Core to the idea of "EcoSystem Building" is the fact that people like to get together. At conferences, at concerts, at the local cafe, and in the center of a thriving town.
Here is a list of existing, pending, and proposed "Peer Networks" for those interested in local sustainable food in Central Texas. Did we miss something? If so, please email jarred@foodshedinvestors.com with the scoop.
Here is a list of existing, pending, and proposed "Peer Networks" for those interested in local sustainable food in Central Texas. Did we miss something? If so, please email jarred@foodshedinvestors.com with the scoop.
Existing
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Farmland Preservation Working Group
Host(s): Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board Target Participants: Interested Parties Open To: Format: Periodic Meetings Purpose: Develops policies and procedures to preserve existing farmland and increase access to new farmland for farmers from diverse backgrounds, communities, and skillsets. When: Where: Austin Contact: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/sustainable-food-policy-board-get-involved |
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GroAct ListServ
Host(s): Growers Alliance of Central Texas Target Participants: For-profit producers grossing over $5k/year in Central Texas Open To: Target Participants Format: ListServ, Annual Meeting Purpose: Collaborate and strengthen communication between Austin area farmers When: Where: at a Member's farm Contact: https://sites.google.com/site/growersallianceofcentraltexas/ SSAWG Conference
Host(s): Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group Target Participants: Sustainable / regenerative producers Open To: Anyone paying registration fee Format: Conference Purpose: When: January 2019 Where: Little Rock, AR Contact: https://www.ssawg.org/january-2019-conference/ Texas State Small Producers Conference
Host(s): Texas State Department of Agriculture Target Participants: Sustainable / regenerative producers Open To: Anyone paying registration fee Format: Conference Purpose: When: Annual, next one in August 2019 Where: San Marcos Contact: Texas Young Farmers ListServ
Host(s): Texas Young Farmers Coalition Target Participants: Young-ish sustainable / regenerative producers Open To: Anyone paying registration fee Format: ListServ Purpose: Increase connectivity between new and beginning growers in Central Texas. When: Ongoing Where: Online Contact: http://www.centraltexasyoungfarmers.org TOFGA Annual Conference
Host(s): Texas Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association Target Participants: Sustainable / regenerative producers Open To: Anyone paying registration fee Format: Conference Purpose: Educate producers and consumers on the many benefits of organic agriculture and to promote its use throughout Texas. When: Annually, in February Where: Contact: http://www.tofga.org |
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Barcode
Host(s): Ben Ponder Target Participants: Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) entrepreneurs Open To: Target Participants Format: Presentation then Q&A Purpose: We are a group of product entrepreneurs of all stripes and stages joined by our desire to equip emerging consumer brands and to learn from one another. No strings attached. When: Monthly Where: Austin Contact: ben@barcodestartup.com |
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Good Food Purchasing Program
Host(s): City of Austin Office of Sustainability Target Participants: Food procurement officials Open To: Target Participants Format: Presentation then Q&A Purpose: Cities, school districts, and other public institutions spend billions of dollars every year on food. These choices have a huge impact on everything from public health to the local economy. The Good Food Purchasing Program offers a value driven framework and set of tools that partners can use to assist with goal setting, measure progress and celebrate successes around purchasing Good Food. When: Where: Austin Contact: https://goodfoodcities.org/portfolio/austin/ Edwin Marty, City of Austin Food Policy Manager |
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Food Recovery Working Group
Host(s): Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board Target Participants: Interested Parties Open To: Format: Periodic Meetings Purpose: Identifies, supports, and promotes solutions for using previously wasted food to feed Austin’s people, animals, and soil. When: Where: Austin Contact: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/sustainable-food-policy-board-get-involved |
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Healthy Food Security & Access Working Group
Host(s): Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board Target Participants: Interested Parties Open To: Format: Periodic Meetings Purpose: Uses advocacy and researched-based policy to encourage greater access to healthy food, as well as educational opportunities to support a secure food future for all. When: Where: Austin Contact: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/sustainable-food-policy-board-get-involved |
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Farm & Food Leadership Conference
Host(s): Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance Target Participants: Sustainable / regenerative producers Open To: Anyone paying registration fee Format: Conference Purpose: Focuses on the policies and regulations affecting our farms and our food as well as the latest developments in sustainable agriculture When: October 2019 Where: McKinney Contact: http://farmandranchfreedom.org/farm-food-leadership-conference/ Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board
Host(s): City of Austin Office of Sustainability Target Participants: Open To: Format: Meeting Purpose: The Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board advises both Austin City Council and the Travis County Commissioners Court about ways to improve the availability of safe, nutritious, and affordable food that is grown locally and sustainably for all residents, particularly those in need. When: Monthly Where: Austin Contact: http://www.austintexas.gov/sustainability/foodpolicy Codes and Ordinances Working Group
Host(s): Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board Target Participants: Interested Parties Open To: Format: Periodic Meetings Purpose: Works to ensure a comprehensive and accessible set of codes, ordinances, policies, rules, and billing throughout Austin and Travis County to stimulate a thriving community-based food system. When: Where: Austin Contact: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/sustainable-food-policy-board-get-involved Building Opportunities for Food Entrepreneurs Working Group
Host(s): Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board Target Participants: Interested Parties Open To: Format: Purpose: When: Monthly Meetings Where: Austin Contact: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/sustainable-food-policy-board-get-involved |
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Food and Climate Working Group
Host(s): Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board Target Participants: Interested Parties Open To: Format: Periodic Meetings Purpose: Works to quantify the carbon footprint of food and agriculture activities in Austin-Travis County to provide solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, sequestering atmospheric carbon, and building a resilient food system for all Austin residents. When: Where: Austin Contact: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/sustainable-food-policy-board-get-involved |
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Slow Food Austin
Host(s): Slow Food Austin Target Participants: Open To: Format: Happy Hours, Dinners Purpose: Slow Food Austin reconnects people with the food they eat. We celebrate the pleasure of the table. We want to make the world a little slower, living an unhurried life beginning at the table. We cultivate the enjoyment and quality of life. We honor our culture and tradition. Behind every dish there are choices made in the fields. We cherish the diverse food communities and traditions of Austin and Central Texas. We focus on the relationships between producers, cooks and all who eat. When: Monthly Where: Austin Contact: http://slowfoodaustin.org |
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Les Dames D'Escoffier Austin
Host(s): Les Dames D'Escoffier Target Participants: Exceptional Women Working In The Culinary, Beverage, And Hospitality Industries Open To: Target Participants Format: Annual Dinner Purpose: Provide scholarships to women seeking continuing education in the culinary, beverage, and hospitality industries When: Where: Austin Contact: https://www.ldeiaustin.org |
PENDING
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Fundraising Roundtable
Host(s): Foodshed Investors; Co-Hosts welcome Target Participants: For-profit entrepreneurs considering or in the process of raising capital. Open To: Target Participants Format: Roundtable Purpose: Participant-driven roundtable to introduce self & company; share current issues, questions, & obstacles; share best practices, contacts, and resources; mutually support others on the same journey. When: September 2018 Where: Austin Contact: evan@austinfoodshedinvestors.com Investors Roundtable
Host(s): Foodshed Investors; Co-Hosts welcome Target Participants: Individual investors or potential investors (both accredited and non-accredited) interested in investing in local sustainable food and ag companies Open To: Target Participants Format: Roundtable Purpose: Participant-driven roundtable to introduce self & goals; discuss potential deals, deal structures, portfolio management, due diligence, tax management, & best practices; share current questions and issues, contacts, and resources; mutually support others on the same journey. When: September 2018 Where: Austin Contact: evan@austinfoodshedinvestors.com |
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Food & Tech Austin Meetup
Host(s): Food & Tech Austin Target Participants: Open To: Format: [Meeting, Conference, Roundtable, ???] Purpose: Note: this 800+ person Meetup group operated several years ago, stalled, and is in the process of being reinvigorated. When: Where: Austin Contact: Steve Pearson |
Proposed
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CenTxSusFood Be-In
Host(s): Target Participants: Everyone interested in the Central Texas Food System Open To: Anyone Format: Happy Hour Purpose: Kick-off to the general public of this Food EcoSystem project; short presentation on this website; breakout into smaller groups of each of the Peer Networking groups here to meet, exchange cards, plan for getting together. When: September 2018 Where: Austin Contact: CenTxSusFood ListServ
Host(s): Target Participants: Everyone interested in the Central Texas Food System, with particular focus on the for-profit entrepreneurs that make it go. Open To: Anyone Format: Email ListServ Purpose: Like COMFOOD for Central Texas: Company news and announcements; research published; events; job openings; workers looking for work; questions and discussions; policy; sourcing & vendors; real estate & space; professional services recommendations; professional development, etc. When: September 2018 Where: Online Contact: Food System Planning
Host(s): Needs Host(s) Target Participants: Open To: Format: Working Group Purpose: Draft a food systems plan for Central Texas including leverage of existing work here and elsewhere, overall objectives, actionable tactics and owners, metrics, and follow-on activities; gain consensus from various stakeholder groups; publish & update. When: Where: Austin Contact: Peer Networking Facilitation
Host(s): Needs Host(s) Target Participants: People with experience in community organizing, small group facilitation, collaboration Open To: Format: Working Group Purpose: Provide support, infrastructure, best practices, maybe technology, to "Host(s)" of other Peer Networking groups. When: Where: Contact: |
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Start-Up Roundtable
Host(s): Needs Host(s) Target Participants: Local sustainable food entrepreneurs considering starting, or having recently started, a new business. Open To: Target Participants Format: Roundtable Purpose: Participant-driven roundtable to introduce self & company; share current issues, questions, & obstacles; share best practices, contacts, and resources; mutually support others on the same journey. When: Where: Austin Contact: Food & Ag-Based Economic Development Roundtable
Host(s): Needs Host(s) Target Participants: Economic Development Officers from State, Counties, Cities of Central Texas and the entrepreneurs of their jurisdictions Open To: Target Participants Format: Roundtable Purpose: Collaborate with local food and ag entrepreneurs to learn their pain points and opportunities. Share best practices programs, & funding vehicles for using local sustainable food and agriculture as a driver of local economic growth. When: Where: Contact: |
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CenTxSusFood Outreach / Intake Team
Host(s): Needs Host(s) Target Participants: Community organizers, marketers, customer service professionals, mentors Open To: Anyone Format: Working Group Purpose: Publicize activities of this Food EcoSystem building effort; reach out to organizations & individuals who historically have not had a seat at the table; bring in new participants; facilitate their introduction and ability to participate. When: Where: Austin Contact: |
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Food & Ag - Focused Non-Profit Roundtable
Host(s): Needs Host(s) Target Participants: Non-profit leaders in the food and ag space Open To: Anyone Format: Roundtable Purpose: Participant-driven roundtable to introduce self & company; share current initiatives, issues, questions, & obstacles; share best practices, contacts, and resources; mutually support others on the same journey. When: Where: Austin Contact: Food Justice & Equity Working Group
Host(s): Needs Host(s) Target Participants: Open To: Anyone Format: Working Group Purpose: Explore root causes of systemic inequality; expose for-profit entrepreneurs to food justice and equity concepts; collaboratively develop practical actions to reduce regional food justice issues; serve as resource for other Peer Networking groups. When: Where: Austin Contact: |