Sonoma County FSA 2012-2015 Accomplishments

Phase 1: Food Action Plan Implementation – Alliance Accomplishments 2012-15

PUBLICATIONS

• ­ Healthy & Sustainable Food Action Plan, Phase 1 Report, June 2015
• ­ Sonoma County Healthy & Sustainable Food Action Plan, October 2012
• ­ Sonoma County Community Food Assessment, July 2011
• ­ Sonoma County Food Forum Report to the Community, May 2011
• ­ Webinar/Salon on the Healthy & Sustainable Food Action Plan, February 2014
• ­ Healthy Eating Forum Report, September 2013
• ­ Farm to Institution, School Gardens Survey, Local Produce Survey

INTERNAL/OPERATIONS

Strategy/Planning

• ­ Created Food Action Plan implementation plan
• ­ Created SCFSA Communications Plan
• ­ Organized internal Alliance structure – roles, administration, charter
• ­ Identified general Phase II priorities and process design

Organization/Administration

• ­ Built administrative structure – systems for tracking and reporting
• ­ Created full suite of internal and external documentation (project administration, communications)

Membership

• ­ Enhanced membership structure, recruitment and onboarding process (Charter revised)
• ­ Welcomed 9-12 members in 2013 and 2014, representing 8 stakeholder groups

Committees; created, managed and facilitated 6+ entities:

• ­ Coordinating Committee
• ­ Healthy Eating Action Team (sub-committee)
• ­ Food Action Plan Pillar Teams (4 sub-committees)
• ­ Farm to Institution Committee (support DHS leadership)

FOOD ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION

Communications

• ­ Built and operating robust website with mechanism for Food Action Plan endorsement and collaboration
• ­ Produced newsletter in partnership with Sonoma County Go Local ­ _Newsletter #1 ­ _Newsletter #2
• ­ Stakeholder database grown from 80-600+

Pillar Teams (4 sub-committees working to envision, plan and execute priority FAP projects)

­ Agriculture & Natural Resources

Goal 1: Protect and enhance agricultural land base, farms and ranches

• Event: Hosted “Growing our Farms” summit to explore ag land preservation and access, and to connect emerging farmers with resources and agricultural leaders (April 2015)
• Supported/explored 4 project proposals– AB 551 Urban Agriculture Zones, affirmative ag easements, ag advisory group, needs assessment

Economic Vitality

Goal 3. Support local food system jobs and commerce

• Created the “10 in 10” framework; shifting 10% of purchasing to local products in 10 years
• Event: Unveiled FAP action phase at the 2013 Sustainable Enterprise Conference
• Event: Hosted food system workshop at the Invest Local Conference
• Event: Hosted 2 sessions of the Sustainable Enterprise Conference in 2014:
  • Session 1: Eating for Success – Opportunities in the Local Food System
  • Session 2: Local Food Systems – Keep Your Food Close and Your Farmer Closer

Healthy Eating

Goal 5.5: Support innovative strategies to increase the retail availability and affordability of healthy local food and beverages and decrease the prominence of unhealthy food and beverages

• Event: Hosted successful Healthy Eating Forum in September 2013
• Project: Healthy Eating Action Team established and building a healthy retail pilot program

Social Equity

Goal 8. Address root causes of hunger and food insecurity

• Event: Sonoma County Hunger Index Forum – Joined with the Hunger Index Team to co-lead process design, event planning and execution
• Next Steps: The Hunger Index Committee (including the SCFSA) building action plan and seeking funding for staff support.

FAP Endorsement Strategy

Collected ~400 endorsements from organizations, businesses, individuals and city governments

• FAP adopted as countywide vision for our local food system by the sc Board of Supervisors
• Resolutions of Support adopted by the cities of Healdsburg, Petaluma, Sebastopol, Sonoma, Cloverdale (Windsor, Cotati, Santa Rosa are in progress)
• Endorsed by State Senator Noreen Evans
• Built/launched endorsement process and related infrastructure – internal and external systems

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & PARTNERSHIPS

• ­ Participated in a broad range of engagement and outreach (meetings, presentations, multi-agency collaborations); built effective, lasting relationships with primary food system partners
• ­ Executed a countywide public education effort on the local food system and Food Action Plan goals

Event Leadership/Support

• ­ Taste the Possibilities: Adding Value to Your Ag Business (workshop), UCCE, DHS
• ­ North Bay iHub Innovation Week 2014; Go Local, UCCE
• ­ FAP Presentation to Sebastopol Grange; Ag Innovations Network
• ­ Harvest the Bounty Celebration – Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative
• ­ Heirloom Expo, Food Action Plan outreach
• ­ Sonoma County Hunger Index Forum, HSD, Redwood Empire Food Bank, Ag Innovations Network
• ­ “Our Food System”, KRCB, AIN, Food System Alliance member organizations

Project & Committee Involvement

• ­ A Portrait of Sonoma County, (Leadership Team, pledged partner)
• ­ Health Action Economic Wellness Operations Team
• ­ California Food Policy Council, Roots of Change – Participated in initial strategic planning and program development phase; represented Sonoma County in 2012-14
• ­ Sustainable North Bay Festival Foods Working Group
• ­ Farmer Needs Assessment, Napa-Sonoma Small Business Development Center (SBDC)