The Farm to Institution Midwest Summit will take place February 28 - March 2, 2022, featuring online sessions and in-person events at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio to highlight best practices in procurement of local foods, strengthening community food systems, and inspiring student understanding of the value of local food systems.  The summit brings together the wide range of stakeholders who stand to benefit from a thriving regional food system, including local community members, government and higher education leaders, students, and food producers. 

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Key themes:

• Local Food Procurement: Best practices for institutional purchasing. What are the most effective strategies for procuring food to meet both institutional and producer goals and to sustain our local economies?
• Strengthening Community Food Systems: Examples of campus and community partnerships. What innovative partnerships are you implementing in your universities, colleges, and communities supporting collaboration and mutual benefit?
• Educating the Next Generation of Food Consumers: Reaching all. How can we broaden our reach to educate all on the value of local, healthy foods?
• UN Sustainable Development Goals: Local food procurement and sustainability.  How does local food procurement affect our climate, our water systems, and our communities?  How does local food procurement assist in meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals?

Schedule:

Day 1, Monday, 2/28:

9:00am: Welcome and Keynote

• Introduction by Gwyn Scott, Ohio University
• Welcome by Ohio University President Hugh Sherman
• Keynote introduction by Mary Nally, Ohio University
• Keynote by Art Trese

1:00pm-3:00pm: Campus Farms

• 1:00PM Session: Presenter Julia Angstmann, Butler University
• 2:00PM Session: OHIO Student Farm presentation
• OHIO student farm tour (pre-recorded, in person TBD)

Day 2, Tuesday, 3/1:

9:00am-11:00am: Educating Future Generations

• 9:00am Session: Presenter Uli Koester, Midwest Food Connection
• 10:00am Session: Presenter Lynne Genter, Federal Hocking School District

1:00pm-3:00pm: Strengthening Community Food Systems

• 1:00pm Session: Presenter Jake Amlin, Federal Hocking School District
• 2:00pm Session: Presenter Dr. Lisa Trocchia, Prescott College

Day 3, Wednesday, 3/2:

9:00am-11:00am: Sustainable Development Goals

• 9:00am Session: Presenter Rachel Terman, Ohio University
• 10:00am Session: Presenter Thom Stevenson, Ohio University

1:00pm: Closing Keynote

• 1:00PM Closing Keynote: Speaker TBD

Session descriptions and speaker biographies will be posted soon.  Please email  FarmtoOHIOinfo@ohio.edu  with any questions.

The summit is a project of the Farm to OHIO Working Group (FOWG), which has been working to strengthen our regional food system through institutional procurement of locally grown food, engaging community partners, and developing our regional food network since launching the Initiative for Appalachian Food and Culture in 2016. Through close collaboration between Ohio University, Rural Action, and Community Food Initiatives, the FOWG has reduced many infrastructural barriers to institutional buying of locally grown produce and has increased equitable access to local food on campus. 

Institutional investment in local food is a critical part of building community resilience for many reasons, one key reason being the number of individuals an institution serves.  Institutions have the power to offer considerable financial support for local food producers, potentially inspiring future farmers while simultaneously influencing future consumers of local food, ultimately creating systems-level change for our community.  When we choose local food, we choose to support a system that is equitable and just for all community members, good for our planet, and supportive of local businesses and jobs.

Affiliations of 2022 Summit Registrants

Central State University

Chartwells

Community Food Initiatives

Denison University

Franklinton Farms

Northwestern University

Oberlin College

Ohio University

Organic Association of Kentucky (OAK)

Prescott College

Rural Action

Snowville Creamery

Stayner Architects

The Foodbank, Inc

The Ohio State University

University of Dayton

University of Pittsburgh

Washington University in Saint Louis

Register Here!