Envisioning “Farmer-Focused” Local Food Purchasing Incentives
October 11, 2023 2:00PM - 3:00PM
State-level local food purchasing incentives (LFPIs) typically provide funding to schools to purchase local foods—but what if we flipped the narrative? What would LFPIs look like if they directly subsidized local farmers and food hubs to sell to schools and other institutions? Further, how could we design these programs to support values-aligned school food purchasing by directly incentivizing small, regenerative, BIPOC-led, women-led, veteran, and/or emerging farmers? Who else across the nation is interested in a “Farmer-Focused” LFPI?
This virtual roundtable discussion will first feature two short presentations about past and current programs that use this approach. Then, we will discuss the vision for these types of programs together, looking for the collective expertise of this community to help shape the conversation around this opportunity for policy and practice. See agenda here.
Facilitator:
Cassandra Bull, Policy Specialist, National Farm to School Network
Guest Speakers:
- Stephanie Pike, Farm and Sea to School Director, Farm Fresh Rhode Island
- Amanda Shreve, Executive Director, Michigan Farmers Market Association
- Colleen Matts, Director of Farm to Institution Programs, Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems
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