WHAT WE DO CONVENINGS NETWORKNG TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RESEARCH EDUCATION COMMUNICATIONS Technical...

WHAT WE DO

CONVENINGS NETWORKNG

TECHNICALASSISTANCE

RESEARCH

EDUCATION COMMUNICATIONS

• Technical

Assistance/Matchmaking

• Communications

• Research & Education

• Networking

• Regional New England

Collaboration

• Policy/Advocacy

www.massfarmtoschool.org

WHY WE DO IT

• A vibrant, local and regional food system

• Good food and farm jobs and a strong local economy

• Keep land in agriculture

• Access to healthy, locally grown food for all

• Encourage healthy food choices

• Increase food and agriculture literacy

Bringing growers and eaters closer together encourages community

health on many levels


• They are market makers: institutions purchase over $1 billion of food per year in New England alone

• They provide a diversified market for regional producers, especially mid-sized farms

• They serve meals to over 3 million people per year, including many who are at-risk nutritionally and/or economically

WHY INSTITUTIONS?


OUR STRATEGIES

CONVENINGS NETWORKING

TECHNICALASSISTANCE

RESEARCH

EDUCATION COMMUNICATIONS


WHAT IS THE ROLE OF COLLABORATION?

• HOW CAN WE INCREASE SUPPLY?

• HOW CAN WE PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY IN THE FOOD CHAIN?

• HOW CAN WE SHARE BEST PRACTICES?

• HOW CAN WE MAXIMIZE IMPACT?


• There’s an imbalance in the New England food shed, with more producers in the north and more consumers in the south

• Food is already being moved around the region by food distributors and food service management companies

• New England is geographically small, making regional collaboration convenient and practical

REGIONAL COLLABORATIONWHY?


• Farm to Institution New England (FINE)• A six-state network of non-profit, public and private

entities with a mission to strengthen our food system by increasing the amount of New England-grown and processed food served in our region’s schools, hospitals, colleges and other institutions.

• Targeted projects contributing to research and knowledge to benefit all partners

• Farm to School Northeast Regional Steering Committee • Part of the National Farm to School Network• Professional community focused on K12 sector with a

national perspective

REGIONAL COLLABORATION


• MA Farm to School grew out of MDAR project in 2004

• Long term programmatic and funding partnership

• Annual contract forms the backbone of collaboration

• Joint farmer outreach & training opportunities

• Connections with other State agencies

PUBLIC/PRIVATE COLLABORATIONS


• MA Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Collaboration

• MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education• John Stalker Institute at Framingham State University• MA School Nutrition Association (SNA)

• USDA Farm to School Program (FNS)• Farm to School Annual Census• Training and technical assistance

PUBLIC/PRIVATE COLLABORATIONS


WHAT’S AHEAD?WHERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES?

Photo by Mad River Food Hub


STAY IN TOUCH

VISIT US ONLINE www.massfarmtoschool.org

LISA DAMONlisa@massfarmtoschool.

org


http://www.massfarmtoschool.org/

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