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Roots of Change San Diego Meeting |
March 3, 2008
Food writer Alexandra Stafford attended the Febuary 19 Roots of Change Community Meeting in San Diego and wrote about her experience in her blog - Alexandra's Kitchen . Alexandra discusses what she learned while attending he ROC meeting in San Diego, including that California is the nation’s most populous state; the nation’s
largest food producer; and the world’s 5th largest supplier of food and
agricultural commodities. And in San Diego County:
• there are more organic farms than any other county in the country.
• 63% of the farms are 1 to 9 acres.
• 92% of the farms are family owned.
• 22% of the farms are Native-American owned.
Feb. 20, 2008
Before I moved out to California, Bob Pierson, director of
Farm-To-City, told me my new state would be decades ahead —
agriculturally speaking — of the East Coast. While I have been amazed
at the number of farmers' markets out here, only after yesterday am I
beginning to understand what he meant. California, many of the speakers noted, is the most important
agriculture place on Earth. With its countless forward-thinking
foundations and entrepreneurs, California sets the trends for the world.
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A Letter of Welcome from Stewardship Council Co-Chair Pietro Parravano |
February 4, 2008
The Roots of Change is made up of three dynamic components - Stewardship Council, Leadership Network, and Coordinating Team - that individually and collectively are critical for its success. Clearly the most important of the three components is the Leadership Network. The Leadership Network provides the hearts, minds and hands that are necessary to make real change on the ground—in communities, on land and at sea, in the marketplace, in government agencies, and amongst consumers like you and I. As a member of the Leadership Network, your integrity, drive, expertise, and connections to people, resources and institutions will spur the desired changes.
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From Bureaucracy to Bok Choy |
January 29, 2008
Guest article from Sophia Pagoulatos, City of FresnoPlanning & Development Department and 2007 ROC Planning Fellow.
I used to lead a double life: a land use planner by day, issuing permits and holding meetings, and a “foodie” by night: going to farmers markets and food festivals on the weekends, on the lookout for the latest new vegetable. However, in 2007, these two worlds collided and I am now occasionally able to talk broccoli right here in my cubicle in the City of Fresno’s Planning and Development Department without eliciting too many strange looks.
What happened to cause this shift?
Last year, as I was going through the stack of public notices, permits and code updates in my in-box, something caught my eye: a carrot. That’s right, it was this little orange carrot on a flyer. It said “Roots of Change.” Interesting. I had to find out more. Now here was something: an organization dedicated to sustainable food systems soliciting participation from a land use planner. I wanted to find out what sustainable food system folks wanted with an urban planner, so I applied and was accepted as a Planning Fellow.
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SF Chronicle Article on Clean, Fair, and Local Food on CA Campuses |
December 2, 2007
The California Student Sustainability Coallition and 2007 ROC planning fellow Maren Poitras made the news this week with their work on growing statewide campus movement for sustainable food systems. "The Local" is a weekly produce stand run by people who go to Cal serves the dual purpose of educating college students about clean, fair, and local food - and making that food available on campus.
Read the full SF Chronicle article here.
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The Farm Bill, The Food System, and What You Can Do To Make It Better |
November 21, 2007
Introduction to the 2007 Farm Bill: Where it Stands, or Sits, Now
Guest Blog by Jessie Woletz
Psst. Did you hear? There is, or recently was, a big important discussion going on in the Senate and House of Representatives. The decisions they make will greatly determine the direction of the nation’s food system for the next 5 years. The 2007 Farm Bill, just last week, was being hashed out on the Senate floor. Unfortunately, the Farm Bill discussions are stalled for now because of what is being called a “showdown” between Republicans and Democrats.
A motion was filed by Senate Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) on Wednesday to force a cloture vote Friday. Cloture is a procedural measure that would force a vote on the bill, which made sense to Reid given the limited timeframe to pass the new Farm Bill before the new year. Reid said, “If cloture is approved Friday, the Senate will have time to approve its version of the farm bill and then work together with the U.S. House of Representatives to form a unified piece of legislation before the end of the year”. (Farm Policy, Nov.14th)
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