Posts Tagged: FOOD IT

Southwest Regional Food Business Center holds virtual open house on Nov. 14

Please join the Southwest Regional Food Business Center (SWRFBC) for an all-UC ANR Virtual Open House at 10:30 a.m. on Nov 14. They will introduce the center's goals, short-term successes and upcoming opportunities.

UC ANR is leading the SWRFBC, which is comprised of California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. The SWRFBC is one of 12 USDA Regional Food Business Centers developed across the nation in 2023. Its purpose is to build a more resilient food system by providing technical assistance and capacity building for small to mid-size farm and food businesses, with a priority on businesses owned and operated by underserved communities.

County, regional or statewide colleagues who work with any aspect of food businesses including food hubs, cottage (homemade products) or value-added foods, procurement, aggregation, farm to table or any work along the food supply chain are encouraged to attend. Colleagues who work with small farmers, ranchers, fish or seafood are also encouraged to attend.

"Learn how the SWRFBC can support your clientele through our network of partners by offering business development technical assistance, and/or grant funding,” said Tracy Celio, Southwest Regional Food Business Center program manager.

Register at https://bit.ly/SWRFBCopenhouse. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

For more information, visit www.swfoodbiz.org and sign up for the SWRFBC quarterly newsletter at bit.ly/SWRFBC-Newsletter.

Webinar series covering food-waste topics, ‘farm to corrections’ projects now online

The Sustainable Food Systems Strategic Initiative Panel hosted a free, two-part webinar series in February on emerging issues within the food system. If you missed them, you can view the recordings.

“Harvesting Solutions: A Trio of Perspectives on Addressing Food Waste from Field to Fork” explored global perspectives on food waste within the food distribution chain, innovative food waste recycling and statewide consumer education programs. Mary Lu Arpaia, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in subtropical horticulture at UC Riverside, moderated the session.

Deirdre Holcroft of Holcroft Postharvest Consulting gave an overview of food waste in fruits and vegetables.

Michael Cohen, UCCE organic materials management and agri-food systems advisor in Santa Clara County, discussed extracting embodied energy and lowering greenhouse gas emissions through food waste recycling.

Yu Meng, UCCE youth, family and community advisor for Riverside, Imperial and San Bernardino counties, discussed opportunities to reduce household food waste.

“Farm to Corrections: Cultivating Justice through Nutrition and Gardening Initiatives” delved into initiatives for justice-involved individuals' access to local produce and nutrition and gardening education. Danielle Lee, a registered dietitian and NPI public health nutritionist, moderated the session.

Carolyn Chelius, a project policy analyst at the Nutrition Policy Institute; Heile Gantan, a senior program associate with the Food in Prison Project; and Lance Eshelman, departmental food administrator for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; discussed increasing justice-impacted individuals' access to California-grown produce and nutrition education.

Missy Gable, director of the statewide UC Master Gardener Program, discussed Master Gardener prison garden projects.

View the recordings at https://ucanr.edu/sites/StrategicInitiatives/Sustainable_Food_Systems/Events/Past_Events.

Apply to join Sustainable Food Systems SI panel

The Sustainable Food Systems Strategic Initiative (SFS) panel has openings for two new members.

The SFS Initiative is one of five UC ANR Strategic Initiatives that help unify, communicate and advocate for the work we do across UC ANR. The Sustainable Food Systems SI encompasses our work in sustainable production, intensive ag systems, safe food processing, and enhanced food access. 

SFS Initiative panel tasks include contributing to UC ANR's strategic plan, identifying themes and priorities for the future, identifying research and extension gaps, providing input on staffing, and highlighting important work iacross UC ANR related to sustainable food systems. Panel members identify time-sensitive opportunities based on strategic priorities, convene meetings, engage stakeholders and foster dialogue. 

Appointments to the panel are for two- or three-year terms. The two individuals appointed will start their term in June 2024.

Anyone within ANR (academics or staff) or with an Agricultural Experiment Station appointment is eligible to apply.  

Applications are due by May 1, 2024. Please apply at https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=39314.

If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Sowerwine,UC ANR Sustainable Food Systems Strategic Initiative Leader,at jsowerwi@berkeley.edu.

Share your favorite Extension methods March 27

Academics and staff who want training, networking and new extension ideas are invited to join the Sustainable Food Systems Strategic Initiative panel for a webinar featuring lightning presentations by UC ANR colleagues showcasing valuable extension tools. They will provide practical demonstrations and explain how they use the tools to engage with clientele.

When: Wednesday, March 27, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Where: The webinar will be via Zoom. Login details will follow registration.

Register at  https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=42298.

Why: To generate durable and accessible resources for professional development of extension and outreach methodology skills. To cross-pollinate ideas between academic discipline social circles within the broader ANR community.

Who should attend:

• New academics for training and networking

• Seasoned academics who want new ideas

• Community educators engaging with Californians through UC ANR's statewide programs

If you are interested in presenting or have ideas for presentations, please submit your ideas at https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=42272. 

“My Favorite Extension Methods” webinar will be recorded and posted at https://ucanr.edu/sites/Professional_Development/Webinar_Archive/#Spotlight.

 

Food waste, nutrition in prison focus of webinars Feb. 22, 29

The UC ANR Sustainable Food Systems Strategic Initiative Panel will be hosting two 90-minute public webinars in February about food waste (Feb. 22) and nutrition in correctional systems (Feb. 29). UC ANR staff and academics, collaborators and partners and the public are invited to participate in the free webinars.

The UC ANR Sustainable Food Systems Emerging Issues Webinar Serieswill first cover food waste on Feb. 22.

“The Sustainable Food Systems strategic initiative panel aimed to highlight innovative solutions to emerging issues within the food system from field-to-fork,” said Danielle Lee, UC Nutrition Policy Institute director of communications and research engagement. 

“Over one-third of all available food in the U.S. is uneaten through food loss or waste – totaling up to over $160 billion – which has negative impacts on food security and the climate,” she said. “Households could save over $370 per person each year by reducing or preventing food waste. Additionally, when uneaten food ends up in the landfill, it generates greenhouse gases, and landfills are now the third largest producers of methane in the U.S.”

“California's adoption of SB 1383 aims to solve these problems,” Lee said. “You'll meet experts who are implementing consumer education and organic waste recycling programs aligned with SB 1383.”  

The second webinar, on Feb. 29, will focus on nutritious foods for residents of correctional facilities.

“We also wanted to touch on novel, local food distribution systems that can be used to support nutrition security through improved access to affordable, healthy and nutritious foods for underserved communities,” Lee said.

“We chose incarcerated people as our case study population for two reasons – the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is the single largest public purchaser of food in the state and studies have shown that 63% of incarcerated individuals rarely or never have fresh vegetables and 55% rarely or never have fresh fruit.”

California has two policies that can support institutional procurement of fresh produce – AB 822 and AB 778.

“The Harvest of the Month program is an innovative solution to implementing these policies while supporting improved nutrition security for incarcerated individuals,” Lee said. “Prison gardening programs can not only provide therapeutic benefits to residents, but also reduce recidivism rates and serve as workforce development opportunities to better prepare residents for returning to their communities post-incarceration.”

Part 1 - Harvesting Solutions: A Trio of Perspectives on Addressing Food Waste from Field to Fork

Thursday, Feb 22, at 10-11:30 a.m. PT

To minimize food waste, three experts explore factors influencing food loss and waste, delve into innovative recycling techniques, and explore statewide initiatives targeting household food waste. Experts in postharvest handling, food waste recycling and community education will share research findings and strategies.

Agenda:

• An overview of food waste in fruits and vegetables
  Deirdre Holcroft, Holcroft Postharvest Consulting
• Exploring means to extract embodied energy and lower greenhouse gas emissions in food waste recycling
  Michael Cohen, UC Cooperative Extension organic materials management and agri-food systems advisor for Santa Clara County
• The opportunities in statewide programs in reducing household food waste: Results from UC ANR household food practice needs assessment
  Yu Meng, UC Cooperative Extension youth, family and community advisor in Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial counties

Part 2 - Farm to Corrections: Cultivating Justice through Nutrition and Gardening Initiatives

Thursday, Feb. 29, at 10-11:30 a.m. PT 

Experts share insights on groundbreaking initiatives for justice-involved individuals' access to California-grown produce and nutrition and gardening education. Innovative initiatives such as a “Harvest of the Month” program by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in collaboration with the Nutrition Policy Institute and Impact Justice aim to increase access to fresh, locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables and trauma-informed nutrition workshops. They also highlight the impact of UC Master Gardener projects on rehabilitation and workforce development.

Agenda:

• Produce during and after prison: Increasing justice-impacted individuals' access to California-grown produce and nutrition education
  Carolyn Chelius, UC ANR Nutrition Policy Institute; Heile Gantan, Impact Justice; Lance Eshelman, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations
• UC Master Gardeners Prison Gardens Projects
  Missy Gable, director of the UC Master Gardener Program

Learn more and register at https://ucanr.edu/sites/StrategicInitiatives/Sustainable_Food_Systems/Events.

 

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