The Michigan Good Food Charter is a guide for creating and sustaining good food systems rooted in Michigan communities.

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A Vision for Michigan’s Food Systems

Michigan has a thriving food economy distinguished by equity, health, and sustainability.

To achieve this vision, we need systemic change. Michigan food systems should:

  • ensure food is accessible to everyone,
  • promote healthy communities,
  • use fair and sustainable production methods, and
  • support a diverse and equitable society.

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Our Goals

In order to address the complex challenges of the food system, we have identified six interconnected goals describing the results we want to see in our communities. These goals build on our vision and description of a good food system. Any strategy or action could help achieve a number of these results.

  1. Food Access to Food Sovereignty: Everyone has the resources to access and afford healthy, culturally relevant food where they live, work, learn, and play and the ability to shape the food systems that impact them.
  2. Farm and Food Business Viability: The food system supports a dynamic mix of local, regional, national, and global food sources that offer opportunities for small-scale and marginalized Michigan farm and food businesses to thrive.
  3. Health Equity: The food system supports opportunities for everyone to be as healthy as possible, physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually.
  4. Fair Wages and Economic Opportunity: People who plant, harvest, process, pack, transport, prepare, serve, and sell food have access to living wages, benefits, safe work environments, and pathways for career advancement and leadership.
  5. Sustainable Ecosystems: The food system protects air, water, and soil now and for future generations.
  6. Climate Change Mitigation and Resilience: Communities are resilient in the face of climate change and the food system actively mitigates its impact on the climate.

How can we use the Charter?

The Michigan Good Food Charter is a tool for collaborative communication, advocacy, and evaluation. We can use it to:

  • Explore ideas that advance a good food system in Michigan
  • Identify common ground for collaboration within and across sectors
  • Inform policymakers of statewide and local priorities
  • Build action coalitions around food systems policy change
  • Organize shared measurement for greater impacts

Michigan Good Food

Center for Regional Food Systems

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