LIVE WRIGHT NEWS

The Time is Now to Shape the Future of Food Policy; 2012 Farm Bill - While much good happens when we work together on
the local level to improve access to healthy foods, there are policies on the federal level that limit our reach. The Farm Bill is our opportunity to change that!

DECEMBER 2012

The Farm Bill is a comprehensive piece of legislation that guides and authorizes funding for most federal farm and food policies, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Every five years, Congress renews the Farm Bill through the reauthorization process. The Farm Bill is important because SNAP, along with other food and nutrition programs, is authorized and funded through this bill. SNAP is one of the seven strategies essential to meeting the goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015, and the Farm Bill is an opportunity to make needed improvements to SNAP that will help America reach that goal. With no new farm bill or extension, the programs that address rural and urban job creation, natural resource conservation, renewable energy, and improved production and access to healthy food are in big trouble. Buffalo Trail Markers Knowledge and Statistics (data from SCSU Nursing Students project)

Data: 80 residents surveyed to learn how informed residents of Buffalo are about the signage/map kiosks and whether residents are using them. Contact us if you would like to learn more about the survey results.

Looking for a new adventure this winter? Give Snow Kiting a try!

Video of the Month: Farmer Style

GET ACTIVE TIP OF THE MONTH Getting cold outside? Try winter activities like ice-skating or hockey. Dont have a rink nearby? You can still move around indoors. Get into the holiday spirit by putting on some music and dancing around with your kids. EAT HEALTHY TIP OF THE MONTH Make foods look festive by cutting vegetables into new shapes, decorating plates with colorful, eye-catching fruits, or adding a sprinkle of sliced almonds or green onions to brighten a plain dish. Open Streets in Minnesota: Blue Cross Blue Shield of MN is Awarding Sponsorships for 2013 events Awards will range from $5,000 to $10,000 to support the planning and implementation of strategic events in MN. Proposals are due by noon on January 22, 2013 Hosting a local Open Streets event would be a great thing for our communities to promote physical activity and look at their surroundings in a new way! Please let us know by January 1, 2013 if your city would like to work with Live Wright on an Open Streets event

News & Stories on Health and Obesity, Obesity Prevention

Can big food kick its Obesity habit? Does it really want to? Is healthy too hard? (U of MN News) Free Medicine How research supports the therapeutic benefits of playing outside (Outside Magazine Dec 2012) Study ranks MN as 5th Healthiest State (WCCO, 12/11/2012) Governors list of health results for Building a Better MN includes five efforts led or coordinated by MDH (MDH News Release, 12/12/2012)