What is the Dubuque Eats Well? Intro to the Local Food Systems Working Group

What is The Local Food Systems Working Group?

Dubuque Eats Well is one of 15 regional food groupsthat make up the Regional Food Systems Working Group

The Regional Food Systems Working Group is a statewide umbrella network for all Iowans working

to build a more resilient regional food system

To conduct research, support education, and facilitate partnerships to increase investment & support of community-based, economically sustainable, and environmentally and socially responsiblefood enterprises.

RFSWG Mission

Regional Food Working Groups

What is a Resilient Regional Food System?

Three Resiliency factors:

• Economic

• Ecological

• Social

Economic Resilience Emphasizes Ingenuity & Resourcefulness

Economic Resilience

The inherent and adaptive responses to disasters that enableIowans, farms and communities to avoid potential financiallosses.

• All sectors of the food system adequately support livelihoods of families

• Food system activities contribute to local and regional economic development

• Equity: No one entity holds a disproportionate share of economic control over food production, transformation, distribution, access or consumption

Ecological Resilience

Ecological Resilience

The capacity for natural resource renewal in a dynamic environment providing an ecological buffer that protects food systems from failing to mitigate problems.

Practices that support ecological resilience include: • Inputs are used in ways that conserve, regenerate or enhance

natural resources (i.e., soil, water, air);• Genetic biodiversity is preserved• Renewable energy sources are used• Wastes are limited and recycled.

Social Resilience

Social Resilience

A community’s ability to cope with distresses such as erratic weather, economic shocks, and food contamination while positively adjusting to change, risk and adversity.

Characteristics of social resilience within the food system include:

• Equitable distribution of resources to access food

• People working in the food system are treated fairly

• Foods are produced to benefit human health, are culturally acceptable, and are economically accessible for all people

• The food system functions with regard for future generations

LFSWG

Scale:

How?

Focus Areas

Program Focus Areas

1. Coalition Building2. Funding, Fundraising, Funder

Relationships3. Local Food Promotion4. Celebration Events, Agri‐tourism5. Producer Training/Workshops6. Local Food Sales to Institutions7. Farm-to-School8. Business development, Connector

role, Value Chain Facilitation

Focus Areas

Celebrations, Events, Agri‐tourism

Coalition Building

Funding, Fundraising & Funding Relationships

Local Food Promotion

Producer TrainingWorkshops

Local Food Salesto Institutions

Farm-to-SchoolBusiness Development,

Connector Role, Value Chain Facilitation

Dubuque County

Health Equity & Community Gardens

Buy Fresh Buy Local

•What work have we done in these areas?

• Where do our current projects fit in?

• What are some future goals?

1. Coalition Building

“Creating and managing a coalition brings expertise and experience together to implement and monitor food system activities”

2. Funding and Funding Relationships

“Funding support for regional food system activities is necessary and a constant challenge to acquire. Some important steps regions can take to further their plans include developing grant writing skills, networking with funders, and creating the best pitch for funding support.”

3. Local Food Promotion

“An early focus in building a regional food system is to increase awareness of the impact of local foods on the social, economic, environmental, and public health of communities. These promotional activities can be in the form of simple educational activities, public events, fundraisers, presentations, media campaigns and more…”

Celebrations, Events, Agritourism

“Large, high‐exposure events draw a diverse audience and also work to connect consumers directly with their regional producers. Media members often are attracted to these events.”

Producer Trainings, Workshops

“Producer‐focused regional trainings or workshops provide valuable educational opportunities for the region’s farmers/growers/producers. These trainings can assist producers in growing their operations and producing more fresh foods. Training topic areas may include business processes, farming techniques, financial management and capital building, and food safety practices.”

Institutional Sales and Relationships

“A high‐level outcome of building the local food system is making fresh, local foods available and more widely accessible. Activities that further this goal include working directly with purchasers (such as school food service directors or chefs) to coordinate their relationships with producers. These business deals are generally at wholesale volume and prices. Coordination in several regions has become formally organized and incorporated through business entities such as food hubs”

Farm-to-school

“Farm to School programming includes working with school leadership to provide seasonal, local foods from local farms, classroom presentations with farm field trips, campus education on local products, and support for school gardens. Many regions are working to teach students about where their food comes from, an encourage a greater appreciation and appetite for fresh, healthy foods.”

Value-Chain facilitation, Business Development

“…can range from a simple introduction to assistance in negotiating price and delivery with the producer and purchaser. Buyers may be from restaurants, schools, universities, care facilities and hospitals.”