Food Summit

Imagining what we can accomplish together was the theme that arose from the Multnomah Food Summit. Over 200 community partners, including non-profits, businesses, faith organizations, schools and local governments, came together to provide input and voice their support. Repeatedly, participants identified the need to connect and collaborate, and in the words of one participant to "all start rowing in the same direction in order to reach our goals".

The Food Summit was the Kick-Off event for the Multnomah Food Initiative, innovative partnerships within our community to develop a shared vision, collaborative food system goals, and a 15-year action plan for our community. Click here for the Summit Summary.

 
On May 1, 2010, leaders from across our regional food system gathered for a day-long summit and in-depth conversation about working together to create a sustainable, equitable, and healthy local food system.

215 community members participated in the summit. Multnomah County Commissioner Judy Shiprack was joined by Chair Jeff Cogen and Congressman Earl Blumenauer in applauding our community's current efforts and commitment to the creation of a vibrant local food system in which all people thrive.

The day provided a great opportunity for sharing ideas and building new relationships, exploring the tremendous work already being done in our community and laying the groundwork for a long-term action plan. Click on the following links to read the Summit Agenda and Speaker Biographies and Presentations.

 The purpose of the Multnomah Food Summit was to:

• Examine the existing conditions of Multnomah County's food system
  

• Celebrate the tremendous work already being done in our community
  

• Examine and build consensus on the framework for a long-term action plan

• Provide feedback and get involved in the next steps of the action plan development

• Hear from national leaders in the areas of food policy and social equity

• Network and build new connections across the food system

Getting Involved in the Next Steps

The Food Summit was the kick-off event for the Multnomah Food Initiative and just the beginning of a longer process to build a shared vision and a community action plan for a healthy, equitable, and sustainable food system. Our goal is to engage a broad range and diversity of food system stakeholders and community members. Your voice and input is important in creating an action plan that reflects the goals and priorities of our community. To get involved, visit the Get Involved page.

In the fall of 2010, Multnomah County will host four community workshops (one for each action area of the action plan) in the fall of 2010 to further refine the action plan. The Multnomah Food Action Plan will set forth our shared community vision, goals, and action plan and will be designed as a tool to help focus our community's resources and efforts on community-established priorities so that we plan and invest wisely.

When the action plan is finalized in early 2011, food system stakeholders will be invited to align their strategic efforts within the plan and its community-supported vision, food system goals, and actions. A celebration will be planned to recognize the tremendous effort and commitment of our community in developing one of the first community food system action plans in the nation.Working together we can overcome barriers, forge new partnerships, enact new policies, and raise awareness so that it will be easy for families to choose healthy and regionally-produced food.

If you would like to get involved in these next steps, sign up on the Get Involved page. You can also contribute to this effort by passing the word along and encouraging others to join the movement.

Get Involved! Stay informed about Multnomah Food Initiative developments by joining our e-mailing list or volunteering.

Funded in part by the US Environmental Protection Agency in partnership with Multnomah County.

For more information email us at mult.food.initiative@co.multnomah.or.us or contact Kat West in the Office of at 503-988-4092 and Keith Falkenberg in Commissioner Shiprack’s office at 503-988-5217.