NUTRITION AND FOOD SYSTEMS

A new report takes a food systems approach to recommendations for reducing the double burden of malnutrition—obesity in the presence of widespread hunger and its consequences.  A food system gathers all the elements (environment, people, inputs, processes, infrastructures, institutions, etc.) and activities that relate to the production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption of food, and the outputs of these activities, including socio-economic and environmental outcomes. The report pays specific attention to nutrition and health outcomes of food systems. First, it emphasizes the role of diets as a key link between food systems and their health and nutrition outcomes. Second, it highlights the central role of the food environment in facilitating healthy and sustainable consumer food choices. Third, it takes into account the impacts of agriculture and food systems on sustainability in its three dimensions (economic, social and environmental).

Source: Food Politics, 10/6/17, Nutrition & Food Systems

Online Community Food Systems class starts soon

UMass ONLINE summer class, STOCKSCH 385 - Community Food Systems, will start on May 22.  This 6-week class examines the movement of food from seed to table.  

For more information, see: 

https://sustfoodfarm.org/online-classes/community-food-systems/

Participants in the course explore local and global food systems, and specific food related issues that impact health of communities. Among the topics we’ll cover are: 

• examining the economic and political decisions that frame our food chain, 
• direct marketing, 
• commercial agriculture, 
• processing, 
• food justice, 
• hunger, 
• health, 
• food security, 
• school food systems and school gardens, 
• Community Supported Agriculture, 
• farmers’ markets, 
• small scale farming and homesteading.  

At the center of this course is the examination of the opportunities and challenges required in making community food projects that create real lasting systems change.

All UMass Sustainable Food and Farming classes cost $482/credit and transfer to other colleges and universities

WEST COAST FOOD ACTIVIST THINKS BIG

Even though he knew nothing about farming, Ed Zigas became the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association’s first Food and Agriculture Policy Director in  2011. Since then he has co-authored research about city support for urban agriculture, the benefits of strong regional food systems, and improving access to healthy food—all issues with a broad impact in the nine-county Bay Area, a complex web of urban, suburban, and rural areas steeped in agriculture where 10% of adults struggle to put three meals a day on the table. Zigas’s next a big project is to build political support for state or federal funding of matching public assistance dollars to low-income people similar to the ones that have become popular at farmers markets around the country—but at grocery stores. He’s applied for funding from the USDA to launch a pilot grocery store program, based on a similar initiative in Michigan.

Source: Civil Eats, 9/2/16, Food Activist

Food System Managers as part of local government

A growing number of cities are creating an office within local government dedicated to food, much like they have departments for transportation and education. Until recently, the many disparate elements of the food system—from production to land prices, to local distribution challenges, to zoning hurdles for retailers—have often been viewed in isolation. But the growth of these offices in places like Baltimore, Denver, and Minneapolis, may be a sign that cities are beginning to see food in a new, holistic light. The specifics of the food policy positions vary from city to city--most are focused on sustainability or health, while others are using food as a tool for economic development. The underlying force, though, is the same: Cities are recognizing the chronic health and economic challenges that persist in communities with little access to healthy food, and the fact that local government can play a role in improving the food environment—through policy that impacts everything from land use to transit.

Source: Civil Eats, 8/22/16, Food Systems Managers

Alaska's food system - is it like the North Country?

Mark Winne, a leading voice on food system issues has a new blog entry about food issues in Alaska.  I was struck by the similarities to the North Country.  For example, try substituting "North Country" for "Alaska" in his closing paragraph (and ignoring the oil comment):

"How Alaska copes with its multiple food system vulnerabilities bears watching. Resiliency in the face of climate change will take on new and challenging dimensions in this highly exposed northern reach, not the least of which may be the hot, sweaty hordes escaping from the Lower 48. The lessons of oil, the lessons of subsistence, the lessons of the limits of human endurance, and the lessons of public policy that can be farsighted or shortsighted should not be ignored because they come from a place as remote as Alaska."

Read Mark's blog entry in its entirety here:  Roadkill Stew, Bad-ass Cabbage, and the Midnight Sun – Lessons from Alaska

-Gloria

BEST PRACTICES FOR AN EQUITABLE & SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM

A new report outlines the state of food insecurity in the United States and highlights successful tools to bring healthy and sustainable food sources to underserved communities. The report notes that people of color, low-income communities, and families with children are most likely to live in “food deserts” with limited or no access to consistent sources of healthy food. The authors illustrate successful policies and approaches to address food insecurity through case studies of programs to (1) create healthy corner and nonprofit grocery stores and food cooperatives; (2) develop farm-to-school networks; and (3) use and improve state and local governments procurement policies, land use ordinances, and permitting processes to improve residents’ diets and bring more local, fresh, and unprocessed food into low-income neighborhoods.

Source: Center for American Progress, 5/12/16, Best Practices 

Free Webinar on How to Evaluate Economic Benefits of Local Food Systems

Local and regional food systems are helping revitalize rural and urban communities across the country.  The authors of a new U.S. Department of Agriculture guide to evaluate the economic impacts of investing in farmers markets, community supported agriculture (CSA), food hubs, and other local food systems will discuss the toolkit during a free webinar on Thursday, April 28, 2016, at 3 p.m. E.T.

The Economics of Local Food Systems: A Toolkit to Guide Community Discussions, Assessments and Choices, developed by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) in cooperation with Colorado State University (CSU), uses real-world projects, experiences, and applied research to help community leaders, planners, economic development specialists, public agencies, and private businesses or foundations evaluate the economic benefits of local and regional food systems.

Audience:       Community leaders, planners, economic development specialists, public agencies, and private businesses or foundations

What:              Free webinar on how to use The Economics of Local Food Systems: A Toolkit to Guide Community Discussions, Assessments and Choices. The webinar will last approximately 90- minutes.

When:             3 p.m. E.T., Thursday, April 28, 2016

Speakers:        Debra Tropp, USDA Agricultural Marketing Service

Alfonso Morales, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Becca Jablonski, Colorado State University

Dave Swenson, Iowa State University

Dawn Thilmany, Colorado State University

To register for the webinar, please use this link: http://goo.gl/forms/JIOrvfQiMM

If you have any questions, please email: becca.jablonski@colostate.edu

North Country Matters features GardenShare

Gloria McAdam, the Executive Director of GardenShare, discusses issues of poverty, food deserts, local food systems, and the work of GardenShare to address them with real solutions with host Ann Carvill.

STATE TRENDS IN LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS

In recent years, state legislatures have been active across a several policy areas: local food system approaches; farm-to-school programs; farmers’ markets; community gardens and urban agriculture; healthy grocery retail and food policy councils.  Take for example farmers’ markets. There are now 8,394 farmers’ markets in the U.S. as compared to 1,755 in 1944. State policymakers have recognized farmers’ markets ability to provide access to healthy, local food options for low-income and food insecure populations. From 2012-2014, eight states passed legislation supporting or expanding the ability to use SNAP, WIC, and senior nutrition program benefits at farmers’ markets. In New York, the Governor’s FreshConnect Check Program provides incentive checks for SNAP consumers at farmers market and Veterans, Servicemembers and their immediate family members at Veteran’s Affairs Offices. 

Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, 3/30/16, State Trends

BUILDING LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS

A new resource from USDA can help communities make the economic case for investments in local food. “The Economics of Local Food Systems: A Toolkit to Guide Community Discussions, Assessments and Choices” will help local food stakeholders–including farmers markets, food hubs, and other local food outlets–tell the story of how investing in strong local and regional food systems can revitalize rural and urban economies across the country.  The toolkit allows communities to conduct reliable economic impact assessments of investing in local food system initiatives.  The Toolkit uses real-world projects, experiences, and applied research, making it a practical and useable resource for community leaders, businesses, and others.

Source: USDA, 3/24/16, Local Food Systems

Campus Challenge around food and electoral politics

Plate of the Union, a collaborative effort to raise the voice of the millions of Americans who care about food and farm issues in the 2016 presidential election cycle, is excited to announce the launch of its Campus Challenge. The Campus Challenge is an opportunity for young people to leverage their enormous political power. Through this challenge, Plate of the Union is seeking university student groups who care about food and electoral politics to develop and execute organizing plans that drive engagement in the 2016 election cycle. How will you influence your peers, the media, and candidates to talk about food? Groups can win up to $5000 to execute their plans. Learn more here.

Different paradigms

One of my many tutors in food system issues is Bill Duesing of Connecticut NOFA.

Bill writes clearly in his recent blog entry about different paradigms of a food system - industrial and biological.

While we are making progress, all of us who care about building a just and sustainable food system need to continue our efforts, both small scale in our own food purchasing and consumption habits and in the community through work with organizations like NOFA and GardenShare.

Gloria

Webinar on the economic impact of local food systems

In October 2015 the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems convened a special one-day invitational workshop focused on the economic impacts of  local and regional food systems.  The core of the workshop was based on a USDA-funded local food economic toolkit project

Because there was so much interest in the workshop, the Center for Regional Food Systems is working with the (workshop) instructors to offer a special webinar on Monday, December 14th from 1:30 to 2:30 pm EST.  This webinar will provide an overview of what was covered in the October workshop. Instructors will be Dawn Thilmany and Becca Jablonski from Colorado State University.

To  register for this webinar and receive an e-mail confirmation with information to join the webinar please click the link below

https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/3737f4e2e499c77c66858a512be5123a

You must register in order to join the webinar. The webinar will be recorded and the link posted on the Center for Regional Food System's website within a few days after the webinar.

National Good Food Network

The National Good Food Network, an initiative of the Wallace Center at Winrock International, has convened a diverse array of stakeholders – from half-acre farmers and non-profit food hubs to multi-national distributors and food service management companies – to tackle the challenge of building a healthy and sustainable food system. Their goal is to create market-based solutions in food distribution that will bring more food from sustainable sources to more people and places.

For more information about the National Good Food Network, visit www.ngfn.org.

Two visions of the food system

My old friend in this field of work back in Connecticut just posted this blog entry on Two Visions of the food system.

Some of what he writes is specific to that state, but much applies to all of us!  Enjoy!

Gloria

Food systems summit coming up

UVM Food Systems Summit, June 16-17, Burlington, VT

“The Right to Food: Power, Policy, and Politics in the 21st Century”

All people deserve access to adequate, nutritious food. The complicated and provocative question for the fourth annual UVM Food Systems Summit on June 16-17 is how to provide this basic human right. The UVM Food Systems Summit is an annual event drawing scholars, practitioners and food systems leaders to engage in dialogue on the pressing food systems issues facing our world. To learn more and register, visit the UVM Food Systems Summit website.

Graduate Certificate Program in Sustainable Food Systems

The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University is accepting applications to its Online Graduate Certificate Program in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems.

This program, in it’s second year, is ideal for professionals engaged in a variety of food-related businesses and organizations, as well as others interested in implementing sustainable practices for their organizations, partners, and communities.

Because the program is 100% online, students can live and work anywhere in the world, study with the Friedman School’s renowned faculty, while they earn graduate credit from Tufts University,

Course offerings are below (courses may be completed individually or as part of the graduate certificate program):

·      Sustainability on the Farm (fall semester)
·      Supply Chains and Food Markets (spring semester)
·      Sustainability and the Consumer (summer semester, begins May 18)

Please visit their website (http://nutrition.tufts.edu/certificates), download the SAFS Program 1-page Information Sheet (http://www.nutrition.tufts.edu/sites/default/files/SAFOneSheetFINAL.pdf), or
register for a Virtual Open House to learn more (http://www.nutrition.tufts.edu/academics/certificate-programs/register-info-session)

Sustainable Food and Farming classes

Registration is now open for summer online classes in Sustainable Food and Farming at UMass Amherst.  These may either be taken individually or as part of a 15-credit Certificate Program.  For a list of classes see: http://sustfoodfarm.org/online-classes/

This summer UMass is offering:

Full Summer Term (May 18 – August 8, 2015)

STOCKSCH 108 – Introduction to Botany (4)

Summer  I Classes (May 18 – June 26, 2015)

STOCKSCH 100 – Botany for Gardeners (GenEd-BS; 4 credits)
STOCKSCH 120 – Organic Gardening and Farming (GenEd-BS; 4 credits)
STOCKSCH 197 A – Backyard Homesteading (3 credits)
STOCKSCH 290 C –  Land Use Policy & Sustainable Farming (3 credits)
STOCKSCH 297 FP – Farm Management, Planning and Marketing (3 credits)
STOCKSCH 397 C – Community Food Systems (3 credits)

Summer  II Classes (July 6  – August 14, 2015)

STOCKSCH 100 – Botany for Gardeners (GenEd-BS; 4 credits)
STOCKSCH 117 – Agricultural Chemistry (3 credits)
STOCKSCH 297 V – Organic Vegetable Production (3 credits)
STOCKSCH 397 AE – Agricultural Ecology (3 credits)
STOCKSCH 397 S – Sustainable Site Planning and Design (3 credits)
STOCKSCH 397 FV – Post-harvest Handling of Fruits and Vegetables (3 credits)

Request for Proposals for Native Agriculture & Food Systems Initiative Grants

First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) is now accepting proposals for its Native Agriculture & Food Systems Initiative (NAFSI). Through the generous support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, First Nations plans to distribute up to eight grant awards averaging $26,000 to support projects that address food-system control, food insecurity and food deserts, with an emphasis on serving Native American children and families. Proposals are due March 25, 2015. More information can be found here. 

Real Food Media Contest

Another contest!

This contest is the project of the Real Food Media Project, a collaborative initiative using online movies and a web-based action center along with grassroots events around the country to spread the stories of sustainable food and farming.

The Project is especially excited to partner with School Ambassadors who are helping us connect with students who may be interested in participating in the Contest. Ambassadors are also welcome to screen the winning films on campus at the end of the Contest. If you are interested in becoming an Ambassador, please email the project .

New this year, there will be cash prizes for student films and underreported issues. Winning films also get a ton of exposure through distribution networks and Pop-Up Film Festivals (now happening around the world!). In addition, another several dozen new films will live on the website in our Film Library.

For more information and to enter the contest, visit the Real Food Media website. Deadline is January 5.

I'm looking forward to seeing the results of this one, also!

Gloria