Mohawk Valley Food Project
local • regional • collaborative • community-driven
MissionTo establish a productive and resilient regional food system and ensure equal access to affordable, healthy and nutritious food for all.
2011The Mohawk Valley Food Project launches as a Rust to Green Utica Action Step with more than 30 active partners collaborating to address its mission and goals
2013create the area’s first
Food Policy Council
Grantees
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County
Resource Center for Independent Living
City of Utica
Rust to Green Utica
Cornell University Department of Landscape Architecture
USDA Hunger Free Communities Grant
grantees in partnership with community organizations to improve access to nutritious food through research, planning, and implementing hunger relief activities
14 grant recipients from among 200 applicants nationwide
developing and strengthening Mohawk Valley’s Food System
• Foster regional self-reliance while ensuring all citizens have access to
affordable, healthy food that is locally grown using
environmentally sustainable practices
• Study what’s shaping and affecting the food system and food security of our community and its
citizens
• Work together and take actions leading to greater community food security,
effective food policies and a resilient food
system
• Form a Food Policy Council to oversee, implement and evaluate Mohawk
Valley’s Food System policies and programsFood Potentials Map: Showing different types of farmland and urbanized land extending to 10 miles from Utica
Data from Cornell Foodshed Mapping calculates Utica’s capacity to produce all of its cropland foods within 10 miles and all of its grassland foods within 31miles
What’s aFood Policy Council? COALITION of local residents and business people, educational and government institutions and not-for profit organizantions who come together to examine how a food system is operating and to develop recommendations on how to improve it.
FOOD POLICY COUNCIL addresses food insecurity, nutrition and agricultural sustainabilty with the goal of connecting the regional food system.
What makes a SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM?
Mohawk Valley Food System snaphot January 2011
Food ProductionA community’s sustainability depends on its food system and its ability to provide its food needs
A sustainable food system builds ties between agriculture community and the food consuming community.
A stable local agricultural base is key to a community-responsive food system
Food Processing and PackagingThe process of converting what is produced to what is purchased at grocery stores, convenience shops, restuarants, bakeries, etc.
Examples include canning vegetables, making beer, packaging...
Many are employed while contributing along the way.
Food DistributionHow food is delivered to consumers in response to the community’s needs
Includes supermarkets, farmers’ markets, food pantries, restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, convenient stores, etc.
Food AccessMaking healthy, nutritious and affordable food available contributes to individual and community well-being and resilience
What programs are available to those in need? Are these SNAP and WIC authorized vendors? Are emergency food programs, school meal programs and food banks meeting the need?
Are food deserts preventing access to healthy food? What travel routes and transport options are available? What distances?
Food ConsumptionWhat we eat matters to our health!
Diets high in fats, carbohydrates and processed foods negatively impacts ones overall health and well-being
Such diets are linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer
Food Waste
The ways people handle the byproducts and wastes produced throughout the food system. This includes everything from cow manure to orange peels.
Best management practices, like composting, can close the loop and turn food “waste” into fertile soil.
