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Regional Meetings Overview & Summary

Ideas from first three meetings: RALEIGH, BURGAW, & ASHEVILLE summary

(only repeated ideas listed here;

key:  repeated,highest repetition)

 

EXPANDED MARKETS

selling

  • food stamps at farmers’ markets (should be run by Department of Ag and implemented state-wide)
  • CSAs with sliding scale and various payment schedules
  • CSA deliver/pickup at workplaces
  • mobile farmers’ markets at workplaces & corporate sponsored markets

growing

  • community gardens (partner with Parks & Rec, Libraries, extension agents)

purchasing

  • statewide purchasing of local food in schools with preference to underserved districts and counties

 

STRONG INFRASTRUCTURE

mechanics and facilities

  • **local processing facilities & certified community kitchens
  • farmer owned distribution companies
  • small scale slaughter facilities
  • area freezer and cooler space to facilitate local and regional distribution

collective action

  • “Organic Valley Co-op” style model for local farms, not necessarily certified to allow for changeable practices but real sustainability
  • farm-to-institution cooperatives

technology

  • labeling of local and sustainable growing and processing practices, meaningful and visible

FARMS & FARMERS

education and training

  • more extension agents trained & supportive of organics, market gardening, & community gardening
  • free permaculture-type workshops for community and farmers (biointensive, low tech, low resource, etc)
  • career training in high schools for farming

programs

  • support programs for infrastructure start-up costs for new farmers
  • subsidies and grants for apprentices and new farmers
  • farmland preservation

 

STRONG & DIVERSE PARTNERSHIPS (most noted in other categories already)

programs

  • engaging kids in food early on – get food system knowledge back into cultural literacy
  • gardens in all schools

re-thinking

  • diversity training to get at root of inequity: structural racism in land legalities, disenfranchisement

 

TACTICS & NEEDs FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN

  • **define what is local
  • massive public campaign about true cost of good food and opportunities to take action
  • massive public campaign of farmers as heroes/rock stars
  • collaborative action, network, coalition – making most of existing work with concrete structure of connection
  • database, categorized, on web to identify food systems work
  • intentional inclusion of diverse groups
  • steering committees on target areas OR regional steering committees on overview
  • transparency in all efforts
  • wholistic thinking
  • documentary with successful stories
  • create new statewide food policy council
  • clear goals, benchmarks toward goals