Dear OCFSN Members,
What an absolute joy it was to see a lot of you at our Convening. Having 85 people from 47 member organizations together in one room creates a synergy that invigorates me and reminds me why I do this work.
Highlights for me were the Indigenous Foodways Panel, where we heard about what Oregon's original sustainable and just food system looked like, and ways that tribal communities are continuing to nurture and cultivate that food system to the present day in the face of great challenges; hearing from CAUSA and the Oregon Housing Alliance about their policy priorities on immigrant rights and affordable housing and how they intersect with food systems; and finally, the breakout on Indigenous Evaluation, which demonstrated that evaluation has always been an Indigenous value. Our trainer, Sofia Locklear of the Urban Indian Health Institute, laid out key tenets of Indigenous Evaluation methods, including that evaluation should aim to benefit the community first and foremost, the participants second, and funders third.
I was also thrilled that over 20 people showed up to our lunchtime session called "Building OCFSN's Future Together" in which we asked the group to nominate themselves and others to help us carry out OCFSN's 2019 Action Plan. So many new faces were there, and we had so many volunteers for each committee, which really shows the level of commitment and engagement our members have to this Network.
I feel so grateful and humbled that I get to work with you all.
Lauren
P.S. Don't forget: May showers bring July cauliflowers.
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OCFSN Training Opportunity
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Local Food Leader and Community Food Systems Trainings
OCFSN is partnering with Iowa State University to bring their “Local Food Leader” and “Community Food Systems” trainings to Oregon this summer or early fall.
- Local Food Leader is intended for beginning local food practitioners but open for anyone interested in food systems development and collaboration. This is a one-day workshop, followed by optional online modules that you take at your own pace.
- Community Food Systems is intended for intermediate levels of local food practitioners who are interested in the development of their community food system. This is a two-day workshop, followed by optional online modules that you take at your own pace.
For more information on both, click here.
So are we doing both or just one or what?
We need your help (via the survey) to decide. We can do one of three options:
- Just LFL (1 day)
- Just CFS (2 consecutive days)
- Both LFL and CFS (3 consecutive days)
What will it cost, and who is paying?
ISU has funding to cover all of their own costs and is waiving the usual registration fees for the in-person workshop.
The OCFSN Leadership Team is applying for funding to cover participants’ travel and lodging costs.
Participants will only need to pay for any online modules they choose to take afterwards (and ISU is giving us a 50% discount).
Please take this survey if you're interested!
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Access to Land Team Update
At the Convening, Access to Land Team members asked the Team to research and support the development of a pilot land cooperative that would give farmers affordable, long-term land tenure. Members will hold a conference call on May 22 from 11:30am - 12:30pm to discuss their level of interest in the project and how to research and collaborate on it together. If you would like to join the call or the Team, contact Nellie McAdams for the call in information: agland@oregonlandtrusts.org. Also, all Team members are asked to share their feedback about this project and what they'd like to learn at future meetings on this online survey, due Friday, May 17.
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Join us to dream, design, and deliver the OCFSN “year of public policy”
By: Lauren Gwin, on behalf of the OCFSN Policy Committee
It’s officially our year of public policy! What does that mean, you ask?
As I write this, I know that many of you OCFSN members are laser-focused on the Oregon Legislature, with only a month & a half ‘til the finish line.
The OCFSN Policy Committee will continue to track what’s happening in Salem, and when the session finally wraps up, we’ll take stock of how it all came out and hear from our members about their bills – and their experiences during the session.
That said, we thank everyone who joined us for an energizing policy break-out session at the Convening, where we brainstormed some potential new directions and projects in public policy for the Network.
You can read about them here.
If you are excited about one or more of these, please join our committee! We especially need members who are NOT experienced policy advocates, to make sure we are meeting all our members’ needs.
To sign up, please email Lauren Johnson at ocfsn.coordinator@gmail.com
Not sure? Join the first call (aiming for June) and see what you think.
More background for those new to the “year of” process and the policy committee
Every year, OCFSN dedicates extra time, energy, and funding to building our long-term capacity in a crucial, high-priority area. Last year was DEI; the previous was communications. This year – building on both of those – it’s public policy.
One of OCFSN’s strategic objectives is to “develop competency for farm and food policy assessment and advocacy.” The OCFSN Policy Committee leads this work. The Committee does not choose policy priorities for the Network. We create space and opportunity for members to inform, educate, learn from, respectfully challenge, and build common cause – as possible – across our wide diversity of interests within the food system.
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Business Training Curriculum to Support Small Farmers
Are the farmers you work with asking for your help with business decisions such as which crops are contributing to their bottom line and which aren’t, what to grow more of and what to cut back on, and how they can improve their farm’s profitability by making better decisions about their crop mix?
Here are two resources to support multi-crop vegetable farmers with determining costs of production and using cost information for decision making:
This 4-part instructional video series was developed through a partnership between OSU Center for Small Farms and Community Food Systems and Oregon Tilth with support from the USDA’s Risk Management Agency. The self-paced curriculum is intended as a primer to get farmers started with cost analysis.
If the farmers you work with are ready to really dig in to cost of production analysis, we have the program for you! Later this year we will be recruiting service providers to facilitate our new Know Your Costs to Grow program in 2020. This year-long program supports farmers through the entire process of tracking data, calculating costs of production and analyzing cost information - all with the goal to improve farm profits. Facilitators play a vital role in the program, coaching farmers as they work their way through the online curriculum. Facilitators will receive training and support from the program coordinator. Click here to learn more the program and stay tuned for additional information about how to become a facilitator in the OCFSN June Newsletter.
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This information was provided by individual OCFSN members and does not represent an endorsement by OCFSN as a whole.
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Double Up Food Bucks bill needs you!
Farmers Market Fund, in collaboration with many other statewide partners, is seeking to expand Double Up Food Bucks through SB 727. If fully funded, this bill would expand the Double Up SNAP incentive program to every farmers market in Oregon, as well as many CSA farms and several rural grocery stores. The bill is currently in the full Ways & Means Committee, awaiting referral to subcommittee for funding. Now is a crucial time to reach out to your elected officials to voice your support of SB 727. You can find a press toolkit with sample letters of support and social media postings here. Double Up is a win for families, farmers, and Oregon’s economy!
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Clean Energy Jobs Bill
Source: Oregon Environmental Council
HB 2020 is deeply vetted, thoroughly discussed legislation that will raise hundreds of millions of dollars per year to benefit Oregon communities across the state. It will put Oregonians to work by making clean power like solar available to more people and will help upgrade homes and businesses to use energy more efficiently, while saving people money.
The Clean Energy Jobs Bill will be one of the most nationally significant climate bills out in the world this year. Provisions include:
- Dedicates 10% allocation going to Oregon tribes in an opportunity to make a first in the nation tribal dedicated allocation into a climate bill – Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest have been instrumental in this piece and in advocating for the bill
- An enforceable cap and limit on Oregon’s climate pollution – that limit will decline every single year until 2050
- Dedicates 40% proceeds to help communities most impacted by climate change and least able to afford a transition to a clean energy economy
- Covers all forms of climate pollution in the state
- Fossil fuels goal would link up to the West Coast/ North American carbon market – important for making Oregon’s action matter beyond our own borders
- Bill provisions cover all fossil fuel pollution setting limits on Oregon’s climate pollution
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Farmland for Farmers Field Trip
Please join us on a free (including meals) all day bus field trip on Monday June 3rd, 2019 to the Tacoma/Olympia area where we will visit 3+ innovative access to land cases and discuss many more examples.
Organized by Dr. Megan Horst, Portland State University.
Supported by Oregon Community Food Systems Network, Access to Land team.
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High Dessert Food and Farm Alliance's Food and Farm Directory Released
HDFFA's 2019 Food & Farm Directory came out Friday May 3rd and is print form and online. Happy to share any information (content, strategies and processes) with OCFSN members.
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“Edible Inquiries: Food Policy Research Connections” Webinar
Supermarkets sit at a critical juncture and play an important role in determining how and what food we buy. Join us for a discussion about how supermarkets use placement, promotion, and price to induce impulse purchases of unhealthy foods and how similar strategies can be used to nudge healthier purchasing. What does the current research tell us about the effectiveness of shelf tagging, product placement in the store, and taste testing? And what are effective retail policies at the state and local level that communities can pursue to create a food retail environment that supports healthy eating?
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Gorge Grown is hiring a Food Security Coalition Coordinator
Zenger Farm is hiring an Executive Director.
1000 Friends of Oregon is hiring:
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