As many of you know, New York State dietitians have been fighting for licensure for over 30 years.  Currently, 30 out of 50 states have licensure and we would like to be next.  In NY there is only a certification of CDN or Certified Dietitian/Nutritionist, which does not protect our scope of practice.  Obtaining licensure would protect the health of New Yorkers and keep them safe from unqualified persons providing nutrition education that is not scientifically based.  It will also protect our scope of practice.

The title of Registered Dietitian is a national title that is recognized by all 50 states, but a license title is state specific.  Therefore, it is essential for everyone to get their CDN title.  Once licensure passes, if you are a CDN you automatically become licensed.  If you only have the RD credential, and not the CDN, you will have to apply for a license.  To apply for the CDN look under the member tab at the public policy section of www.eatrightli.org.

The current legislative session is ending in June 2012.  If we do not get licensure passed by then we have to start over again.  The current bill is a unibill (same bill in each state legislative body: assembly and senate) with the bill numbers of A5666 and S3556.  The bill is currently being amended so I am unable to post a link for you to read the bill until it is finalized.  Once finalized, it is public information.

In order to get licensure to pass, all dietitians need to advocate and lobby their local politicians.  NYSDA has set a goal for each of the 10 local district dietetics associations to make at least one visit to each assemblyman and state senator from January 2012 to June 2012.  Last Spring, 2 of the 10 districts accomplished this goal, so it is possible.  On Long Island, there are 9 state senators and 21 assemblyman.  That is a total of 30 people to visit!  We are the second largest district in the state and have a lot of work to do. NYSDA is preparing materials for you to provide to legislators during the visit.

As the Public Policy Chair of the Long Island Dietetic Association I am charged with organizing LIDA members to make these visits.  I need your help.  The legislators want to hear from you because you are the reason they have a job.  You, the constituent, vote for them to be in office.

The great news is you do not have to go alone on a visit.  I can help pair you up with a dietitian from your area to make a visit together.  I will also provide you with all the information you need to feel comfortable and confident in your visit.  Please contact me if you would like to visit your local state senator or assemblyman and I can help you get started.  My email can be found under the public policy section of www.eatrightli.org.

If you are unable to make a legislative visit you can still help advocate for licensure by asking your employer to write a letter of support from their organization/company.  When a bill is brought to the floor for a vote, each supporter is read aloud.  The more organizations announced, the more powerful the statement.  Letters of support can be mailed to Hinman Straub:

Mailing Address: 121 State Street, Albany, NY 12207

They will mail it to the appropriate politicians.

Please help me accomplish this goal of visiting all of Long Island’s state legislators so the profession of dietetics and nutrition can move forward in a positive and powerful way!

Hello fellow Registered Dietitians,

Please contact me by email if you would like to become a volunteer for the Let’s Move! initiative.  My email can be found on www.eatrightli.org.  We can work together to share ideas and help kids get fit all over New York State.

Lida members listen as Tom Lyons talks about Hobbs Community Farm

         On October 7, 2010, LIDA members took a trip to Hobbs Community Farm in Centereach, Long Island to learn about sustainable agriculture and issues regarding food access and hunger. Hobbs Farm volunteer Tom Lyons, a member of the Victory Gardens Task Force, led the tour.

Hobbs farm was established in 1907, by African-American James Hobbs and his family, after moving to Long Island from Georgia.  The family sold their produce to local Long Islanders.  The Hobbs had twelve children, but only Alfred Hobbs wanted to take over the farm as his life’s work, which he did in 1955.  Alfred Hobbs used his secret ingredient of duck manure to grow peppers, melons, cauliflower and other produce to sell in NYC.  Alfred ran the farm until he passed away in the late 1990’s in which he left the property to the Bethel AME Church in Setauket. Unfortunately, the farm was abandoned and in disrepair until 2007, when the Friends of Hobbs Farm formed to help support Bethel Church and return the farm back to its original glory.

               In 2008, the restoration process began with renovations to the farmhouse and barn, the development of a two-acre gardening project, and creation of educational and community activities. Volunteers solely run the farm on money donated by the community and provided by grants.  To date $100,000 has been donated to restore the farm and keep it running.  The local boy scouts built benches and a wooden overhang and Adult Day Care Center volunteers lend a helping hand.  A group of locals who had houses built for them by Habitat for Humanity decided to volunteer at Hobbs Farm to give back to the community as well.  Furthermore, The Neighbourhood Garden Supporters is a special section of the farm sponsored by several organizations.  It consists of 24 plots, 5 x 20 feet, used for diabetes education.  The farm supplies the land, water, tools, and seeds, and families work to produce the food.   

The organizations that sponsor a special section of the farm used for diabetes education.

While Whole Foods holds a farmers market that sells some of the farms produce, most of the food produced at Hobbs Farms is donated to those in need.  This year alone, they gave away 30,000 pounds of food!

Neat rows of green veggies at the farm.

            One of the best aspects of Hobbs Farms is its eco-friendly design.  The farm recently implemented an irrigation system that is at ground level so the water drips down into the soil and spreads out.  This is very efficient compared to the aluminum pipe system that most farmers use on Long Island where the water sprays from overhead with about 40% lost to evaporation.  The farm is almost free of all chemicals because they use green tactics like planting marigolds to keep away the bugs and free horse manure as fertilizer.  In the winter, they plant nitrogen-producing plants to replace the lost nutrients for successful spring planting.   Hobbs Farm is also building a 10-month green house powered by passive solar, dual insulated plastic, and black water-filled barrels used to absorb heat.  This is an excellent way to save money and electricity.   After learning about how the farm worked, it was time to move onto the next part of the tour.

The new environment-friendly Hobbs Farm greenhouse!

             As the sun set, the group headed back to the barn to watch a presentation by Iman Marghoob, MS, RD, LIDA member, and Nutritionist for the Stonybrook Community Roots Project.  The project has helped develop community gardens in Wyndanch, Huntington Station, South Hampton, and Hobbs Neighbourhood Farms.  These gardens have been a great success with outcomes such as the vegetables from South Hampton supplementing the school cafeteria salad bar.  Following the presentation, the LIDA members sat down to a farm-fresh, sustainable dinner catered by Farm Country Kitchen in Riverhead.  It was a great event, enjoyed by all!

*Hobbs Farms is creating a “Children’s Victory Garden” with the students of Oxhead Road Elementary School in Selden to demonstrate how to get started and hopefully inspire others to do the same.  If you would like more information on how to volunteer at Hobbs Farms or would like to start your own victory garden, please write to hobbsfarmfriends@aol.com

Long Island Farmers’ Markets

Nassau County

Bayville Bayville Commons parking lot, corner of Bayville and Ludlum avenues. Open Saturdays from 8:30am to noon; May 29-Sept 4; 516-628-1439

Garden City 101 County Seat Dr., in Parking Dield 14, behind Supreme Court Buidling off Old Country Road. Open Tuesdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.; June 1 to Nov. 23; 631-323-3653. Longislandgrowersmarket.com

Glen Cove Village Square. Open Sundays from 7a.m. to noon; June 6 to Nov 21; 631-323-3653, longislandgrowersmarket.com

Hicksville Kennedy Memorial Park, between Jerusalem and Broadway, near the LIRR station. Open Sundays from 9a.m. to 2 p.m.; June 27 to Nov. 21; 516-624-6364.

Locust Valley Forest Avenue, across from post office. Open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; June 5 to late November; 631-323-3652, longislandgrowersmarket.com

Long Beach Kennedy Plaza at Long Beach City Hall, next to LIRR station. Open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9a.m. to 2 p.m.; May 5 to Nov. 24; 631-678-5227, kennedyplazafarmersmarket.com

Roslyn-North Hills Christopher Marley Park, Searingtown Road. Open Wednesdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.; June 2 to Nov 24; 631-323-3653, longislandgrowersmarket.com

Oyster Bay Audrey and Shore avenues, at the bandstand. Open Fridays from noon to 6 p.m.; July 30 through October; 516-922-6982, oysterbaymainstreet.org

Port Washington Town Dock, Main Street. Open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon; June 5 to Oct 31; 516-883-887.

Rockville Centre Sunrise Highway and Long Beach Road. Open Sundays from 7 a.m. to noon; June 6 to Nov. 21; 631-323-3653, longislandgrowersmarket.com.

Suffolk County

Amityville The 9/11 Memorial Park. Open Saturdays from 7 a.m. to noon; mid June through late November; 631-323- 3653, longislandgrowersmarket.com

East Hampton Nick & Toni’s Parking lot, 136 N. Main St. Open Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Memorial Day through September; 631-725-9133

Deer Park Tanger Outlets at the Arches, Commack Road. Open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m; June 5 to Nov. 30; 631-288-1559.

Hauppauge Department of Motor Vehicle parking lot, 250 Veterans Hwy. Open Wednesdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; July 7 to Oct. 20; 631-323-3653, longislandgrowersmarket.com.

Huntington Elm Street parking lot, Main Street (Route 25A). Open Sundays from 7 a.m. to noon; June 6 o Nov. 21; 631-323-3653, longislandgrowersmarket.com

Islip Town Hall parking lot on Montauk Highways, Route 27A. Open Saturdays from 7 a.m. to noon; June 5 to Nov. 20; 631-323-3653, longislandgrowersmarket.com

Montauk Village Green. Open Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; June 17 to Oct. 7 631-668-2428.

Northport Cow Harbor parking lot. Open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; June 19 to Nov 20; 631-261-7070, northportfarmersmarket.org

Patchogue 7-Eleven store parking lot, Montauk Highway west of Rout 112. Open Fridays from 7 a.m. to noon; July 2 to Nov. 5; 631-323-3653, longislandgrowersmarket.com

Port Jefferson 109 Main St., near East Broadway, in the parking lot next to Lainie’s Way/Tommy’s Place. Open Sundays from 8 a.m. to noon; June 6 through October; 631-473-4724, pjfarmersmarket.com

Port Jefferson Parking lot next to ferry, Route 25A. Open Thursdays from 1:30 to 7:30p.m.; July 8 to Oct. 7; 631-323-3653, longislandgrowersmarket.com

Riverhead Downtown next to Atlantis Marine World Aquarium. Open Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; July 8 to Oct. 8; 631-323-3653, longislandgrowersmarket.com

Sag Harbor Breakwater Yacht Club parking lot, Bay and Burke streets. Open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; may 22 through Oct. 30;  212-644-2604.

Sayville Depot Rd. At south parking lot of LIRR. Open Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; April to Nov 20.

Westhampton Beach 85 Mill Rd., next to the historical society. Open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; April 3 to Dec. 11; 631-288-3337, whbcc.org/farmers_market.php.