Vision

Vision:

We envision a Connecticut where everyone has access to safe, nutritious, culturally appropriate, and affordable food; where the food supply chain supports many vibrant and varied small businesses that provide sustainable livelihoods; where there is broad public awareness and passionate public support of a robust local food system; and where stewardship of soil, water, air and energy resources is institutionalized as an integral part of a resilient and robust regional culture of food, health and community.

In the coming decade, a just, sustainable food system will thrive in Connecticut and thereby:

Strengthen Communities
Create working relationships among food system stakeholders that are close, strong, enduring, fair, and equitable.
Improve access for all community members to an adequate, affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate diet.
Encourage food and agriculture-related businesses that result in stronger community economies through job creation, fair pricing for consumers and producers, and recirculation of financial capital in the community.
Improve health, reduce risk of diet-related diseases, and increase enjoyment of food among community members.
Raise Awareness
Provide the information and experiences necessary for consumers (children and adults) to understand the sources of their food, the social, environmental and health impacts of their food choices, and the role of food in a healthy community.
Raise public participation and interest in food and agriculture.
Bring about policies that promote local food production, improve access to local retail and processing markets, and support institutional procurement of local agricultural goods and services.
Clarify information in cases where obscurity, uncertainty, and equivocation prevail.
Create Sustainable Systems
Increase the application of sustainable agricultural practices that preserve and enhance natural resources and ecosystem services.
Implement energy efficient practices throughout the system.
Employ strategies that reduce and reuse resources, including waste, throughout the food system.
Build a sustainable infrastructure that ensures our goals for the food system can be met today, tomorrow and forever.