News on Markets
SCCFSA Member highlighted in article about immigrant growers in Santa Clara County
March 2013 Aziz Baamuer of UCCE Small Farms Program and SCCFSA member, speaks to the challenges of Asian immigrant farmers in Silicon Valley. See Article
Read More »Sonoma County FSA’s Food Action Plan featured in the Bohemian
The Sonoma County Healthy and Sustainable Food Action Plan (FAP) is featured in the Bohemian holiday issue.
Read More »CRAE Releases Ecosystem Services Guidelines
Nov. 2012. On Nov. 14, 2012, the California Roundtable on Agriculture and the Environment (CRAE) launched a new paper entitled Guidelines for Creating Effective Ecosystem Services Incentive Programs and Policy.
SMFSA Announces release of food policy brief
June 2012 Producing, Distributing, and Consuming Healthy Local Food: Ingredients for a Sustainable Food System is now available online.
Read More »2012 Ventura County Ag Futures Alliance (VAFA) Progress Report
Dec. 2012 Ventura AFA has released a report on the Ag Summit and the work the Alliance has done since this incredible event.
Read More »Panel Discussions Focus on Local Consumption
Jan. 2012. The year-long Farm to Fork series came to a successful conclusion on January 25 and 26 with panel discussions at the Santa Maria and Santa Barbara public libraries. This fourth installment of Farm to Fork series, entitled Closing the Loop, focused on the role of consumers in supporting local farmers, ranchers and other producers. Panelists included Gerri French, Nutritionist and Diabetes Educator at Sansum Medical Clinic; Melissa Gomez, Manager at Goodland Kitchen; Jaime Herrera, Executive Chef at UCSB Dining Commons; Liz Powell, Director of Food Services at Santa Maria Bonita School District; and Clark Staub, Owner at Full of Life Flatbread.
Sonoma FSA Hosts Successful School Food Workshop for Food Day
Oct. 2011 Sonoma County FSA hosted a free School Food Workshop on October 25 for Food Day, which provided a review of best practices, networking opportunities with local farmers.
Read More »School Food Service Survey Reports Interest in Local Produce
Aug. 2011 The Farm-to-Institution Committee of the Sonoma County FSA released the School Food Service Produce report on August 8. The document reports the results of a survey of Sonoma County school food service leaders, and indicates that 84% of schools are interested in purchasing local produce directly from a grower or from their distributor. While cost was cited as the biggest barrier to purchasing local produce for school lunches, there is enthusiasm among both food service departments and their parent/student population for seasonal fruits and veggies on the menu. Download the report for more details.
Article highlights local food system efforts
August 2011 The Healdsburg Tribune featured both recent Sonoma County Food System Alliance publications, the Community Food System Assessment and the Food Forum Report, as well as the feasibility study just published by Sonoma FSA member organization, Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF). The CAFF study, Establishing an Aggregation and Marketing Center for California’s North Coast, led directly to the development of a 4-county hub concept. Access the article online to learn more about all three efforts, or download the pdf version.
Sonoma County FSA Releases the Community Food System Assessment
July 2011 As eaters, we all have a stake in the health of our food system. A new report from the Sonoma County FSA points out that the many other reasons to care about what’s happening in this area of our community.
Read More »Context Matters: Visioning a Food Hub in Yolo and Solano Counties
June 2011 The students from a UC Davis graduate seminar in Food System Analysis recently completed an assessment of the local food system for the Yolo Ag and Food Alliance.
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