About the Alliance

Our Mission

Together we can build a better food system. We envision a Connecticut where everyone has access to safe, nutritious, culturally appropriate, and affordable food; where the food system is more reliant on local and regional production; where the food supply chain, including farms and fisheries but also grocery stores and restaurants, supports many vibrant and varied 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.

The Alliance

Connecticut Food System Alliance (CFSA) is a state-wide network of dedicated stakeholders committed to creating broad system change and advancing a sustainable and just food system in Connecticut. In 2014 Hartford Food System began to formally house CFSA, but collaborators from all over the state contribute to CFSA’s initiatives and goals. Currently, CFSA has two people on staff who coordinate events and communicate general information. Additionally, a growing steering committee shapes the network initiatives and Food Action Plan.

Meg Hourigan, CFSA Coordinator
Marcella Micillo, CFSA Communications and Administrative Assistant

Steering Committee

Ali Ghiorse, The Foodshed Network
Jennie Hirsch, Connecticut Foodshare
Sarah Huang, New England Grassroots Environment Fund
Ryan Kennedy, Brigaid
Brandon Monti, Fresher Choice
Martha Page, Hartford Food System
Courtney Renton, City Seed
Alexa Sosa, Tierra, Agua y Sol
Latha Swamy, City of New Haven Food Policy Division
Cyrena Thibodeau, CT Department of Agriculture
Peggy Zamore, Danbury Farmers’ Market

Regional Partners

CFSA works closely with regional partners to ensure our initiatives and goals fit into the regional picture.

New England Food System Planners Partnership

“New England Feeding New England: Cultivating A Reliable Food Supply” Project

The New England Food System Planners Partnership comprises six statewide organizations including Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, Maine Food Strategy, New Hampshire Food Alliance, Massachusetts Food System Collaborative, Connecticut Food System Alliance, and Rhode Island Food Policy Council, who each work to strengthen their state’s food system. The project was launched through a public-private partnership with funding from The John Merck Fund, the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, and the USDA Regional Food System Partnership grant program. Funding for this project was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service [grant agreement ID 6000016070]. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA. Learn more about the New England Food System Planners Partnership.

Alliance Initiatives

Join CFSA’s listserv to stay connected with the alliance’s initiatives and schedule of free events. Send an email to Marcella at communications@ctfoodsystemalliance.com to stay connected.