Current Projects of the Network

The April 9 Farm Route to Prosperity summit at Black Star Farms was more than just talk. By the end of the day, the regional network of food and farm innovators had re-affirmed the 10-year goals and committed to over a dozen powerful next steps. Each project identified has one or more people committed to keeping up the momentum -- for more.

Notes from the Farm Route to Prosperity summit

Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay -- 9am-4pm, April 9, 2010
[The Network also serves as the Grand Vision Food and Farming Working Group]

Welcome and introductions
Patty Cantrell, Michigan Land Use Institute, network convener
Hans Voss, MLUI and Grand Vision
Susan Loney, USDA-Rural Development -- event sponsor
Bill Palladino, facilitator
 
Participants
Food and Farming Network MeetingThe gathering brought together a broad range of more than 100 people and organizations involved in the region's Food and Farming Network (FFNet), which formed after last year's summit as a way to connect and focus various ongoing local food and farming projects. Young and older farmers were there. So were chamber of commerce representatives, food distributors, chefs, and farmland preservation groups. Rounding out the many voices involved were also health professionals, educators, and childcare leaders.

Food, Farm Leaders Update Plan for Doubling Local Ag

Farm Route to Prosperity participants take next steps for reaching ambitious, 10-year goal

Nearly 120 food and farm leaders gathered on Friday, April 9, at Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay to plan next steps toward the 10-year goal they set at last year's inaugural Farm Route to Prosperity summit: Increasing the resilience and doubling the value of northwest Michigan's food and farming system.

The gathering brought together a broad range of people and organizations involved in the region's Food and Farming Network, which formed after last year's summit as a way to connect and focus various ongoing local food and farming projects. The Network is one of six working groups associated with the Grand Vision, a regional initiative to support citizens and communities in accomplishing a 50-year development plan that 15,000 people participated in crafting over the last two years.

Two video blogs from the event are now online at the Michigan Land Use Institute and  The Grand Vision Web sites.

Syndicate content