Session Recap >> Campus Sustainable Food Projects
Thanks to Alexa Bakker for transcribing this session! Join the AASHE 2011 Transcription Project and help spread the great ideas presented at the conference!
Presenters:
Peggy F. Barlett, Emory University
Anna Prizzia, University of Florida
(Peggy)
Research over past 3-4 years on 30 campuses of varying sizes. Direct marketing (farmers markets, CSA's). Education.
Research comes from academic debates.
Need intent and capacity. First step is rhetoric. What is your rhetoric?
What is your intent?
-Pesticide use, water pollution, etc.
-Social issues: local farm purchase, fair wages and labor, etc.
-Health Issues: Diet, antibiotic resistance, nutrition
- Food Service Goals
-Sustainability-related criteria vary
-Farming practices, what is local
Campuses make claims but don't back up with proof. Need accountability and transparency
Tweak menu, make seasonal, healthier meal choices, meatless reduce costs
Kitchen Practices
-In-house preparation
-Food preservation
-Certifications of green practices
-Green foodservice alliance certifications
-Attention to composting and use of waste (i.e. biodiesel)
- Academic Programs
-Undergraduate Concentrations
-Graduate
-Courses
Co-curriculum
-
Direct Marketing
-Farmers markets and CSA's
-Shift awareness of consumer and producer -
Experiential Learning
-Mental worker as opposed to physical worker
-Campus farms
(Anna)
We know this is a global issue. Over a quarter of land use is in agriculture, over a billion starving, etc.
At University of Florida (UF)…
-Over 4,000 customers served daily in two dining halls alone
-Over 40 location with 1,000+ employees (600+ students)
Contacts are Key
-Get sustainability goals put into contact
-Figure out how to incorporate language into the ITN/Bid Process
-Be a part of the negotiation committee if possible
-Don't forget the "outliers" - vending, beverages, concessions
At UF local sourcing was stressed in campuses partially because it was measurable
Where is UF Now?
-Vegan stations for every meal in Dining Hall
-Meatless Monday (though not completely meat-free) was student-initiated
-Locally-sourced milk
-25-30% of food budget goes to local sources
-Monterey Bay Seafood Watch
-Natural Selections Catering Menu
Telling the story
-Highlight farmers and miles to your cup on posters in dining hall
-Externally it has gone well, but internally less so
Not Just Food Sourcing
-Wages, Energy/carbon, tray less/reusable to-go, composting(new)/recycling, no styrofoam or bags (soon)
-Just because it's not easy, doesn't mean it's impossible!
Other Opportunities
-Vending - nutrition labeling, energy, waste, sustainable foods, local purchasing
-Concessions - waste, catering, bulk condiments, on-demand straws and paper straws
Reaching Beyond the Dining Hall
-CSA drop-off point with local farmers
Being a Land Grant
-Curriculum - teaching garden, plant sciences major, food systems class
-Campus gardens
-Research - community food systems, climate change, water
-Service, Outreach, & Extension - PREC, Sustainable Floridians, County Offices
Beyond the Campus
-Florida Food Summit - safe place for balanced communication, relationship building, another summit soon
-Farm to Restaurant - support through sponsorship and attend every year
-Community Forum - How do we talk about the fact that no one wants to go into farming anymore? How do we inspire farming? How do we talk about a recent incidence of slavery on a farm?
-Institutional Advancement
Moving Beyond Low Hanging Fruit (literally)
-Triple Bottom Line Thinking
-Building Awareness - student, staff, and faculty and the community at large; developing the right messages, reaching diverse audiences
-Increasing Academic Involvement - growing support
-Long-range planning
Q: How do you get contacted workers to care about sustainability
A: We hired a sustainability person. Also, I pay attention… I bought a meal plan and eat in the dining halls. I don't use the language in the contract, I just let them know that sustainability is important and that's not going away
Q: Does UF or Emory have a biodiesel program?
A: Yes, at Emory we used cooking oil to make all of our shuttles use a portion of biodiesel. 20% biodiesel buses at UF.
Q: How do you work around liability and mandate challenges?
A: UF has a million dollar liability policy which sounds big but really isn't. Had presentation on what food safety requirements mean so that producers and farmers wouldn't be so scared. Also, they talked to people in the state about cooperatives to work around funding problems. Pilot programs to fix "broken" models.
Q: Open partnership and contract is important so that you can grow the program. Have a university person representing the program and evolving the partnership. Don't let institutions hid behind contracts and make excuses. Form partnerships with people in the community who act as distributers/middlemen in getting food from small, local sources.
A: Yes, willingness of directors is important.
Q: Dining director was concerned about price of oil and ability to purchase foods. Engaged students in calculations. Who is doing long-range calculations and research on this topic?
A: Don't have an answer. We've done back-of-the envelope calculations as well.
Q: They first tell us it's impossible, but then when we push we find it really is possible even with national brands (styrofoam). National brands have to procure 20% sustainable food by 2020. Would like to hear more stories about success against road blocks in a central location.
A: Airmark highlights best practices at AASHE.
Comment: At Michigan State they are approaching 50% local/regional sources. Now have recycling plant. Has hired a company to look at best practices. Submitted top 100 food sources so it can be calculated.
Q: With the franchises, what challenges and successes have you had?
A: No success stories at Emory except for fair trade coffee at bagel company, but inconsistent. Only coffee composting and waste conversation at UF. Will probably take national conversation for change. Business services offices manage vendor/franchise relationships so get them on your side.
Q: Any examples of state system initiating negotiation and alliances.
A: Less of fresh product and more of napkins, etc. Extending contract opportunities to franchises.
Q: Did you have an issue licensing USDA certification and regulations if you used food from campus farms at dining.
A: At University of Illinois they've come close to selling produce to Whole Foods but were told that it was only ok as long as sold within campus boundaries.
Q: How to monitor student input?
A: Get students to fill out the survey. Need broad spectrum. Student advisory committee.
Q: Recently had a discussion future of the farm and relationship to local mental hospital. Bringing recently incarcerated people to the farm. Has there been any work like this at Emory or UF?
A: At Emory just starting academic connections to farming as well as nursing partnership. Starting to see a food systems network beginning to rise.
Q: Partnerships with student farms and cafes?
A: Partnership at Michigan State with student organic farm, getting composting, etc. UF doesn't have a student cafe on campus.
Q: To-go or buffet style dining?
A: UF has both.
Q: Have you done any work on reducing or eliminating the purchasing and selling of bottled water on campus?
A: Not much.
Emory spent a whole year compiling information sheets in a booklet entitled Eating Sustainably. Available for free use on website.
Posted: October 11, 2011, 9:44 AM