Fourth Annual Farm Route to Prosperity Summit

​Fourth Annual Food & Farming Network Summit         ​

​Friday, February 17, 2012, ​8:30 am to 4 pm

​NMC Hagerty Center, Traverse City

Several sub-groups have been working on topics that we will bring to the Summit. We will revise the Network's Goal and objectives to align with the Michigan Good Food Charter.

​NEW NETWORK GOAL:

By 2020, the region’s food and farming systems are more resilient and provide at least 20% of our region’s food. 

View revised objectives here.

View a summary of the post-summit survey here. 

WORKGROUPS:

​1. Policy

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.

• 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.

• 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. 

2. Local Investment

To develop a Common Ground that Strengthens Northwest MI Farms and Financial Investments

• 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.

3. Infrastructure

To identify and facilitate development of infrastructure needs to scale up the local food supply

• 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.

4. Branding

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.

5. 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. 

• 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