Creating Opportunities for Good Food

Anne ScottAcademic Specialist

Susan SmalleyDirector

C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at MSU

What is good food?

One way to think about good food

• Healthy It provides

nourishment and enables people to thrive

• Green It was produced in a manner that is environmentally

sustainable

• Fair No one along the production line was exploited

for its creation

• Affordable All people have access to it

What is a food system?

Growing & Producing

Processing

PreparingEating

Retailing

Distributing

Food System

Increase the number of adults and children that get the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables

Increased consumption of

fruits and vegetables

Increased consumer access through diverse

outlets and markets

Increase Good Food businesses

and entrepreneurs

Support sustainable ag

development and farmer viability

Economic Development Community Development

Public Health

Food System and Public Health

Michigan Good Food Charter process

Oct 2009: Convene 5 work

groups

Feb 2010: Michigan Good Food Summit

March – May 2010:

Public comment and review period

June 2010: Release Michigan Good Food Charter

July-Dec 2010: Promotion,

endorsements, media, local mtgs

2011: Continued promotion,

implementation, task forces

Workgroups and linkages

Catalyzing new businesses from sustainable inputs to distribution,

marketing and processing

Creating new cohortsof farmers while supporting

those now producingwith new markets

Providing a base market and creating educational spaces for consumers

Insuring that vulnerablefamilies and their children

can share Michigan’sbounty

Current and future consumers; entrepreneurs; and food producers

Youth Engagement in Community Food

Farmer Viability and Development

Food System Infrastructure

Institutional Food Purchasing

Healthy Food Access for Families and Communities

Michigan Good Food Charter Vision

We envision a thriving economy, equity and sustainability for all of Michigan and its people

through a food system rooted in local communities and centered on Good Food—

food that is healthy, green fair and affordable.

Six Goals for 2020

MI institutions source 20% of food

from MI MI farmers profitably supply

20% of all MI markets and pay

fair wages

Generate businesses at a rate that enables 20% of

MI food to come from MI

80% of MI residents will have good food access

100% of school meals and 75% of

schools selling food will meet MI

Nutrition Standards

MI schools will incorporate food &

ag into preK-12 curricula

A food system assessment for Flint/Genesee County

• Funding from Ruth Mott Foundation• 2008-2009• Collaborators– MSU Extension Genesee County– Michigan State University

• Mott Group/CARRS• Product Center/AFRE

– Saginaw Valley State University– Community partners

What is a food system assessment?

• A collaborative and participatory process• Systematically examines a range of community food

issues & assets• Informs change actions• Improves community food environment

Adapted from Community Food Security Coalition definition

How have residents’ local food perceptions changed?

• Shifting public understanding• Loss of unique cultural foodways, healthy diets,

control over own food • Dependency model of development• Opportunities in growing food movement,

empowerment• Greater food system engagement; greater availability

of local, healthy foods; improved food & nutrition education

What DO people here eat?What SHOULD they eat?

Flint/Genesee SHOULD vs DO diets

Food/scenario Genesee County Pounds Flint Pounds

Vegetables do 33,434,877 8,512,479

Vegetables should 58,744,863 14,751,672

Vegetables deficit (25,309,986) (6,239,193)

Fruit do 10,253,847 2,610,617

Fruit should 21,946,275 5,508,308

Fruit deficit (11,692,428) (2897691)

Grain do 75,565,900 19,238,985

Grain should 63,948,083 16,109,317

Grain excess 11,617,817 3,129,668

Meat/eggs do 113,758,025 28,962,653

Meat/eggs should 93,668,337 23,472,725

Meat/eggs excess 20,089,688 5489928

Beans do 2,717,543 691,883

Beans should 2,237,624 560,735

Beans excess 479,919 131148

Dairy do 116,547,234 29,672,782

Dairy should 189,337,690 47,735,708

Dairy deficit (72790456) (18062926)

Total Food do 352,277,425 89,689,399

Total Food should 429,882,872 108,138,465

Flint/Genesee SHOULD vs DO dietsFood/scenario Genesee County Acres Flint Acres

Vegetables do 1,996 508

Vegetables should 3,507 881

Vegetable acres needed 1,511 373

Fruit do 1,013 258

Fruit should 2,169 544

Fruit acres needed 1,156 286Grain do 16,536 4,210

Grain should 13,994 3,525

Excess grain acres 2,542 685

Meat/eggs, do 252,250 64,223

Meat/eggs, should 207,703 52,049

Excess meat acres 44,547 12,174

Beans, do 1,430 364

Beans, should 1,178 295

Excess bean acres 252 69

Dairy do 55,673 14,174

Dairy, should 90,444 22,803

Dairy acres needed 34,771 8,629

Total Food do 328,899 83,737

Total Food should 318,994 80,097

Total Food acres needed 9,905 3,640

Food/scenario Genesee County Flint

Vegetables do $9,282,392 $2,363,285

Vegetables should $16,309,102 $4,095,448

Fruit do $2,513,584 $639,955

Fruit should $5,379,815 $1,350,283

Grain do $4,290,692 $1,092,405

Grain should $3,631,023 $914,700

Meat/eggs, do $80,363,731 $20,460,507

Meat/eggs, should $66,171,481 $16,582,178

Beans, do $521,768 $132,842

Beans, should $429,624 $107,661

Dairy do $21,211,597 $5,400,446

Dairy, should $34,459,460 $8,687,899

Total Food do $118,183,762 $30,089,441

Total Food should $126,380,504 $31,738,168

What IS produced here?What COULD BE produced here?

Current and required Genesee County land use for agriculture (2007 Census of Agriculture)

Acres used/ required

Required increase

Land in farms – all agricultural uses 129,232

DO diet total food acres needed to feed everyone 328,899 255%

SHOULD diet total food acres needed to feed everyone 318,994 251%

Land in farms – vegetables 787

Land in farms – fruits 480

Land in farms – vegs & fruits 1267

DO diet veg & fruit acres needed 3009 237%

SHOULD diet veg & fruit acres needed 5676 448%

What is the food infrastructure?

• Fresh market grower challenges– Rising production costs– Lack of adequate market opportunities– Lack of production labor– Competition– Limited consumer knowledge– Farm succession

• Growing importance of farmers markets• Institutional markets – GISD• Retailers – perceive inadequate quality, volume, variety• Distribution a critical issue

What access do people have to good food?

Food retailer distribution

in Genesee County

Youth engagement and opportunity

Health

• Address the fiscal constraints of food service directors to offering healthy food options and farm to school

• Support implementation of the Michigan Nutrition Standards for healthy school food environments

• Enhance the meaningful participation and voice of youth in health and community food initiatives

GOAL: Decrease school meal program dependence on vending & competitive food

Youth engagement and opportunity

What can you do?

• Review the charter• Sign the resolution of

support and encourage others to do so

• Ask your grocer to stock Michigan foods

• Ask policymakers to support priorities that are important to you

• Share stories at www.michiganfood.org

Your ideas and questions!