Farm to School programs bring locally or regionally grown fresh produce into schools, significantly improving nutrition for children eating school lunches.  A few years ago, Congress approved legislation that I wrote to provide $5 million in annual funding to establish and grow Farm to School programs around the country.

Earlier this month I had the chance to visit Grant Elementary School in Trenton and see their school garden, which is maintained by fifth-grade students. The school is doing an extraordinary job of connecting kids to nature, teaching nutrition, and building a sense of community among students.

Other schools have found their own innovative ways of connecting farms to schools. Hopewell Elementary School has launched a pilot program to use locally grown produce in their cafeteria menu. Lawrence Intermediate School students have undertaken science experiments on the effects of fertilizer. William J. McGinn Elementary School in Scotch Plains turned an unused school courtyard into a garden that recently won “Overall Winning Garden” for the state of New Jersey.

For more information about Farm to School activities, please visit FarmToSchool.org and the New Jersey Farm to School Network.

Announcing the Winners of the Congressional Art Competition

I’m pleased to announce that “Waiting for Tea,” a drawing by South Brunswick High School student Jodie Hansen, is the overall winner of the 2014 Congressional Art Competition for the 12th District of New Jersey. Jodi’s artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol building alongside work by other high school artists from across the country, and she will be invited to Washington, D.C. for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in June.

The arts and humanities play a crucial role in our society: they enhance our creativity, promote education, and provide New Jerseyans with the opportunity to view works of beauty and personal expression. I congratulate all of the artists who entered this year’s competition on their great creativity, talent, and originality. A full list of winners from the 12th Congressional District is available online. 

Working for You

Recently, I heard from a Plainsboro man who was anticipating a visit from relatives who live in India. His relatives had applied for a non-immigrant visa for their travel, but the visa had previously been denied.

By way of background, at U.S. Consulates and Embassies, applicants for non-immigrant visas must be interviewed personally, and the interviewer must presume that applicants intend to emigrate to the U.S. The tourist visa is not issued unless the interviewer is convinced otherwise.

On the behalf of the Plainsboro man, I reached out to the U.S. Embassy and urged them to reexamine their decision. Not always, but sometimes, this extra attention helps. In this case, his relatives’ visas were soon granted.

Have you encountered a similar problem with an embassy, a passport center, the Social Security Administration, the IRS, the VA, Medicare, or any other federal agency? If so, please call me at 1-87-RUSH-HOLT or send an e-mail. I’ll do all I can to address your problem.