By PAT MELGARES
K-State Research and Extension news service
A program to help people in every Kansas county improve their access to nutritious foods will be hosting a two-day meeting in Wichita to connect communities with similar food issues.
The first-ever Kansas Local Food Summit is scheduled for Aug. 27-28 at the Kansas Leadership Center and Kansas Health Foundation in downtown Wichita.
Rebecca McMahon, administrator of the Local Food System program at Kansas State University, said the summit will allow people from communities across the state to learn what is working in other Kansas communities.
“It’s about giving communities across the state what they need to ensure that they have resilient farms, healthy people and vibrant economies,” McMahon said.
Registration is available online. The cost for the meeting is $40 for those who register by Aug. 1, and $50 after that date. The complete agenda for the summit also is available online at www.ksre.k-state.edu/kansaslocalfoods/local-food-summit/agenda.html.
McMahon said the agenda includes numerous breakout sessions that allow participants to learn about successful efforts to fill gaps in local food systems, a term that refers to food that travels the entire supply chain – from production to consumption – in the same general area.
In Nov. 2022, K-State Research and Extension received a grant for $750,000 to support and enhance local food systems in Kansas. At the time, McMahon noted: “In a state that prides itself on feeding the world, we currently struggle to adequately feed and nourish our own residents.”
In the nearly 18 months since receiving the grant, K-State’s Local Food System team has conducted roundtable discussions in 11 communities, asking Kansans what they think is needed to overcome challenges in their local food systems.
The Kansas Local Food Summit will help to bring all of that knowledge together for the benefit of people who perceive gaps in their community’s local food system.
“Each community has its own unique opportunities and challenges, but we can make more progress when we learn together what works best for the people of Kansas,” McMahon said. “The summit will have lots of opportunities for networking and collaborative learning, as well as great speakers. Building a stronger network of people across the state is the first step towards more resilient local food systems.”
Numerous breakout sessions are planned to help bring Kansans together under common themes, including Farm to School, food access, food hubs, and more. Michelle Coats at OOCK and Daniel Craig with Tammy Walker Cancer Center will lead two of these breakout sessions.
The keynote speakers for the summit are:
John Wittler, executive director of the Ogallala Commons, who will speak on how to effectively coordinate the value chain for the benefit of the food system.
Mary Hendrickson, director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security at the University of Missouri, who will speak on how to build a resilient food system in the face of consolidation.
McMahon said the Kansas Local Food Summit is open to anyone interested in attending, but will be particularly beneficial to those who support local food system growth, including producers, consumers, food policy council members, government agency workers, non-profit organizations, food businesses and others.