Conversation about sustainable systems continues at Food Summit

Round tables covered in bright colored cloths held a lunch provided by Working Class Catering at the Dane County Food Council Food Summit Wednesday, Oct. 24. As attendees ate, they listened to Jerry Kaufman, who was recognized as a Dane County Food Hero durring the summit. 

Professor Emeritus Jerry Kaufman accepting achievement award.More than 100 people attended the summit, which was held on National Food Day and offered several workshops where topics  ranged from expanding Wisconsin fruit production to the social and racial diversity of the system bringing nutrition to locals. 

It was the Dane County Food Council's third summit since forming in 2007. Council staff member and departmental head of Dane County Extension Carrie Edgar said the gathering's goal was to include the wider Dane County community, from farmers to food pantries, in the conversation about shaping the local food system.

One of the council's founding members, Martin Bailkey, said the summit achieved that goal and attendees made valuable exchanges during the event, which lasted from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. at Christ Presbyterian Church.

As Kaufman,  Professor Emeritus in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at UW-Madison, accepted his award at lunch, he said one of the major wins for changing the food system was increased awareness of the value of a sustainablility. With that awareness, Kaufman said, comes potential for change.

According to Edgar, the Food Council uses the American Public Health Association's definition for a sustainable food system, towards which the council works. That definition is: "A sustainable food system is one that provides healthy food to meet current needs while maintaining healthy ecosystems that can also provide food for generations to come with minimal negative impact to the environment. A sustainable food system encourages local production and distribution infrastructures and makes nutritious food available, accessible, and affordable to all. Further, it is humane and just, protecting farmers and other workers, consumers, and communities."

"This decade, 2010-2020, will be the real growth surge for sustainable food systems," Kaufman said. "Last decade was the growth decade and this decade is when it will all take off." Food system refers to everything that happens to food, from production through retail and eating. Sustaining a food system for future generations is one of Kaufman's major areas of work.

Kaufman has played a key role in helping define efforts in Dane County and throughout the country to shape sustainable food systems. Bailkey said that Kaufman's influence has been wide-scale and pervasive in many aspects of food system change.

Also in conjuction with National Food Day, Mayor Paul Soglin launched a new group, the Madison Food Policy Council, at 4:30 p.m. in the Madison City-County Building. Two members of the Dane County Food Council, Martin Bailkey and Kyle Richmond, will also serve on the Madison Food Policy Council.