Over 15% of Nebraska’s children were classified as food insecure before the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, schools are facing challenges that affect the provision of meals to students. The waivers allowing for free student meals during the pandemic expired; schools continue to report supply chain issues like delayed and unfulfilled deliveries; and the cost of food rose over 10% in the past year. The need is urgent to support schools in nourishing students.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominees for six seats on the Christmas Tree Promotion Board. The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint six individuals to serve terms beginning Jan. 1, 2024. Nominations are due to the board by June 1.

Eligible nominees must have produced domestically or imported more than 500 Christmas trees during the fiscal period of August 1 - July 31, 2022.

The Christmas Tree Promotion Board is seeking nominees for the following seats:

Program Updates

Fifty-six states and territories have been awarded funding to administer the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program. The awarded Individual state and territory agencies are also running competitive Requests for Applications (RFA) to fund Infrastructure Grants and Equipment Only Grants. Interested applicants must apply through their state department of agriculture. Please use the the RFSI State Grants Status link below and select your state from the list.

1 p.m. CT on Friday, June 16, 2023, at the USDA Cattle & Carcass Training Center located on the campus of University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Loeffel Meat Science Laboratory, Lincoln, NE 68583. Registration is not required.

4 p.m. CT on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at the USDA Cattle & Carcass Training Center located on the campus of West Texas A&M University at 2513-2579 4th Ave, Canyon, TX, 79016. Registration is not required.