The role and actions of the Michigan Good Food Steering Committee
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EmailThe Michigan Good Food Initiative is a statewide effort to promote, implement and track progress towards the goals of the Michigan Good Food Charter, and its steering committee has been an important guide and advocate in this initiative.
The Michigan Good Food Initiative is a statewide effort to promote, implement and track progress towards the goals of the Michigan Good Food Charter, and its steering committee has been an important guide and advocate in this initiative.
The Michigan Good Food Steering Committee has supported and advised staff at the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems in coordinating initiative efforts and collaborating with charter supporters in advancing the initiative. Formed in 2012, the Michigan Good Food Steering Committee is made up of representatives from 20 organizations that support the goals and vision of the Michigan Good Food Charter.
The steering committee’s activities include:
- Communicating with supporters, primarily through monthly newsletters and a website
- Engaging and supporting partners
- Researching and documenting progress towards charter goals and agenda priorities
- Hosting a biannual state summit
- Assessing and determining initiative priorities through the lens of the charter’s vision: a thriving economy, equity and sustainability for all of Michigan and its people
- Promoting and encouraging engagement of other organizations with the charter, including through presentations at conferences and other events and reaching out through their networks
- Encouraging stakeholders to sign the resolution of support for the charter
- Working in the context of their organizational missions to implement charter goals and agenda priorities.
- Helping other organizations identify and incorporate the charter goals in their missions
- Engaging in relevant research, outreach, advocacy or education
- Seeking and promoting grant opportunities or conducting other funding outreach to support the initiative
- Building the capacity of the Michigan Good Food Initiative leadership through participation in professional development opportunities
Several achievements of the Michigan Good Food initiative over the last two years include:
- The launch of the “Take Your Place at the Table” campaign doubled the signatories for the charter’s resolution of support
- The 2014 Michigan Good Food Summit was the most well attended yet with 420 attendees.
- The initiation of the Shared Measurement Pilot Project, which will be a state-wide project to monitor progress of good food charter goals.
- Development of the michiganfood.org website and materials to promote the work
- Development of the 2014 report card to highlight progress of the charter.
As the group moves forward, it hopes to create a strategy for Good Food policy development.
Organizations represented on the Michigan Good Food Steering Committee are:
- Associate Food and Petroleum Dealers
- Detroit Food and Fitness Collaborative
- Eastern Market Corporation
- Food Bank Council of Michigan
- Food Corps
- Good Food Battle Creek
- Greater Grand Rapids Food Systems Council
- Greening Michigan Institute, MSU Extension
- Growing Hope
- Julian Samora Research Institute at MSU
- Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
- Michigan Department of Community Health- Michigan’s Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Program
- Michigan Farmers Market Association
- Michigan Fitness Foundation
- Michigan Food and Farming Systems
- Michigan Land Use Institute
- Michigan Rural Council
- MSU Center for Regional Food Systems
- MSU Extension - Community Food System Workgroup
- U.P. Food Exchange
For more information on the Michigan Good Food Steering Committee, please contact Jude Barry at MSU Center for Regional Food Systems (barryjud@msu.edu; 517-432-0308)
