The Food Systems Workgroup (FSW) has been meeting since fall of 2009 to establish a team of individuals to develop and pursue the mission that everyone has equitable access to safe, healthy and affordable food.
The need for a local workgroup was established by the 2007 Comprehensive Health Assessment Process & Survey; which facilitated conversations and surveys with Eaton, Clinton and Ingham residents. Survey results identified “improve safety of food,” “improve quality of food” and “access to healthy food” as ranking 3rd, 4th and 7th on a list of 25 concerns that were “essential or very important” to respondents.
In December 2009, the yet nameless group developed a logic model to guide programming directed toward food system producers, consumers and decision makers. This document became a foundation of understanding specific needs that became the focus of our collaborative work.
By the summer of 2011, the FSW began in earnest to develop its decision making and membership structure and by-laws were developed and approved. These by-laws were amended in 2014.
The Food System Workgroup, now named Capital Area Food Council, continues to move forward with the development and implementation of a strategic plan and establishment of Action Teams to achieve our goals.
