On April 22-24, 2002, Food and Society convened a conference in Denver, CO entitled "Building Capacity For Community-Based Food Systems" that brought together community activists, business leaders, farmers ranchers, scholars and thought leaders to explore and discuss the community-based food system concept and its opportunity to improve rural communities, the environment and public health. A copy of the conference program is available here.
The Kellogg Foundation recently commissioned an independent evaluation of the conference. You can read the results here.
Complete information about last year's meeting "Local Enterprises - Global Visions" is available here.
If you are a media professional and are interested in covering any aspect of Food and Society 's work, please contact Nicole de Beaufort for more information.
Meeting Topics
Welcome and Introduction Speakers from the Kellogg Foundation, the Institute for Agricultural Trade and Policy, and Rep. Eva Clayton (NC), will launch the meeting with presentations about the opportunities and challenges involved with establishing community based food systems in the United States and around the world.
Building Social and Community Strength
These workshops will explore ways institutions and organizations such as universities, faith-based organizations, schools and others can work to create community and positive social change through community based food systems.
Building Political Strength
Making community based food systems work requires political strength and skill. Speakers from both the public and private sector discuss the current political situation and what groups and individuals need to know.
Building Communications Capacity
Can community-based food systems become a widespread reality without public support? How can we successfully educate, motivate and engage stakeholders including consumers, the news media and policy makers? This informative session will discuss the latest communications message research from top communications practitioners and reporters and share insights into messages and strategies for furthering efforts to build and expand community-supported agriculture.
Building Financial Strength
It is critical that organizations and institutions diversify and expand their funding base in order to remain viable and effective over the long-term. In these sessions participants will have a chance to put a face on a variety of new as well as traditional programs and learn of current funding priorities.
Environmental Values in Community Based Food Systems
Protecting the environment is one of the fundamental goals of community based food systems. These sessions will discuss how the environment is integrated into community based food system programs.