Transcript Why Local Foods? The Community Benefits and Economic Impacts

The Virginia Food System Council:
Collaborating to strengthen Virginia’s
food system from farm-to-table
Webinar - Food Policy Councils:
Recipes for Success from the Local, County, and State Levels
October 31, 2013
Presenters: Eric Benfeldt, Va. Cooperative Extension &
Spencer Neale, Va. Farm Bureau
Formation of the VFSC
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May 2007 – Virginia Food Security Summit
◦ Convened by University of Virginia, Virginia Tech,
and participating organizations
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Key recommendation to evaluate
establishing a state food policy council
◦ Informal working group meets regularly in 2007
and 2008
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March 2009, 1st official meeting of VFSC
◦ Has met at least quarterly since that date
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IRS 501©3 designation August, 2012
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Make-up of VFSC
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24 directors from participating organizations
◦ Operation governed by formal by-laws
◦ Directors represent specific sectors of food
system, private and public sector
◦ Additional resource organizations involved
Executive Committee of eight, including
chair, v-chair, secretary and treasurer
 Committee Structure
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◦ Education & Outreach, Development (funding),
Research, Legislative & Nominating
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Key issues early on…
Independent vs. state government
sanctioned and state appointed or
independent body
 “Policy” Council or “System” Council
 Much deliberation over use of the word
“sustainability” in organizing documents
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◦ Example of seemingly innocuous item that
ended up becoming major discussion issue
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Vision
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We envision a sustainable food system
contributing to the health, economic
vitality and social well-being of all
Virginians.
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Mission
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Working to advance a nutrient-rich and
safe food system for Virginians at all
income levels, with an emphasis on
access to local food, successful linkages
between food producers and consumers,
and a healthy, viable future for Virginia’s
farmers and farmland.
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Who makes up the VFSC
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Agriculture (4 seats)
State Government (5)
Va. Coop. Extension
Anti-hunger
Public Health
Local Government
Sustainability
Conservation
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Food Supply &
Distribution
Rural Development
Consumer
Senior Services
Local Food Council
Social Justice
Schools
Institutional Buyer
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Some of our Participating Organizations
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Federation of Virginia
Food Banks
Harrisonburg City Public
Schools
INOVA
Local Food Hub
Lynchburg Grows
VA Association for
Biological Farming
VA Cooperative
Extension
VA Dept. of Agriculture
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Mattawoman Creek
Farms
Piedmont Envir. Council
Society of St. Andrew
Shalom Farms
VA Dept. of Health
VA Dietetic Association
VA Farm Bureau
Virginia State Univ.
Virginia Tech
USDA
Lulu’s Local Food
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So what encompasses a food system :
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Nutrition, food, and health
Farmers, processors, distributors, consumers,
community
Social and economic development
Agriculture and the natural environment
Local identity, history, and culture
Values of people and policies of a society
Food access and availability for all
Government, research, education
Public and private sector working
hand in hand
“Social and Economic Embeddedness in the Community.” ~ Thomas Lyson, Civic Agriculture
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Small & Medium
Scale Farm Viability
Retailing
Environmental
Stewardship
Eating
Prepare
Jobs
Community and
Social Viability
Distribute
Waste
Community- Disposal
Farmland
Preservation
based Food
System Growing
Food
Process
Healthy Individuals
and Food Security
Economic
Development
Adopted from
CS Mott
Group at MSU
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Goals
Bring together a wide variety of
organizations and interests
 Bridge policy with on-the-ground activities
 Avoid initiatives that approach Virginia’s
food system in a piecemeal or divisive
manner.
 Improve the availability and accessibility
of healthy, nutritious food for all
Virginians.
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Goals and talking points
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Enhance farm profitability and viability
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Educate Virginia residents of all income levels
about the social, economic, environmental,
nutritional and health benefits of a locallyintegrated food system
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Eliminate barriers that hinder local food
purchasing by institutions
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Current & Past Areas of Concentration
Farm-to-School Week
Farm-to-Table Assessment and Plan
Development
 Enhance EBT/SNAP capabilities at farmers
markets
 Outreach to policy makers (ongoing)
 $10 a week initiative (consumers)
 10 % initiative (institutions)
 Urban agriculture (societal gap couple with
economic development)
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Some Take Home Thoughts
Be open minded as to who should be at
the table
 Be patient and stay the course in early
formation stages
 Don’t be overly ambitious in adopting
too many projects, especially early on
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◦ Learn as you go
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Develop ways to involve all in projects
◦ Engage all, don’t let a few do all the heavy
lifting (burn-out)
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Take home thoughts…
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Strive to learn and understand food
systems and production beyond your
boundaries, big picture
◦ Be careful in favoring or choosing certain
production practices over others as guiding
principles
One size does not fit all, learn from other
similar groups and initiatives
 Depending on scope of work, paid staff
may be a necessary luxury
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◦ Funding not easy to find
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Thank you
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