Fourth Annual Food & Farming Network Summit DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE FLYER HERE
Friday, February 17, 2012
8:30 am to 4 pm
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doors open at 8:30, the program starts promptly at 9:00 am.
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a cash bar opens at 4:00 pm, featuring local beer, wine and other beverages.
NMC Hagerty Center, Traverse City
Please register here. Registration by February 13 will help with planning.
Attendance is limited and pre-registration is required.
Several sub-groups have been working on topics that we will bring to the Summit. An Open Space opportunity will also be available to provide an opportunity for new initiatives to be identified. Also, we will propose a revised Goal and objectives for the Network.
NEW NETWORK GOAL: Increase the resilience and bring to at least 20 percent by 2020 the amount of food purchased locally from the region’s food and agriculture system. View revised objectives here.
WORKGROUPS: [these descriptions are still under development and subject to changes and additions]
to develop a dynamic “policy platform” at the local, regional, state and federal policy level that best supports efforts to meet the primary goal of the Food and Farming Network.
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We will develop a regional policy agenda that articulates priorities, activities that support those priorities, the collection of data to shape and inform activity, and a communications method to share progress at the regional and state level.
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Various members of the Food and Farming Network have a variety of desired policy positions based on their organization’s mission or their individual passions. By identifying those policies that a) are desired and supported by numerous members of the Network, and b) aid in achieving the Networks’ goal, we can all speak with one voice in regard to policies that best serve our collective efforts.
To develop a Common Ground that Strengthens Northwest MI Farms and Financial Investments
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We intend to articulate a continuum of investment that is mutually beneficial to those investing financial capital toward our regional agriculture system and those needing access to capital to produce quality products regardless of operational stage and scale.
To identify and facilitate development of infrastructure needs to scale up the local food supply
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Our priority is the development of a mechanism/process to identify infrastructure needs, determine existing resources, match needs to resources and create new infrastructure when existing resources cannot satisfy valid needs.
To assess the commitment to development of a Regional Brand and to strengthen an ongoing Network sub-committee to work towards a Regional Brand.
Members of Branding Committee should represent as many stakeholders as possible.
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Youth Engagement - Digging in with Youth for a Healthy Future
This session will focus on sharing, planning and networking together successful cooking, farming and gardening activities that empower young people.
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Action Plan: to engage youth with healthy food and local agriculture, both at school and throughout our community. Programs highlighted in this session will include FoodCorps, Farm to School, Chef’s Move to School, Cooking Matters, after school programs, summer programs, community gardens, service opportunities and internships.
This session will focus on sharing and networking successful healthy, local food/garden activities that engage kids. Participants will end the day with a plan to network community resources to expand the resource base and fill gaps for these activities, making them more widely available and sustainable; and to engage youth leadership in local food systems/local food nutrition/school garden work.
special thanks to our
Championship Sponsor - USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Local Food Sponsor: Cherry Capital Foods
Scholarship Sponsor: Michigan State University CARRS
Other financial support: USDA Risk Management Agency
Planning Partners – Farm Route to Prosperity summit, February 17, 2012
Black Star Farms, Cherry Capital Foods, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Grand Traverse Conservation District, Honey Boy Bob, ISLAND, James Bardenhagen Farm, Maple Crest Farm, Michigan Land Use Institute, Michigan State University Extension, Michigan State University, Neahtawanta Center, Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, USDA-Rural Development, USDA- NRCS,
and many individuals.
