make up the Coulee group for all their support through the years.

To the many that I have served with on our SNA-WI Board of  Directors for your inspirational leadership.

To Badger Bay and Jessica Trippler for all that you do!

To Past Presidents, Jim Degan, Barb Waara, Peggy Eller, Rose Ann Boushele, and Diane Agrell for leading the way.

To people like JoAnne Robinett, who nominated me to run for office.

To the Administration at the School District of Holmen for supporting my involvement.

To my staff in Holmen, the greatest staff around!

But most of all I would like to thank you, the wonderful members of SNA-WI, for all the support you have given me, not just in this election, but throughout the years. I am proud and will work hard to represent Wisconsin on the National board!

I would also like to offer a word of encouragement to those that maybe have not thought yet of getting involved in SNA. Past State President ,Peggy Eller, once told me that she got far more out of SNA than she put into it. Truer words were never spoken. Don’t wait for the perfect time to arrive to get involved, that perfect time will not come. Make it happen! I promise you, you will not regret it!

I know there are countless people I have not mentioned in this article but please know I do appreciate each of you. You know who you are.

I look forward to serving all of you on The Board of Directors!

With my sincerest gratitude,
Michael Gasper, SNS

https://schoolnutrition.org/news-publications/news/2022/congratulations-to-all-the-winners-in-the-2022-school-nutrition-association-SNA-election/

Click here to view the Fall School Tray Today

*For past issues of our newsletter, click here.

Financial Management
National School Lunch Program/School Breakfast Program Regulations
USDA Foods
Entitlement
Procurement
Professional Development
Food Safety
Networking & Marketing

Take the time to review what the Next Gen committee developed and all the great resources they have put together in one place!

Click here to view it now!

Click here to view the Winter School Tray Today

*For past issues of our newsletter, click here.

Click here to view the Fall School Tray Today

School Lunch for All is a national public campaign produced by Galaxy Gives and The Soze Agency, in partnership with the Urban School Food Alliance, to ensure that school meals are provided, free of charge, to every K-12 student in America for the upcoming school year and/or beyond. "Partnering with the Urban School Food Alliance, we are thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with them in this effort and learn from their years of experience within the school nutrition space. Collectively, we believe that no student should go hungry at school and that school nutrition programs should not rest on policies that lead to financial strain, public shame, or debt in exchange for meals."

With a scheduled launch date of July 9th, this campaign will center on intertwining a narrative campaign with targeted legislative demands, ultimately laying the groundwork for overarching reform. We are also determined to use our campaign to amplify and extend the work of so many leaders, such as yourself, who have been driving the charge for years.

The campaign will kick off with a few simultaneous efforts including a more expansive site and a petition sharing the story of 6-year old Anya Howard and her personal experiences with lunch shaming last fall and formally announcing a partnership with actress, producer, and entrepreneur, Marsai Martin, from ABC's Black-ish, who will be sharing an impact story. We have also been collaborating with student-led organization, Student Voice, who has already amplified some of the campaign's early work alongside their recent effort to redesign the future of schools.

In weeks following the launch, we will continue to collaborate with additional influencers and well-known figures and exploring opportunities to produce a virtual event to amplify our campaign. We encourage everyone to meet with their respective legislative officials to discuss taking action and helping drive systemic change.

We have the impact and expertise of Galaxy Gives and the Soze Agency but cannot do this without our stakeholders. To broaden our reach and ensure our government officials recognize the need for immediate, nationwide change, we are seeking to develop partnerships with organizations, community leaders, and those directly impacted by this outdated system. The 20-21 academic year is about to start so the window of time is extremely short. At this time, we are sending this letter to inform stakeholders about the initiative. We encourage you to:

1.  Read through our campaign petition and browse the current campaign landing page
2.  Maintain active engagement throughout the campaign in areas such as:

a.  Support and amplify campaign and petition through network outreach
b.  Consult on future efforts tied to legislative reform efforts
c. Provide feedback on future campaign efforts

After our campaign launches, we would welcome any organization to:

3.  Agree to be acknowledged and listed alongside our other campaign supporters and partners.
4.  Contact Alexandria Hunter (Soze Group) to confirm your support or with any questions.

a,  We also ask that you provide a high-resolution PNG file of your organization's logo to include on the updated campaign website as a recognized partner.

On behalf of Katie Wilson, thank you!

Gov. Evers Goes All In for Agriculture with $50 Million in Relief for Wisconsin Farmers, $15 Million Food Security Initiative

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced the Wisconsin Farm Support Program, a $50-million investment to provide direct payments to Wisconsin farmers in support of the agricultural sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a $15-million Food Security Initiative to combat hunger in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin is a national agriculture leader, but COVID-19 has created unprecedented challenges for our farmers, food processors, and all those in the food supply chain. Federal aid so far has attempted to support agriculture nationwide, but Wisconsin farmers have been left out.

Eligible farmers will be asked to apply for the aid through the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, which is working in collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Farm support payments could begin arriving as early as June.

“Farmers have asked for help, and this direct aid is meant to aid the farmers who are the foundation of our food system. Farmers also serve as the backbone of many of Wisconsin’s local rural economies, and these direct payments will help revitalize local economies and jump-start Wisconsin’s food supply chain, which has been significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Gov. Evers said. “DATCP and I have engaged in productive meetings with agriculture stakeholders to ensure a fair, accessible distribution system for these aid payments, and I look forward to getting this relief into the hands of farmers around the state.”

To complement the Wisconsin Farm Support Program and combat food insecurity, the governor has also committed $15 million to the Food Security Initiative. A portion of the funding will go toward helping food banks, pantries, and other nonprofit organizations fighting food insecurity adapt to challenges posed by the COVID-19 public health crisis. This may include adjustments to public health and social distancing guidelines, such as curb-side pick up or delivery services, purchasing prepared meals from local restaurants for distribution, as well as other expenses that are being incurred by these organizations as they continue to provide services to families in need. The initiative will emphasize the importance of prioritizing the use of Wisconsin products wherever possible in feeding citizens who find themselves in need of support. Applicants are strongly encouraged to partner with local food experts to aid in connecting with farmers in their area.

Additionally, the Food Security Initiative will help food banks, pantries, and other nonprofit organizations purchase, process, and/or store Wisconsin agricultural products for distribution to local consumers in need. Furthermore, these grants will bolster Wisconsin’s food supply chain by strengthening bridges, from producers and processors to food banks and consumers. This section of the Food Security Initiative will help ensure that the funding provided in the federal CARES Act goes to help Wisconsin organizations distribute nutritious Wisconsin food products to Wisconsin consumers who need them most. This initiative is a win-win for Wisconsin as it fights food insecurity while also investing in the agriculture industry, supporting Wisconsin’s food supply chain from farm to family. Successful applicants are encouraged to partner with organizations that work directly with Wisconsin’s agricultural producers and food processors to maximize the use of Wisconsin products.

“During this difficult time, people across our state don’t have enough to eat in a state that helps feed the entire country,” said Gov. Evers. “Connecting the dots between struggling food producers with organizations that are working to address food insecurity requires a coordinated effort—one that draws upon the ingenuity of our residents and their devotion to their neighbors and communities. Our farmers and agribusinesses have never wavered in their commitment to providing nutritious, high-quality food for folks here in Wisconsin and around the world. Now, we’re going all in together to support both Wisconsin’s agriculture industry and people in need throughout the state.”

The changes in this order go into effect on April 24, 2020. The order will remain in effect until 8 a.m. on May 26, 2020.

The order is available online (link). The Governor’s full press release is also available online (link).

The full copy of the Governor’s press release is available online (link).