Objectives:

• To foster a culture of collaboration between Urban and Rural stakeholders concerning economic development and local food systems
• To become a motivating event around which the important and essential process of collaboration can grow
• Raise awareness and build the supportive collaborative for related local food initiatives

Outcomes:

• Interaction across disciplines and socio-economic stations from all areas of the region
• County level Food Policy Councils
• Rural communities identify issues and work with urban partners for implementation
• A list of steps for what policy makers can do to foster local food systems in their planning (economic development, land use policy, health and human services).
• Benchmarks for the Region 2020

Topics:

(Recommended policies and actions for tangible results concerning the Topics)

• Community Food Assessment;
• Land Use;
• Health and Nutrition;
• Institutional Buying;
• FarmLink: Beginning farmers, transitioning farmers, entrepreneurs)
• Food and Nutrient Waste Recovery
• Rural and Urban Interface
• Local production for local demand
• Infrastructure: 1. social and physical; 2. economic clusters for local food systems
• Entrepreneurs for Local Food
• Equity and Local Food Systems Planning

Target Audience:

And invited gathering of 200 delegates from Northeast Ohio, focused upon Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, and Wayne counties. Delegates are those concerned with land use, public policy, health, and economic development. Including the general public; farmers; hospitals; schools; institutional purchasers and food service providers; county directors and staff of: planning, health, economic development, agriculture; county commissioners; local government officials; transportation companies; processing companies;

Coordinating Bodies (Fiscal & Coordinating):

The Countryside Conservancy offers to be the fiscal agent for the Food Congress, and manage equitable redistribution of funds for expenses, services related to the project as necessary.