Archive for May, 2008
USDA Community Food Project Grantee Organization Profile
Post Date: Sunday, May 11th, 2008Focus Area
community development, education, farming, farmers’ markets, farm-to-cafeteria, farm-to- restaurant/store, food policy council, minority empowerment, sustainable agriculture, youth, small farms, native american, community food assessment, outreach, research, cooperative development, entrepreneurship, food buying club, native agriculture.
Mission
The mission of Farm to Table is to promote local agriculture through education, community outreach, and networking. Farm to Table enhances marketing opportunities for farmers; encourages family farming, farmers’ markets, and the preservation of agricultural traditions; influences public policy; and furthers understanding of the links between farming, food, health, and local economies.
Background
Farm to Table was incorporated in 1996 as the Friends of Santa Fe Farmers’ Market in order to support the establishment and growth of a thriving farmers market in Santa Fe. Its primary work focused on securing a permanent location for the market – a goal still not brought to fruition, though the farmers’ market is currently negotiating permitting with the city of Santa Fe. In 2002, the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute took over as the non-profit advocacy group for the farmers’ market, and Friends of the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market changed its name – and expanded its focus – to Farm to Table.
Farm to Table works with farmers and ranchers in the Four Corners region of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah; promotes farm-to-cafeteria programs; and advocates for sound food and agricultural policy. Farm to Table’s stated purpose is to educate children and adults about the importance of consuming locally produced food and supporting local agriculture; encourage consumers to use farmers’ markets and other direct marketing venues to obtain nutritious, locally produced agricultural products; encourage farmers to participate in farmers’ markets and other direct marketing venues to increase the viability of the region’s agriculture; provide a forum to educate farmers about traditional and innovative agricultural methods; and build rural and urban community networks to collaborate on and influence policy and public opinion.
Programs
Farm to Table programs aim to build a more secure community by teaching children, food buyers and farmers how a strong, local food economy is basic to self-reliance and health. This includes building networks between rural and urban communities through educational programs, regional projects, newsletters, presentations and conferences.
Specific activities include collaboration with the four-state, three-plus year collaborative “Southwest Marketing Network: Expanding Markets for Southwest Small-Scale, Alternative and Minority Producers” which includes an annual multi-state conference, trainings and technical assistance, and quarterly newsletter; providing leadership for and coordination of the New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council, a statewide collaboration of more than 100 organizations and agencies involved in food, agriculture, health, environment and education in New Mexico; developing a southwest regional “outpost” in collaboration with the national Community Food Security Coalition and four state partners of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah; offering year-round programming to schoolchildren with curricula focused on regional foods and livestock tied to science, nutrition, health, literature, art, math, and regional cultural traditions; developing gardens in schools and emphasizing food production and physical activity as priorities in order to increase educational opportunities and improve health; and facilitating the development of new markets for farmers by working with food producers, school food service buyers, and other related agencies, organizations and businesses to provide New Mexico’s schoolchildren with fresh, healthy, local foods in their cafeterias.
All of these activities have been enhanced by Farm to Table’s two USDA-funded Community Food Projects.
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What to Consider When Developing a Council
Post Date: Sunday, May 11th, 2008Benefits/Reasons to begin a Council:
- It is an opportunity for the broader community interested in food and agriculture issues to work side-by-side with local government.
- Policy Councils give the group, both community participants and government, an opportunity to make decisions from a broader base of information and knowledge, likely providing a more informed outcome.
- The group educates itself and is better informed to make decisions that relate to government decision making.
- Councils help to develop, coordinate and implement a food system policy linking economic development and social impacts with farming and urban issues.
- Councils review and comment on proposed legislation and regulations that impact food and agriculture policy and security.
- Councils make recommendations to the executive and legislative branches of government on food and agriculture policy.Food and Agriculture Policy Councils (Councils) are a long-term commitment to working on food system issues. They should be comprised of a broad based group of dedicated individuals, from both the private and government sectors, who bring different talents and knowledge to the table. These Councils are inherently complex and take a great deal of slow thoughtful work with the understanding that it is a partnership and that all participants are willing to learn from one another, share information, develop decision making processes that provide “win-win” solutions, and that people are willing to listen and collectively come to decisions. This does not mean that there is always consensus. Even if there isn’t consensus, the meaningful outcome may be that those involved have a clearer understanding of the issues they face in their community’s food system.
Topics: How to Develop a Policy Council |