Food Systems Leadership Events

This webinar, hosted by NSAC, FLAG and Farm Aid, will provide updates to major COVID-related agriculture programs, seek updates from those in the field about program implementation and urgent needs from farmers and ranchers, and provide space to strategize on upcoming COVID relief packages in Congress.

On Monday July 13, Abby Snyder, Food Safety Specialist, Cornell University will discuss the basic requirements for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and how to prepare your business to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Small-scale food producers must complete required documentation to be compliant with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This includes documentation of your size exemption as a “qualified facility” and various food safety programs. This webinar is intended for small (< $1 million in sales/year) food entrepreneurs and small food businesses, farm market managers, and directors of shared-use kitchens. This course is offered by Cornell University and made possible through a grant supported by the USDA.

Conversations for re-visioning of our systems, such as food, education, economy, health, energy, equity, democracy, business, etc.

Please join the University of California, Merced and the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future in a free virtual screening of "Growing Solutions: Soil, Water, Farmers, Seeds, Roots".

"In the face of threats to our farming future such as climate change, people are innovating to protect and regenerate our most vital resources – soil, water, seeds, and our farmer workforce. Growing Solutions features a centuries-old water conservation method, a farmer who’s growing topsoil faster than most thought possible, a seed-saving high school, a farmer training program for military veterans, and researchers who are developing a perennial style of agriculture that mimics the prairie.

This 42-minute documentary film – produced by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future – is part of the FoodSpan curriculum, which provides an overview of the food system for high school students. http://www.foodspanlearning.org"

The screening will begin with a film introduction and will end with a Question and Answer Section featuring Leo Horrigan, Food System Correspondent at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.

Please join the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Community Food Strategies, and Rural Advancement Foundation International - USA for webinar on "How to Host a Nonpartisan Virtual Candidates Forum."

This webinar will be run twice (on July 8 and July 22) and one recording will be saved for later viewing. The agenda will be the same on both dates and the content is designed to support your food council or community group in considering hosting your own local food-themed virtual forum this fall.

Food-themed community forums can be an intentional space for your community to interact with and hear the opinions and ideas of candidates for elected offices and people working to improve your local food system. With a presidential election this fall, it is an important election year to bring attention to issues related to food, farming, and health with your community leaders and stakeholders.

We'll provide tips and tools to help you plan an in-person or virtual event featuring local candidates running for elected office and/or a panel of experts. Whether your event features candidates for office or not, we'll provide tools to create in-person and virtual spaces that will allow your invited guests to engage in productive discussion and debate, as well as to respond to questions from your community about pertinent local food system issues. We will also cover specific tips and considerations for planning these types of events in virtual formats, how to keep candidates' events nonpartisan, and how to create spaces that are inviting for community members and elected officials.