Agenda, flier and reminder about SV Food and Farm Network tomorrow's meeting
Bendfeldt, Eric
Dear Shenandoah Valley Food and Farm Network colleagues,
Hope you are doing well. Below are agenda items tomorrow’s meeting of the Shenandoah Valley Food and Farm Network. We apologize for the late agenda.
The meeting will be at Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Northern District Office in Harrisonburg on Blue Stone Hills Drive because of a sewing camp at the Rockingham County Extension Office.
Shenandoah Valley Food and Farm Network
VCE-Northern District Office, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Friday, July 20, 2012 at 9:30 a.m.
Agenda
Introduction
Review of Network’s Purpose
· Create a diverse and inclusive support network and community
· Increase community access to healthy local food
· Encourage major institutions to purchase 25% of their food from local farmers
· Promote environmental stewardship and sustainable farming practices
· Help producers and consumers realize the social, environmental, and economic benefits of a locally-integrated community-based food system
· Promote practical and innovative information sharing
Demonstration of SV Buy Fresh Buy Local website and Facebook - Francie
Field trip to Athens, OH to tour The Appalachian Center for Economic Networks and Snowville Creamery
Draft agenda of 2012 Virginia Farm to Table Conference and Buy Fresh Buy Local Mixer of December 5 and 6 at Blue Ridge Community College – Eric/Francie
Some confirmed speakers and panelists include:
· Commissioner Matt Lohr of VDACS
· Michael Shuman of Cutting Edge Capital and author of ‘Local Dollars, Local Sense’
· Elizabeth Ü of Finance for Food and author of ‘Raising Dough: The Complete Guide to Financing a Socially Responsible Food Business’
· Francis Thicke of Radiance Dairy and author of ‘A New Vision for Iowa Food and Agriculture’
· Warren Taylor of Snowville Creamery
· Marten Jenkins of the Natural Capital Investment Fund
· Bill Comstock of Farm Credit of the Virginias
· Leslie Schaller of The Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet)
· Brent Beidler of Beidler Family Farm and Organic Valley Family of Farms
· Dr. Fred Kirschenmann of The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture
· Allie Hill of Virginia Food Works
· Betty Mitchell of The Highland Center
· Jim Saunders of Saunders Brothers
· James Barham of USDA – Agricultural Marketing Service
· Ray Archuleta of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and others.
Education Exchange with Lancaster County and discussion with Scott Sheely – c/o Eric
Community and Capital Investing Discussion – Eric
Local On-Farm Milk Processing – Will Brothers, Mt. Crawford, VA and other tiers and opportunities
Go Local film series – any updates
Cooperatives and cooperation – Steve Cooke if able to attend
Flash Freeze facility needs and search – Eric
Organizational Updates
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant – Cultivating a Culture of Conservation from Farm-to-Table
Others
Education, grants, and communications
Other needs and items
Upcoming Events
7/31 – 8/1/2012 Field trip to Athens, OH
December 5 and 6 – 2012 Virginia Farm to Table Conference and Buy Fresh Buy Local Mixer
Date and time of next meeting ______________________________
We have also attached a flier for the field trip to the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks and Snowville Creamery.
Again, we apologize for the late email notice.
Best regards,
Eric
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Eric S. Bendfeldt
Extension Specialist, Community Viability
Virginia Cooperative Extension
2322 Blue Stone Hills Drive, Suite 140
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801
Phone: (540) 432-6029 Ext. 106 Cell: (540) 209-4705
Fax: (540) 432-6251
Email: eben...@vt.edu
Serving the Commonwealth of Virginia
"All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed
in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope."
~ Winston Churchill
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