Author: kimhodgson

3rd Annual Yale Food Systems Symposium: New Alliances That Shape A Food Movement

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2015 Yale Food Systems Symposium

Registration is now open for the third annual Yale Food Systems Symposium: a student-led collaboration between Yale Law School, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale School of Public Health, and Yale College.

This year’s conference, “New Alliances That Shape a Food Movement,” will be held on October 30th & 31st, and feature keynote addresses from Olivier De Schutter, Dorceta Taylor, and Ricardo Salvador.

  • Who: Open to academics, practitioners, students, and interested members of the public
  • Date: Friday October 30th & Saturday October 31st
  • Location: Yale Law School, Sterling Law Building – New Haven, CT
  • Fee: You must register to attend, but tickets are only $30 (or free for current Yale students) and include two meals: dinner Friday and lunch Saturday.

Register here!

Job: Food System Coordinator, Parks & Rec (Victoria, BC)

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The City of Victoria, BC is hiring a Food System Coordinator:

“Victoria is a leading edge capital city that embraces the future and builds on the past, where human well-being and the environment are priorities and where the community feels valued, heard and understood. The City of Victoria is currently recruiting for a Food System Coordinator, a position best suited for a solutions-oriented professional with experience in food policy and sustainable food systems issues in a municipal setting, and who thrives in a high-paced work environment full of variety and opportunity. Our ideal candidate is a strong relationship builder, proud to represent the City and work proactively with others. If you are a team player, a proven problem solver and you are passionate about the community and what you do – we would like to hear from you! ”

For more information, click here.

Atlanta Seeks Urban Ag Director

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DSC_0013

Anyone interested in an exciting new job? The City of Atlanta, Georgia, recently announced their search for a Director of Urban Agriculture. Applications are due September 15. Among a number of duties, this position will: “Coordinate with various City of Atlanta Departments to streamline procedures for the creation and support of urban agriculture in the city, including improving access for growers to public and private lands, facilitating the permitting process, obtaining necessary zoning permits, code compliance, brownfields conversion and other issues related to advancing urban agriculture in Atlanta.” To find out more and learn how to apply, click here.

North American Map of Food Policy Councils

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The Center for a Livable Future at Johns Hopkins University recently released an interactive map of food policy councils across the United States and Canada. For more information, click here or on the map below.

FPCMap

Exploring Stories of Innovation: Local Government Food Systems Planning and Policy

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Growing Food Connections announced Exploring Stories of Innovation, a series of short articles that explore how local governments from across the United States are strengthening their community’s food system through planning and policy.

Beginning in 2012, Growing Food Connections (GFC) conducted a national scan and identified 299 local governments across the United States that are developing and implementing a range of innovative plans, public programs, regulations, laws, financial investments and other policies to strengthen the food system. GFC conducted exploratory telephone interviews with 20 of these local governments. This series will highlight some of the unique planning and policy strategies used by these urban and rural local governments to enhance community food security while ensuring sustainable and economically viable agriculture and food production. The first four articles in the series feature Seattle, WA; Baltimore, MD; Cabarrus County, NC; and Lancaster County, PA.

For more information and to download these free articles, visit http://growingfoodconnections.org/research/communities-of-innovation/.

Growing Food Connections is made possible with a grant from the USDA /NIFA AFRI Food Systems Program NIFA Award #2012-68004-19894. Partners include American Farmland Trust, American Planning Association, Cultivating Healthy Places, Ohio State University, and University at Buffalo.

Alaska: State Bill Proposes Eliminating Obstacles to Donation of Local Food

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The Alaska Legislature is considering a bill that will eliminate obstacles to donating local food (fish, game, plants and eggs) to senior centers, child care facilities, schools, and other institutions.

“Caribou instead of corn dogs … salmon instead of Trout Treasures … seal meat in place of spaghetti — all could soon be available to more Alaskans if traction continues on a new bipartisan bill before the Alaska Legislature. House Bill 179 allows schools, senior centers, hospitals, child care centers and other facilities to accept and serve fish, game, plants and eggs that are donated by subsistence and sport users. Currently, state laws intended to prevent the commercial sale of wild game make the practice illegal if a program accepting food donations charges for the meal at any point before it is consumed. This means schools and senior centers, for example, are unable to provide meals containing subsistence- or sport-caught wild food if they accept any payment, including from federal or state meal programs…”

To view the full article, click here.

Update: Food Systems Planning Related Events, Sessions & Workshops at the APA National Planning Conference

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FoodSystemsPlanningActivities_Seattle2015In early March, the APA-FIG Communication and Outreach Working Group compiled a list of food systems planning related events, sessions & workshops at the upcoming APA National Planning Conference in Seattle, WA this April 18-21, 2015 at the Washington State Convention Center. APA just released a handout highlighting many of these and providing detailed location information.

For more information, click on the image to the left.

APA Mentor Match Program Needs Food Systems Planners

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APA is looking for food systems planners that will be attending the APA National Planning Conference in Seattle for their Mentor Match Program. There are several mentees interested in food systems planning, and currently no mentors to match them with.

Are you a seasoned professional willing to provide career advice to the next generation of planners? Are you a veteran of National Planning Conferences willing to share your expertise and tips to newbies?

If so, then register to be matched with mentees at the 2015 National Planning Conference. The deadline has been extended through Tuesday, March 31, 2015.

Matches will be assigned based on areas of expertise and geography as much as possible. Mentors and mentees are expected to meet at least once during the conference, but further interaction is enencouraged.

Healthy Food Access Mapping Tool

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PolicyMap

 

Healthy Food Access Portal released a new mapping tool that can help individuals and organizations better understand the communities in which they are working to improve access to healthy food. The tool, called Research Your Community, is powered by PolicyMap and allows users to access 60 data indicators. Topics include:

  • Demographics, including income and SNAP participation;
  • The food environment, including locations of supermarkets and farmers markets;
  • Health indicators, such as fruit and vegetable consumption; and
  • Eligibility data for federal funding programs, such as the New Markets Tax Credit program.

For more information, click here.

APA-FIG Annual Social Networking Event

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Local360-1The APA-FIG’s Leadership Committee is happy to host the APA-FIG Annual Social Networking Event to promote the importance of food systems planning. Come learn about food systems topics in Seattle and across the country.

Join us for a fun, informal networking event at Local 360 on Sunday, April 19th from 7-9pm. Located in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood, just a short walking distance from the conference center, Local 360 believes in and supports sustainable lifestyles by using locally sourced products from within a 360-mile radius.

Admission cost is $10 (APA 2015 National Planning Conference attendees need to register in advance here; other attendees can pay cash at the door).* Appetizers provided, cash bar.

This event is sponsored by Growing Food Connections, the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo, and the APA-FIG Leadership Committee.

For a list of additional food systems planning related events, sessions, and workshops at the APA 2015 National Planning Conference click here.

*You do NOT have to be registered for the APA 2015 National Planning Conference to attend this event. We welcome planners and allied professionals in the region to join us.