 Here is an evolving list of resources that might be of interest to the ROC Community or anyone thinking about sustainable food systems. If you have a suggestion about links that should be added please contact us.
These resources are organized by the three levers for change identified by the Leadership Network –1. Leadership, 2. The Production and Distribution System, and 3. Public Perception.
Lever 1: LEADERSHIP
Ag Futures Alliance
The Ag Futures Alliance (AFA) and Food System Alliance (FSA) are county to county leadership networks working to ensure that agriculture, community, and the environment will thrive indefinitely.
www.agfuturesalliance.net
Ag Innovations Network
Ag Innovations Network is a leader in the sustainable agriculture movement. Since the early 1990's they have worked with farmers, ranchers, farm labor advocates and environmentalists to devise strategies that support healthy farms and a healthy environment. They focus primarily on creating leadership consensus, community support, and public policies that are needed to move toward sustainability.
www.aginnovations.net
California Federation of Certified Farmers Markets
California Certified Farmers' Markets are places
where genuine California farmers sell their fresh-picked crops directly
to the public in over 500 communities throughout the state.
http://www.cafarmersmarkets.com/
The California Institute for Rural Studies
The California Institute for Rural Studies conducts applied research promoting a rural California that is socially just, environmentally balanced and economically sustainable. Our main areas of focus are improved farmworker conditions and a more sustainable food system.
www.cirsinc.org
The California Small Farm Conference
The California Small Farm Conference is the state's premier gathering
of small farmers and those who support them. The three day educational
conference includes on-farm tours, focused workshops, general
educational sessions and opportunities for peer networking.
http://www.californiafarmconference.com/
California Rural Legal Assistance
Since 1965, CRLA has raised its powerful voice in the courtrooms, in the classrooms, in the fields, and in the legislative halls of California. We have shown farm workers and other poor people that the law can be a friend and that those responsible for enforcing the laws can and should be called to account.
http://www.crla.org/
Farmworker Institute for Education and Leadership Development
FIELD will promote economic and social prosperity for Latinos and other low-income individuals and their families to help them realize their inherent worth and strengthen their communities.
http://www.farmworkerinstitute.org/
House Farm Workers!
This is a project of the Ventura County AFA Farm Worker Housing Task Force founded in 2004 to promote and support the development of decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing for farm workers through community education, dialogue and advocacy.
http://agfuturesalliance.net/housefw
LEVER 2: PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs
Their mission is to improve the quality of life for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families by providing advocacy for the member organizations that serve them
http://www.afop.org/
BALLE
Business Alliance for Local Living Economies is working to promote sustainable local economies. They are partners with Ag Innovations in hosting the San Benito County (California) Ag Futures Alliance. Lots of great strategies for sustainability here.
www.livingeconomies.org
Buy Fresh, Buy Local
You will find here a directory of California family farms, farmers' markets, Community Supported Agriculture farms (CSAs), u-pick farms, restaurants, grocers, caterers and bakers, bed & breakfasts, and other businesses that sell locally grown farm products
http://www.buylocalca.org/splash.html
Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
Located on the UC Santa Cruz Campus, CASFS is a research, education, and public service porgram dedicated to increasing ecological sustainability and social justice in the food and agriculture system. CASFS operates the 2-acre Alan Chadwik Garden and the 25-acre Farm. Both sites are managed using organic production methods and serve as research, teaching, and training facilites for students, staff, faculty, and the general public.
http://zzyx.ucsc.edu/casfs/
Central Coast Vineyard Team
The Central Coast Vineyard Team helps educate and guide growers towards integrated farming practices that protect both natural and human resources. Its pioneering grower-to-grower research, demonstration and education programs have been modeled by other groups and continue to be recognized by r community, agricultural, environmental, and agency leaders.
www.vineyardteam.org
Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture
CUESA's mission is to promote a sustainable food system through the operation of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and its educational programs.
http://www.cuesa.org/
Community Alliance with Family Farmers
The oldest farming organization in California focused on issues of sustainability in agriculture. They have been central in numerous successful efforts to broaden farmer adoption of sustainable farming techniques and link local producers to school systems.
www.caff.org
Farm and Food Policy Project
The cross-sector approach of the Farm and Food Policy Project (FFPP) reflects a commitment to advocate for policies that address the full spectrum of public needs addressed by this critical piece of legislation. This broad and growing alliance believes that by working together, it can make real progress toward supporting family farms and local communities, improving health and nutrition, ending hunger, and increasing biodiversity and improving the quality of our soil, water and air.
www.farmandfoodproject.org/about.asp
The Food Alliance
Food Alliance promotes sustainable agriculture by recognizing and rewarding farmers who produce food in environmentally friendly and socially responsible ways, and educating food system leaders about the benefits of sustainable agriculture. Food Alliance operates a comprehensive third-party certification program for farms and ranches that conserve natural resources and provide safe and fair working conditions. To increase demand for certified products and to support the success of certified farms, ranches and food handlers, Food Alliance forges relationships with “partners in change” including grocery stores, restaurant chains, and food service companies – and involve local, regional and national businesses.
www.foodalliance.org
The National Center for Farmworker Health
NCFH established in 1975, is dedicated to improving the health status of farmworker families by providing information services and products to a network of more than 500 migrant health center service sites in the United States as well as other organizations and individuals serving the farmworker population.
http://www.ncfh.org/
National Labor Relations Board
The NLRB is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1935 to administer the National Labor Relations Act, the primary law governing relations between unions and employers in the private sector. The statute guarantees the right of employees to organize and to bargain collectively with their employers, and to engage in other protected concerted activity with or without a union, or to refrain from all such activity.
http://www.nlrb.gov/
Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association
The PCFMA Operates and promotes Certified Farmers' Markets in local communities throughout Northern California.
http://www.pcfma.com
Protected Harvest
Protected Harvest is a non-profit organization that independently certifies farmers' use of stringent environmental growing standards.
www.protectedharvest.org
RSF Social Finance
RSF partners with investors, donors, and social enterprises to realize financial transactions that enliven consciousness and enhance quality of life. With their clients, they cultivate environmental, social and financial sustainability, and provide access to capital for organizations committed to fair practices and improving economic conditions. Food & Agriculture is one of RSF’s three main focus areas.
www.rsfsocialfinance.org/
UC SAREP
The University of California's Davis-based institute for research and education on sustainable agriculture.
www.sarep.edu
United Farm Workers
The UFW provides farm workers and other working people with the inspiration and tools to share in society's bounty.
http://www.ufw.org/
Wild Farm Alliance
The Wild Farm Alliance was established by a national group of wildlands proponents and ecological farming advocates who share a concern for the land and its wild and human inhabitants. Their mission is to promote a healthy, viable agriculture that helps protect and restore wild Nature.
www.wildfarmalliance.org/resources/pyramid.htm
LEVER 3: PUBLIC PERCEPTION
American Farmland Trust
American Farmland Trust is United States National organization dedicated to innovative ways to preserve agricultural land. Lots of great success stories and policy recommendations here.
www.farmland.org
Chef's Collaborative
Chefs Collaborative is a national network of more than 1,000 members of the food community who promote sustainable cuisine by celebrating the joys of local, seasonal, and artisanal cooking.
www.chefscollaborative.org
Consumers Union Eco-Label Guide
Consumers Union has researched and analyzed a plethora of eco-lables from across the nation. Very instructive for those considering the meaning of an existing label or creating a new label.
www.eco-labels.org/home.cfm
Farm Workers Website
This website is dedicated to publicize our work and to educate the public about the plight of the agricultural workers. More importantly, this website is to recognize the dignity of the contributions made by the men, women and children who work very hard to feed us.
http://www.farmworkers.org/contents.html
Ecology Center
The Ecology Center provides the public with reliable
information, tools, hands-on training, referrals, strategies,
infrastructure, and models for sustainable living and runs the Berkeley Farmers' Markets, Farm Fresh Choice food justice program, Terrain magazine, EcoHouse demonstration home and garden, and a variety of Information and Climate Change Action programs.
http://www.ecologycenter.org/
Slow Food USA
Slow Food USA is the home of the Slow Food movement in the United States. Great information about how you as an eater can help us create a more sustainable agriculture.
www.slowfoodusa.org
And here are links for all the CA Slow Food Convivia:
Slow Food Aqua Terra Kensington
Slow Food Berkeley
Slow Food Buon Appetito Santa Barbara
Slow Food Calaveras County Murphys
Slow Food Carmel
Slow Food Delta Diablo Brentwood
Slow Food East Bay
Slow Food Great Valley Modesto
Slow Food Los Angeles
Slow Food Madera
Slow Food Marin Petaluma
Slow Food Mendocino County
Slow Food Monterey Bay
Slow Food Napa Valley
Slow Food Ojai
Slow Food Pasadena
Slow Food Placer County
Slow Food Russian River
Slow Food Sacramento
Slow Food San Diego – Baja
Slow Food San Fernando Valley
Slow Food San Francisco
Slow Food San Luis Obispo
Slow Food Santa Barbara
Slow Food Santa Cruz I
Slow Food Shasta Cascade Redding Chico
Slow Food Silicon Valley
Slow Food Solano
Slow Food Sonoma County
Slow Food Sonoma Valley
Slow Food Valley of the Moon Glen Ellen
Slow Food Yolo Davis
Sustainable Table
Sustainable Table celebrates the sustainable food movement, educates consumers on food-related issues and works to build community through food. Sustainable Table was created in 2003 by the nonprofit organization GRACE to help consumers understand the problems with our food supply and offer viable solutions and alternatives.
http://www.sustainabletable.org/
The Urban & Environmental Policy Institute
UEPI is a community oriented research and advocacy organization based at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. UEPI serves as the umbrella for a variety of affiliated programs addressing work and industry, food and nutrition, housing, transportation, regional and community development, land use, and urban environmental issues.
http://departments.oxy.edu/uepi/
Other Innovative Thinking and Approaches
Allison Fine's Website
Allison is the author of Momentum: Igniting social change in the connected age, a very important book describing how networks work and are empowered.
http://web.mac.com/allisonfine1/iWeb/Allison%20Fine/Welcome.html
Global Mindshift
A project of the Foundation for Global Community, this site offers an extremely well conceived and communicated explanation of how and why our individual worldviews must expand if we hope to achieve a sustainable civilization. Very high tech site that allows hours of exploration.
www.global-mindshift.org
Institute for the Future
The Institute for the Future (IFTF) is an independent nonprofit research group which works with organizations of all kinds to help them make better, more informed decisions about the future. IFTF provides the foresight to create insights that lead to action.
http://www.iftf.org/
SoL: Society for Organizational Learning
SoL's purpose is to discover (research), integrate (capacity development) and implement (practice) theories and practices of organizational learning for the interdependent development of people and their institutions and communities such that we continue to increase our capacity to collectively realize our highest aspirations and productively resolve our differences.
http://www.solonline.org/
|
|
