A food system is the collaboration of all steps involved in food creation including, production, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste management.
A community food system is a food system in which local farmers, community members, and consumers work together to form a more resilient and sustainable local food economy. This system works collaboratively to enhance social, economic, and environmental sustainability
Examples: Small local farmers, community gardens, food pantries, farmers' markets, etc.
If you or an organization should be part of this guide please contact us at ihaugen@vt.edu or cozette@vt.edu
Improve access for all community members to have a sustainable, affordable, and healthy diet.
Support family farms that use less invasive and energy-intensive practices to utilize many local inputs.
Generate marketing and processing operations that build a direct relationship between the producers, and potentially reduce resources used to move food between producer and consumer.
Develop agriculture and food-based businesses, jobs, and volunteer positions that allow financial capital to be distributed more heavily in the direct community.
Create food and agriculture opportunities that promote local production, processing, and consumption and build stronger relationships in the immediate region.
Locavore:
In 2007, the term “locavore” was added to the New Oxford American Dictionary as word of the year! The dictionary defines a “locavore” as someone who aims to eat food produced within a 100-mile radius.
The farming industrialization:
Agribility: Oriented towards supporting farmers, farm workers, farm families with disabilities, mental health issues, etc. It also works with disability communities in VA to create accommodations for farmers, farm workers, families, and disability communities for farm work as well as access to farm products, etc.
NGO: Non-Governmental Organization
NRV: New River Valley- a region along the New River in southwest Virginia.
LEAP: Local Environmental Agriculture Project
LWEG: Live, Work, Eat, Gather
Thank you to Danielle Moore, Skylar Merkle, and Meagan Russell for putting this guide together!