Montcalm Food Summit: Building Our Community
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EmailDay long summit brings together community to strengthen the local food system in Montcalm County.
Montcalm County is known in Michigan for its agriculture production – it is one of the major producers of potatoes and, as of 2012, had nearly 230,000 acres in agricultural production. While many people depend on agriculture for livelihoods in the county, much of what the county produces is processed and consumed elsewhere. The result is that many local residents do not have access to healthy, affordable local foods. This is a challenge that Healthy Montcalm is aiming to address.
Healthy Montcalm is a countywide initiative focused on improving the overall health and well-being of Montcalm County residents with the goal of fostering an empowered community where people are engaged in leading healthy, active lives. To this end, the Steering Committee has spent much of the last two years exploring the local food system in Montcalm County and now aims to create deeper connections between farmers and consumers to foster a healthier community. The committee has been engaging producers and buyers in plans to develop a regional food hub in Edmore, Michigan. This food hub would provide a new market for local growers and aggregate products for larger customers, such as restaurants, school food service, senior centers, and other institutional purchasers.
On Saturday, Mar. 9, Montcalm farmers, buyers, and community members are invited to come together at the Montcalm Food Summit to learn about the local food system and explore the potential for increasing access to local food through the Edmore Food Hub.
The Montcalm County Food Summit will take place Saturday, Mar. 9 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm at the Four Seasons Market Place, 544 Forest St. Edmore, MI 48829. Anyone interested in learning more about the local food system is invited and encouraged to attend! RSVP is encouraged but not required to attend. RSVP to Mary Zumbrennen at mary@one-communityconsulting.com or Rex Hoyt at rhoyt@mmdhd.org.
The day will provide opportunities to learn from different actors in the food system, celebrate over meals featuring local food, and connect buyers and producers to increase the amount of local food transactions in the county. Educational sessions include food equity, scaling up for farmers, a look at food hubs throughout the state, and more.
Join us for a day to celebrate and strengthen Mid-Michigan’s thriving agriculture scene!
For additional information, view the Montcalm County Food Summit event page.
