As the attendance at Community Food Security Coalition’s (CFSC) conference showed, the healthy/regional food movement is gaining maturity and strength.
Over 600 attendees from every part of the U.S. and Canada came together to discuss, to see Portland’s leadership and to network. (I can personally attest to the networking ability of regional food system people.)
The Coalition always manages lively face to face opportunities and backs it up with good leadership in the sessions themselves. Planners, public health professionals, farmers, market organizers, grassroots activists, city officials were all in attendance.
They also tried to use technology to get real time voting in the Friday plenary which had some bugs (Laurel MacMillan CFSC staff, was a trouper on stage with amazing aplomb and humor to keep it going and people engaged, paired with local leader/market trainer Suzanne Briggs up there with Laurel, typing madly) but since everyone was in good humor after a pleasant breakfast, all was fine by mid-morning.
From Vancouver’s Food Charter poster to the free pear savers (those spun their own debate) to the lively networking sessions (the South/Southeast session was almost drowned out by an insurance conference play acting in the next conference space but valiantly held their space) there was plenty to learn, see and hear. As we know the 2012 Farm Bill is the focus of every food system and CFSC did an admirable job capturing the breadth of issues on the table and tactics that will be needed. The draft of priorities outlined by CFSC included:
Defend and expand Community Food Projects and Farmers Market Promotion Program
Secure support for the infrastructure needed for local and regional food systems.
Increase access to federal nutrition programs participants to food system points of entry.
Work on urban-rural linkages across existing programs.
Require USDA to streamline SNAP redemption and technology.
Promote incentives for fruit and vegetable purchases for federal nutrition program participants.
Call for a USDA report and guidance document on how local government regulations can support access to healthy foods.
Incorporate more local product into DoD Fresh and USDA Foods.
Institutionalize the tracking and evaluation of Farm to School programs.
Of course, those were presented as draft priorities so that CFSC Policy Director Kathy Mulvey and Associate Policy Director Megan Lott can continue to evolve the platform based on the membership needs of CFSC. They were very active throughout the conference as they have been in the listening sessions they have held throughout the year.
As a board member of the Coalition, I was very proud of the program staff and the work done to make the conference happen. As always, Emily Becker our conference planner (and I am sure Aleta and Erika as support) hit another home run for the movement. Doubletree Hotel was a nice location with food sourced locally.