Direct Farm Marketing Summit: Developing Sustainable Foodsheds to Enhance Food Access and Nutrition

July 7-9, 2009
Oakland, CA

A special summit meeting presented by Roots of Change and the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. This summit was by invitation only.

UPDATES:
Michael Dimock shares his take aways from the Summit on Civil Eats
Opening Remarks by Michael Dimock, President of Roots of Change
Draft Definations of "Foodshed " and "Foodshed Management Plan"

THURSDAY: 7-9-09
SJ Mercury News on Oakland Mayor Ronald Dellums: Mayor wants to help Oakland food system

ClimateBiz: New S.F. Food Policy Boosts Local Farms
ABC News video of SF Mayor announcement.
Coverage by CBS5 SF: MAYOR ISSUES NEW HEALTH, SUSTAINABILITY GUIDELINES FOR CITY-RELATED FOOD PURCHASES
Coverage by SF Chronicle - "Newsom's fresh idea: mandates on healthier food"
PHOTOS FROM DAY 3 OF THE SUMMIT

WEDNESDAY:7-8-09
Video of SF Mayor Gavin Newsom announcing Directive for Healthy and Sustainable Food at City Slicker Farms
SF Examiner story: Mayor Gavin Newsom announces a regional sustainable food policy for San Francisco
Mayor's Executive Directive: Healthy and Sustainable Food for San Francisco
PRESS RELEASE MAYOR NEWSOM ANNOUNCES REGIONAL FOOD POLICY FOR SF
PHOTOS OF MAYOR NEWSOM ANNOUNCING REGIONAL FOOD POLICY FOR SF
PHOTOS FROM DAY 2 OF THE SUMMIT

TUESDAY:7-7-09
PHOTOS FROM DAY 1

CLICK HERE TO SEE PART TWO OF THE VIDEO.

One hundred and thirty leaders from across the nation gathered for just over two days in order to accelerate the nation's development of sustainable foodsheds that offer fresh, healthy, regional and sustainable food to all people regardless of income level or location.

The goals of the Summit were to:

Enhance knowledge, thinking, and action as leaders scale up their efforts to new levels in order to serve larger and larger segments of the country.
Provide public and private funders with data to help them better help those working on the ground to make change.

Specific topics were examined using three plenary panels and 12 case studies, they included:

distribution systems that feature product aggregation and source identification
farm to school initiatives
farmers markets innovations
improved regulatory coordination
land tenure developments in urban, peri-urban, and rural communities
new direct sales venues
new farmer training programs
the foodshed: language and conceptual frameworks to support their development

ROC staff and network members presented a bounty of concepts, information and ideas while they emerged at the Summit via this web page, Twitter, ComFood, and Facebook.

This event happened because the private sector joined the public and philanthropic sectors to provide funds and human capital. We wish to thank Visa Inc., our platinum sponsor; Hearst Ranch and The California Endowment our gold sponsors; and Bank of America and Straus Organic Creamery our silver sponsors; and Frog Hollow Farm, Urban Village and Whole Foods Markets in Berkeley and Oakland for their contributions of delicious, local and sustainable food. We are grateful for and encouraged by their commitment to accelerated development of foodsheds and improved healthy food access. Of course, Root of Change is greatful for our partners at USDA AMS.

Video:

The Last Crop - July 8th - 8:30 PM - International Ballroom