ITHACA, N.Y. — The Tompkins Food Future team and community partners invite local residents to attend a presentation of the new Tompkins County Food System Plan on Tuesday, September 27th from 5:00-8:00pm at the Stewart Park large pavilion in Ithaca. This free event will enable community stakeholders to learn about and celebrate the plan’s findings and recommendations, provide feedback, and identify opportunities for collaboration to strengthen the local food system. A light meal will be served; seating is limited, and an RSVP is required.
Following a brief overview of the Tompkins County food system plan: a roadmap for our food future, speakers from community partner organizations will share 5-minute presentations on their work in the food system. The session then will be open for informal networking and conversation until the event concludes at 8:00pm.
The Tompkins County food system plan results from a community planning project led by the Tompkins Food Policy Council, funded by the Tompkins County Legislature and the Community Foundation of Tompkins County, and housed at Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County. Over the past two years, organizers have conducted a baseline assessment of the local food system and facilitated the development of a long-term community food system action plan focused on a resilient, equitable, and healthy food system for all Tompkins County residents. Throughout this process, more than 2,000 individuals and 50 businesses and organizations have contributed.
Community partners on the project include Cayuga Health Partners, Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County, Cornell Small Farms, Food Bank of the Southern Tier, Friendship Donations Network, Groundswell, Harvest NY, Ithaca Farmers Market, Headwater Eood Hub, Shelterbelt Farm, The Learning Farm, Tompkins County Food Policy Council, Tompkins County Legislature, Tompkins County Recycling and Materials Management, and the Youth Farm Project.
To attend the Community Food System Summit, local stakeholders may visit www.tompkinsfoodfuture.
–Sandy Repp, CCE Tompkins County