Author Archives: Meg Hourigan, CFSA Coordinator

Pay-What-You-Can Food Retail Virtual Discussions (Fall 2023)

Windham Food Network and CT Food System Alliance, as part of the Eastern CT Regional Food System Partnership, in collaboration with The Foodshed Network, are convening two virtual discussions exploring pay-what-you-can food retail models. Please join us and help spread the word! The Eastern Connecticut Rooting Deep, Scaling Up project is exploring alternative food retail andContinue reading “Pay-What-You-Can Food Retail Virtual Discussions (Fall 2023)”

New research available – Can New England Feed Itself in the Years to Come?

The report, released publicly today, illustrates Connecticut’s purchasing power in the effort to strengthen the local food system for itself and its New England neighbors. Connecticut is home to 24% of the region’s population and accounts for 22% of retail food sales, or $19 billion, according to the report. It is also home to 21% of food sector employment in the region. But Connecticut holds only 10% of agricultural land, meaning our local food supply chain is highly reliant on producers from outside its borders.

CFSA’s Guide to the 2023 Connecticut Legislative Session

Happy New Year! The Connecticut General Assembly opened for the “long session” on January 4. In a long session, legislators negotiate the budget and do not limit what types of bills can be introduced (compared to the short session, which is typically limited to budgetary and financial issues). This year’s session ends June 7. AsContinue reading “CFSA’s Guide to the 2023 Connecticut Legislative Session”

CALL FOR PROPOSALS: 2020 CFSA Summit

CALL FOR PROPOSALS: 2020 Connecticut Food System Alliance Summit Event: May 2, 2020 | 9 am – 4 pm Common Ground High School, New Haven Proposal Deadline: Friday, April 10 Chosen projects will be notified by Friday, April 17 Join us as we reimagine our Food System Network Summit! Present a question, challenge, or newContinue reading “CALL FOR PROPOSALS: 2020 CFSA Summit”

What’s Connecticut’s food system look like?

To change the food system, we have to understand the current status. Data about Connecticut’s food system reveal that access to food is disproportionately lower for communities of color, and that while farms tend to be small, a handful of very large farms make up the majority of agricultural production. Scroll on to learn more,Continue reading “What’s Connecticut’s food system look like?”

CFSA Mini-Grant Spotlight: Grow Windham Know Your Farmer Fair

In March, the Connecticut Food System Alliance awarded  Grow Windham with a mini-grant to launch a “Know Your Farmer Fair” in Windham, CT. This was the launch event for the “Windham Grown Network,” a group of local farmers and producers looking to expand market opportunities by connecting with merchants, restaurants, processors, individual consumers, and institutional foodContinue reading “CFSA Mini-Grant Spotlight: Grow Windham Know Your Farmer Fair”

Food Justice and the Labor Movement

Connecticut Food System Leaders and Friends, This Thursday, May 26, from 2 to 7 pm at Connecticut College is the Connecticut Food System Alliance’s Spring Gathering – Food Justice and the Labor Movement. Thank you to those who have already RSVP’ed! If you haven’t already, you can RSVP here, or RSVP on Facebook. Please be sureContinue reading “Food Justice and the Labor Movement”

Food Justice and the Labor Movement: Spring 2016 Gathering

Join us on May 26, from 2 to 7 pm at Connecticut College in New London for our spring gathering. The theme is “Food Justice and the Labor Movement,” intended to educate food justice advocates about the labor movement and to connect labor organizers to food justice advocates.   Agenda: 1:30 – 2:00 pm. Sign-in and registration 2:00Continue reading “Food Justice and the Labor Movement: Spring 2016 Gathering”