Food Access Summit 2013: Developing Leaders for Food Policy Tuesday, August 13

Noon – Registration Opens (Ground Level Lobby) 1:00 – 2:45 pm – Welcome and Opening Plenary (Lake Superior Ballroom): Dr. Edward Ehlinger, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Health Food Utopia from Food Dystopia: What Needs to Happen? Ricardo J. Salvador, PhD, Director and Senior Scientist, Food and Environment Program, Union of Concerned Scientists There has never been so much food produced as there is now. Yet, the "food system" is inequitable because not all who have a stake in making the system possible can benefit from the abundance they help to generate. The primary reason cannot be understood ahistorically. The present food system meets the goals of earlier generations, but must be perpetually improved to meet the needs of the present and future. 2:45 – 3:00 pm – Break 3:00 – 3:30 pm – Be inspired to ramp up your leadership goals and aspirations! Hear from Pakou Hang of the Hmong American Farmers Association and Nevada Littlewolf from the Virginia MN City Council as they share personal insight on what it takes to lead in the food policy arena. Join in for interactive leadership workshops lead by the team from Women’s Leadership Works to help you hone in on personal goals and build skills. Pakou Hang, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Hmong American Farmers Association Nevada Littlewolf, Director, Rural and American Indian Leaders Project, Member, Virginia MN City Council 3:30 – 3:45 pm – Transition Time 3:45 – 5:00 pm – Leadership Workshops: Growing Strategic Alliances to Get the Job Done - Pakou Hang, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Hmong American Farmers Association (French River Rooms 1 & 2) Learn how to build and grow strategic alliances to magnify your work. Develop a community map, conduct a power analysis and decipher between a coalition of the willing and the coalition of the able. Concepts of self-interest, relationships and power will be explored. One person can change the world, but it’s a lot more fun with friends to share the journey. Working with New and Traditional Media - Lori Young-Letica, MUSET Coordinator (multimedia specialist, events and training), First Witness Child Advocacy Center; Dan Krakker, Minnesota Public Radio; Marty Weintraub, AimClear; and Hlee Lee, The UpTake (Split Rock Room 1) This panel of media insiders will share tips and techniques for raising the visibility of your organization and your issues. Participants in this session will also set some personal goals for putting a megaphone on your story. 1

Fundraising: You Want What? - Nevada Littlewolf, Director, Rural and American Indian Leaders Project, Member, Virginia MN City Council (Gooseberry Falls Room 2) In this session we will discuss fundraising strategies that engage donors and funders as partners with particular emphasis on the use of story and the actual "ask". Engage Your Board - Beth Olson, Executive Director, First Witness Child Advocacy Center (Gooseberry Falls Room 3) Board members are our biggest supporters and sometimes our biggest frustration. This workshop will offer practical ways to use what you already know about community organizing to get the best out of each member and equalize the power structure. Moving People to Action with Stories - Erin Vilardi, Founder, Women’s Leadership Works (St. Louis River Room) Whether you are organizing a meeting, raising money, serving on a board or running an issue or candidate campaign - learn how to use stories to help motivate folks to take action, give money, volunteer or vote for you. Blueprint for Change - Rhonda Briggins-Ridley, Senior Director of External Affairs for Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Co-Founder of Women of Will (Split Rock Room 2) Whether you are strategizing an awareness campaign or setting a personal leadership goal, this session will help you begin to blueprint a plan of action that works. Take inventory of your assets, allies, research, community, funds, and message and get organized to succeed. Participants walk away with a practical tool that can be used in a variety of settings and situations in their lives. Maximize Volunteer Time and Talent - Shannon M. Garret, Founder and Director, SMG Strategies (Gooseberry Falls Room 1) How do you get others to see your vision for change and to volunteer their time and talents to help you accomplish that vision? This session will cover effective and enticing strategies for volunteer recruitment and retention. 5:30 – 9:00 pm – Evening Reception and Screening of “A Place at the Table.” Enjoy heavy appetizers and refreshments, meet fellow attendees, and watch the new documentary about hunger in America. (Harbor Side Ballroom, Third Level) Barrie McClune, Program Coordinator, Active Voice

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Wednesday, August 14 7:30 am – Registration Opens (Ground Level Lobby) 7:30 – 8:30 am – Light Breakfast (Lake Superior Ballroom) 8:30 – 10:00 am – Welcome and Opening Plenary (Lake Superior Ballroom): Lucinda Jesson, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Human Services Food Access for All: Making the Dream Come True Mark Winne, Mark Winne Associates While access to healthy and affordable food for all people remains an unfulfilled right, it is still a goal that is both practically achievable and morally necessary. Mark Winne will call on the three sisters of innovation, public policy, and democracy, which have a strong record of improving food access, but must be strengthened to completely realize the dream. Minnesota Food Charter Update Margaret Adamek, PhD, Terra Soma 10:00 – 10:15 am – Transition Time 10:15 – 12:00 pm – Regional Workshops: Gather with neighbors from your region to engage in action-oriented conversations and prepare for meaningful collaboration. Explore tools and resources to strengthen your regional network, and decide together how you, your organization, and others can work together to apply what you have learned here at the Summit to expanding healthy food access in your unique region. Northeast - Sally Dover, Extension Educator, Community Food Systems, University of Minnesota Extension and Lisa Loukkala, SHIP Coordinator, Healthy Duluth Area Coalition (French River Room 1) Northwest - Noelle Harden, Extension Educator, Community Food Systems, University of Minnesota Extension and Kim Turner, Health Educator, White Earth Health Education Program (Gooseberry Falls Room 3) Central - Susan DeBlieck, Extension Educator, Community Food Systems, University of Minnesota Extension and Joel Torkelson, Health Promotion Coordinator, Wright County Public Health (St. Louis River Room) Twin Cities Metro – Jamie Bain, Extension Educator, Simply Good Eating, University of Minnesota Extension and María Regan González, Health Specialist, City of Bloomington, Public Health Division (The Salon Room) Southeast - Sheila Onzere, Extension Educator, Community Food Systems, University of Minnesota Extension; Chera Sevcik, Statewide Health Improvement Program Supervisor, Cottonwood, Jackson, Faribault, Martin & Watonwan Counties; and Kelly Corbin, Community Health Specialist, Olmsted County Public Health Services (Split Rock Room 2)

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Southwest - Anne Dybsetter, Extension Educator, Community Food Systems, University of Minnesota Extension and Pam Bagley, SHIP Coordinator, Meeker County (French River Room 2) 12:00 – 1:00 pm – Lunch (Lake Superior Ballroom) Mark Ritchie, Minnesota Secretary of State 1:00 – 1:15 pm – Transition Time 1:15 – 2:30 pm – Breakout Workshops: Food Policy Councils: Making Them Work for Better Food Access - Mark Winne, Mark Winne Associates (Gooseberry Falls Room 1) Over 200 food policy councils have been established across North America. Based on recent surveys of those councils, improving food access is the most common issue they address. The workshop will review the basics of food policy councils and specifically discuss where and how their food access work is carried out. How USDA Nutrition Assistance Programs Support Local Food Systems - Alan Shannon, Public Affairs Director, USDA Food & Nutrition Service (St. Louis River Room) GoodGreens is a collaboration of around 250 individuals and organizations around the Midwest that seek to build and support local food systems. Learn about this collaboration, as well as how FNS' 15 nutrition assistance programs can be used to support local food systems. Growing Urban Agriculture: Equitable Strategies and Policies for Improving Access to Healthy Food and Revitalizing Communities - Allison Hagey, Senior Associate, PolicyLink (French River Room 1) A vibrant movement is afoot in cities across the country − farmers, activists, and community organizations are improving the health, economic outlook, and vitality of their communities through urban farming. Advocates are illustrating that urban agriculture is a pathway to making healthy food more available for low-income communities, a key to shifting the conversation on traditional economic revitalization efforts, and catalytic for battling the challenges of blight and abandonment. This session will focus on how low-income communities and communities of color are incorporating urban agriculture into their community development efforts and into policy infrastructures supporting this work. We will discuss challenges and strategies for growing and sustaining urban agriculture projects in low-income communities and communities of color. Youth Engagement in Community Food Projects: Examples from American Indian Communities - Brett Ramey, Tribal Health Liaison, University of Kansas Medical Center; Sammie Ardito Rivera, Outreach and Education Coordinator, Dream of Wild Health; and Eduardo Rivera, Assistant Farmer, Dream of Wild Health (Split Rock Room 2) Youth play a key role in reinstating healthy food systems. Drawing from examples in American Indian communities, we will explore ways inter-generational dialogue, artistic expression and youth empowerment converge to reinforce community food sovereignty and inform food policy. Added emphasis will be placed on elder and youth collaborations that honor local traditions as the foundation for community health.

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We will share tools to engage youth that can be led by youth. Included will be a collaborative design process that has been used to implement food projects, garden spaces, and public murals in neighborhoods, high schools and universities. Innovative Approaches to Healthier Food Shelves - Emily Eddy White, Programs Manager, Emergency Foodshelf Network; Sophia Lenarz-Coy, Programs Manager, Emergency Foodshelf Network; Dave Glenn, Executive Director, The Minnesota Project; and Jared Walhowe, Gleaning Manager, The Minnesota Project (Split Rock Room 1) This practical workshop will explore ideas food shelves can implement to increase the amount of healthy foods they source and distribute. Topics will include strategies for engaging local gardeners in donating fresh produce, best practices for attractively displaying produce in your food shelf, and ways to begin measuring the healthiness of the food distributed. Join us as we learn from case studies, interactive discussions, agency spotlights, and take home tools. Agriculture Policies - Thom Petersen, Director of Government Relations, Minnesota Farmers Union (Gooseberry Falls Room 3) A look at agriculture policies (e.g. gleaning, local foods, etc.) and how they interact with low-income populations and the emergency food network. We’ll also discuss how to organize and pass legislation. Growing School and Community Connections for Healthier Food - Jeff Eppen and Tim Uhlenkamp, Teachers at Sibley East High School and Gail Setterstrom, School Health Services Coordinator, Farmington Area Public Schools (Gooseberry Falls Room 2) This workshop will showcase exciting work at Sibley East High School and Farmington Area Public Schools that brings school and community efforts together to improve healthy food access and healthy outcomes. At Sibley East, students in agriculture classes grow local produce for the school lunchroom and a CSA. In Farmington, the School Wellness Council engages the school and community to shape school policies for healthier food access. Getting There: Minnesotan Grown Transportation Solutions for Getting Everyone to Healthy Food Dave Van Hattum, Program Manager, Transit for Livable Communities (French River Room 2) This session will explore a variety of statewide efforts to improve current transportation options, including transit, bicycle and walking. It will also describe new training materials to engage and educate social service providers about realistic (and cost-saving) alternatives to driving. Transit for a Stronger Economy is a campaign underway to substantially increase state funding for transportation options. This session will bring you up-to-date on the campaign and how you can help organize and mobilize for a big legislative win in 2014. This session will also engage participants in brainstorming and sharing new strategies for getting healthy food to people in need across the state. 2:30 – 3:15 pm – Break in the Salon/Mini-Sessions (The Salon Room): During the break, visit one, two or all three mini-sessions in the salon while you enjoy a healthy treat. Healthy Eating Minnesota Network - Mustafa Sundiata, Community Nutrition Educator, University of Minnesota Extension, and Lois Hoffbauer, Chairperson, Duluth Farmers Market The Healthy Eating Minnesota Network (www.healthyeatingmn.org) is an online community that connects people who care about healthy eating and healthy food access in Minnesota. The Healthy Eating Minnesota Network is a great way to stay in touch with the people you’ve met at the Food Access 5

Summit. The Network features communities focused on healthy kids, urban agriculture, food policy, food justice, farmers markets, and more. Social Media: It's Not Just for Fun - Alan Shannon, Public Affairs Director, USDA Food & Nutrition Service In this session, you'll hear how USDA Food & Nutrition Service uses social media for communicating, engaging and staying informed. Community and Local Food Resources Website - Greg Schweser, Community Food Systems Planner, University of Minnesota, Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships This session will provide an introduction, overview, and tutorial of the new Community and Local Food System Resources website. This website was created with the input farmers, Extension personnel, foodrelated business people, local food advocates, economic development directors, and more from communities in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The purpose is to serve as a go-to website for farmers, community groups, and Extension educators in rural communities looking to build the capacity of their community food systems. Please bring a laptop or tablet to participate in website exercise. Mark Winne will be selling copies of his books “Closing the Food Gap” and “Food Rebels, Guerilla Gardeners, and Smart-Cookin’ Mamas” during the break in the salon from 2:30-3:15 pm. 3:15 – 4:30 pm – Breakout Workshops: Healthy Food Access: Policy and Opportunities - Allison Hagey, Senior Associate, PolicyLink (Gooseberry Falls Room 2) More than 29 million Americans live more than a mile from a supermarket. They live in low-income neighborhoods, communities of color, and rural areas that offer little choice but to rely on fast food outlets, liquor stores, and convenience markets to shop for food. Despite these inequities, many of these communities are using the food system to revitalize neighborhoods and stabilize and increase property values, create living wage jobs, promote small business development, and improve health. This session will detail how the work done at the community level is impacting federal and state policy efforts. And, will describe how these policy efforts are supporting other communities across the country. Sustainable Food and Agriculture Systems: Re-aligning the country's natural resources to change our food and agriculture system into one we can live with now and for generations to come – Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin, Director, Sustainable Food and Agriculture Systems at Main Street Project (French River Room 2) In this workshop, Main Street Project's Sustainable Food and Agriculture Program director will lay out a local, regional and national strategy and a sustainable food and enterprise system design, developed with an integration of the known or predicted climate change conditions, population growth, and poverty and hunger conditions. This is a paradigm shifting presentation to bring the audience from thinking about projects to systems and how to populate a new way of doing food and agriculture sustainably. Engaging Youth as Leaders in Healthy Food Access – Gunnar Liden, Executive Director, Youth Farm and Rebecca Mino, Nutrition & Wellness Program Manager, Urban Roots (formerly Community Design Center) (Gooseberry Falls Room 3) 6

This workshop will feature successful models at Youth Farm and Urban Roots to engage youth in local food efforts including urban agriculture, cooking, entrepreneurship, leadership and environmental stewardship. Students will also participate in the presentation. Health Equity in Action: Advocating for a Food System for All – Vayong Moua, Senior Advocacy and Health Equity Consultant, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota; Susan Stokes, Executive Director and Attorney at Law, Farmers Legal Action Group; and Hli Xyooj, Staff Attorney and Hmong Community Outreach Coordinator, Farmers Legal Action Group (Gooseberry Falls Room 1) How can Minnesota be home to some of the best and worst health conditions? This has not happened by accident and can be prevented. The onus is on us to transform the food system to optimize health and opportunity for all. This session will focus on live and potential policy levers to improve health equity in the food system. We'll examine the essential role and opportunities for advocacy. How to Speak to Elected Officials about the Farm Bill - Mary Pat Raimondi, MS, RD, President of Strategic Policy & Partnerships, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Colleen Moriarty, Executive Director, Hunger Solutions Minnesota (French River Room 1) Hear the latest about the Farm Bill and how it will affect people and programs in Minnesota. Also learn about effective advocacy techniques and strategies when speaking to elected officials about the Farm Bill and other legislation. Moving More Fresh Food to Schools and Food Shelves - Rob Zeaske, CEO, Second Harvest Heartland and Bertrand Weber, Director, Culinary and Nutrition Services, Minneapolis Public Schools (St. Louis River Room) Learn how innovation at the Minneapolis Public Schools and Second Harvest Heartland is changing the mix of food these systems distribute and implications ahead for local sites they serve. Collaboration: An Approach to Engaging Community and Ending Hunger – Byron Laher, President, Community Emergency Assistance Program; Eric Nyberg, President/CEO, Keystone Community Services; Christine Pulver, Director of Basic Needs, Keystone Community Services; Cathy Maes, Executive Director, Loaves and Fishes Too; Marcia Fink, Director of Basic Needs, Greater Twin Cities United Way; and Amy Lopez, Community Impact Manager, Greater Twin Cities United Way (Split Rock Room 1) This interactive workshop will identify the necessary ingredients for successful community collaboration and share lessons learned as a potential approach for other communities interested in building a successful coalition to end hunger. The Twin Cities Hunger Initiative, convened in 2006 by Greater Twin Cities United Way, is a coalition of 18 organizations that work together to end hunger. Collaboration is the central component of all of its work and an effective means to build community engagement. Early efforts to develop common mission, key goals and objectives have led to a collective impact strategy with specific projects, outcomes and involvement of the hunger relief community. This workshop will summarize the seven year history of the TCHI, lessons learned by its members, successful and not- so-successful projects, and identify the important characteristics of community collaboration. Older Adult Food Access: Resources, Connections, and Leadership Development – Catherine Sampson, Director, Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging; Marilyn Ocepek, Senior Food and Nutrition Services Director, Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency; Julie Roles, Vital Aging Network; Rolf Hage, Minnesota Department of Human Services; Jackie Edison, Program Consultant, Minnesota Board on Aging; and Amy McDonough, AARP (Split Rock Room 2) 7

Panelists from the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging and Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA) will provide an overview of food and nutrition services available to older adults in Minnesota, including information about how to connect to nutrition and other home- and community-based resources for older adults. A panelist from the Vital Aging Network will speak about how to engage older adults in leadership development around food access. 4:30 – 5:30 pm – Networking Sessions (optional): • • • •

Farmers Markets and SNAP Outreach Organizations (French River Room 2) Food Shelves, Food Banks and Meal Programs (Gooseberry Falls Room 3) Healthy Eating Minnesota Network Community Conveners (The Salon) Nutritious Food Coalition Members (French River Room 1)

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Thursday, August 15

7:30 am – Registration Opens 7:30 – 9:45 am – Breakfast Reception and Open Networking with conference attendees and invited public officials. Your leadership, policy skills and engagement will help public officials advance policies that improve the health and well-being of all communities. Participate in a dialogue with public officials and summit attendees to share your food and agriculture policy priorities. Lt. Governor Yvonne Prettner Solon Video Remarks – Senator Al Franken Structured Networking – Donna Rae Scheffert, Leadership Tools 9:45 – 10:00 am – Transition Time 10:00 – 11:00 am – Moderated panel discussion on a variety of food and agriculture policy related topics. The format will include panelist briefings, small group discussions and questions from the audience. 11:00- 11:30 am – Closing Comments

Summit Evaluation

An evaluation will be sent out the week after the summit to be completed online. After you complete the evaluation, you can enter to win a complimentary two night stay at the Holiday Inn & Suites Downtown Duluth (200 West First Street, Duluth, MN 55802).

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