The Pathway to Sustainable Campus Food Systems UCSC Case Study

UC Santa Cruz Establishing a Collaborative Working Group Establishing a Collaborative Working Group Building Campus Community Bridges Building Campus Community Bridges Supporting Community Food System Networks Supporting Community Food System Networks Moving Towards a Sustainable campus Dining Service Moving Towards a Sustainable campus Dining Service

Why is the purchase of “ sustainable food ” a priority To provide students with healthier, fresher food To provide students with healthier, fresher food To support and strengthen local economies To support and strengthen local economies To reduce the use of fossil fuels and CO2 emission To reduce the use of fossil fuels and CO2 emission To reduce local use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides To reduce local use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides To support socially responsible treatment of farmworkers To support socially responsible treatment of farmworkers To support producer cooperatives in the global south through purchase of Fair Trade goods To support producer cooperatives in the global south through purchase of Fair Trade goods

How did we get here? Forces The purchase of sustainable food reflects changes in American food preferences and values and is an emerging trend on college and university campuses across the United States Opportunities After a six month student campaign to “dump Sodexho ”, the administration ended its 30-year contract with the corporation in June 2004, allowing Dining Services to contract directly with suppliers for the first time. This transition to an “in-house” service structure allowed sustainable agriculture and social justice advocates an in-road to working with the UC administration to design a more sustainable food system.

How did we get here? Resources UC Santa Cruz is a world-renowned academic leader in sustainable food systems, and the home of the “Farm,” a training and research center for Agroecology. UC Santa Cruz is a world-renowned academic leader in sustainable food systems, and the home of the “Farm,” a training and research center for Agroecology. Many students and faculty had previously worked on sustainable food system issues and were anxious to use their knowledge to bring “sustainable food” to the campus. Many students and faculty had previously worked on sustainable food system issues and were anxious to use their knowledge to bring “sustainable food” to the campus. The proximity of UC Santa Cruz to organic farms that grow a variety of produce year-round ensures an abundant supply of local organic produce and the support of local organic farmers. The proximity of UC Santa Cruz to organic farms that grow a variety of produce year-round ensures an abundant supply of local organic produce and the support of local organic farmers.Processes Collaboration, student organizing and outreach, and ongoing student education facilitated acceptance and support of sustainable food by both Dining Services and students. Collaboration, student organizing and outreach, and ongoing student education facilitated acceptance and support of sustainable food by both Dining Services and students.

The Campus Food System Working Group CFSWG is one of many active groups that arose out of the 2004 Campus Earth SummitCFSWG is one of many active groups that arose out of the 2004 Campus Earth Summit Its members include environmental and social justice activists, students, faculty, staff, administration, and community membersIts members include environmental and social justice activists, students, faculty, staff, administration, and community members Prior to the Earth Summit, some of its members had already been working to lay the ground work for a more sustainable campus food systemPrior to the Earth Summit, some of its members had already been working to lay the ground work for a more sustainable campus food system The group ’ s goal is to bring local organic food produced by socially responsible operations to UCSC dining halls and to create a sustainable campus food systemThe group ’ s goal is to bring local organic food produced by socially responsible operations to UCSC dining halls and to create a sustainable campus food system

Food Systems Working Group Structure FSWG Steering Committee Outreach & Education Subcommittee Guidelines & Policy Subcommittee FSWG Advisory Board Organizational Reps and Individual Members

Food Systems Working Group Make-up Advisory Board Members: Advisory Board Members: Jim Leap, CASFS Farm Manager Jim Leap, CASFS Farm Manager Brett Melone, ALBA Organics, MBOFC Brett Melone, ALBA Organics, MBOFC Melanie Dupuis, Faculty, Sociology Melanie Dupuis, Faculty, Sociology Phil Howard, CASFS, Researcher Phil Howard, CASFS, Researcher Jan Perez, CASFS, Researcher Jan Perez, CASFS, Researcher Candy Berlin, CUHS Candy Berlin, CUHS Yvonne Macon, Purchasing Yvonne Macon, Purchasing Julie Guthman, Faculty, CMMU Julie Guthman, Faculty, CMMU Marisol Assetta, BFBL Coordinator, CAFF Marisol Assetta, BFBL Coordinator, CAFF Terrence Welch, Pinnacle Brand, MBOFC Terrence Welch, Pinnacle Brand, MBOFC Participating Organizations: Participating Organizations: Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems Program In Community & Agroecology Program In Community & Agroecology Students for Organic Solutions Students for Organic Solutions Friends of the Farm & Garden Friends of the Farm & Garden Community Agroecology Network Community Agroecology Network Santa Cruz Food Systems Network Santa Cruz Food Systems Network UCSC Dining Services UCSC Dining Services UCSC Purchasing UCSC Purchasing Education for Sustainable Living Program Education for Sustainable Living Program CSSC UC Foods CSSC UC Foods Monterey Bay Organic Farmers Consortium Monterey Bay Organic Farmers Consortium Community Alliance for Family Farmers Community Alliance for Family Farmers

FSWG Priorities The top priorities that emerged from the 2004 & 2005 Campus Earth Summit were: To develop guidelines for purchase of socially just, organic food by campus dining services To develop guidelines for purchase of socially just, organic food by campus dining services To educate and organize students to demand socially just, organic food in the dining halls To educate and organize students to demand socially just, organic food in the dining halls

What Were Some of FSWG’s Activities in 2004/05 ? Holding farmer/ chef meetings to encourage dialogue and introduce food production managers to the seasonal available locally. Holding farmer/ chef meetings to encourage dialogue and introduce food production managers to the seasonal available locally. Holding meetings with Purchasing and Dining Services to discuss purchasing from local farmers Holding meetings with Purchasing and Dining Services to discuss purchasing from local farmers Setting up meetings with local farmers to establish an entity that could meet Purchasing’s contractual requirements. Setting up meetings with local farmers to establish an entity that could meet Purchasing’s contractual requirements. Helping to facilitate large-scale local organic College dinner nights Helping to facilitate large-scale local organic College dinner nights Assisting student organizations with outreach and educational events around local and organic food Assisting student organizations with outreach and educational events around local and organic food Engaging in the Santa Cruz Food Forum and Food Policy Working Group for the County Engaging in the Santa Cruz Food Forum and Food Policy Working Group for the County

Guidelines In May 2004, CFSWG drafted preference guidelines and goals to guide Dining Services in bringing “sustainable food” to campus dining halls. –Buy local: local food is grown within a 250-mile radius of Santa Cruz. –Buy seasonal: seasonal produce is produced locally during a given time of the year. –Buy certified organic: chemical residues on non-organic food may be harmful to human health. –Buy humanely produced animal products: humanely produced animal products are cage free, range fed, and anti- biotic free. –Buy direct: cultivating closer relationships between producer and consumer helps to eliminate middlemen, deliver more income at the farm level, and empower producers. –Buy certified fair trade: certified fair trade products are produced according to an established set of social criteria. –Buy worker supportive food products: worker supportive products are purchased from companies that incorporate one or more of the following: 1) have a unionized work force; 2) have a orientation towards social justice 3) actively seek to build the capacity of their workers

Features of a Sole Source Contract with Local Organic Farmers One entity –Alba Organics representing the Monterey Bay Organic Farming Consortium (MBOFC) One entity –Alba Organics representing the Monterey Bay Organic Farming Consortium (MBOFC) All growers in the consortium are certified organic (documented chain of custody allows produce to be tracked back to the field source) All growers in the consortium are certified organic (documented chain of custody allows produce to be tracked back to the field source) All produce offered is grown within 250 miles of Santa Cruz, primarily in the Monterey Bay Area All produce offered is grown within 250 miles of Santa Cruz, primarily in the Monterey Bay Area All 7 farms in MBOFC have agreed to a cooperative research relationship with the University. All 7 farms in MBOFC have agreed to a cooperative research relationship with the University.

Where are we now? Last year Direct Fair Trade coffee and a few organic produce items were offered in the dining halls. Last year Direct Fair Trade coffee and a few organic produce items were offered in the dining halls. This year locally grown organic produce, including apples, green beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, chard, onions, peas, and heirloom tomatoes will be served. This year locally grown organic produce, including apples, green beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, chard, onions, peas, and heirloom tomatoes will be served. A “ sole source ” contract with a local farmer ’ s collaborative we created has been delivering to campus A “ sole source ” contract with a local farmer ’ s collaborative we created has been delivering to campus Biodegradable cutlery and materials are being used Biodegradable cutlery and materials are being used A pulper machine was introduced to one of our dining halls A pulper machine was introduced to one of our dining halls With energy retrofitting Dining Services was awarded thirteen thousand dollars last summer With energy retrofitting Dining Services was awarded thirteen thousand dollars last summer FSWG sponsors many educational outreach events on campus FSWG sponsors many educational outreach events on campus We assist with the Annual County Food Forum and other community events We assist with the Annual County Food Forum and other community events

Education & Outreach College Nights College Nights Organic Taste tests Organic Taste tests Speakers/Field trips Speakers/Field trips Innovative academic curriculum programs Innovative academic curriculum programs

College Nights Linking Farmer to Chef Meetings with Dining Service Events Linking Farmer to Chef Meetings with Dining Service Events Working with College Activity and Program Offices Working with College Activity and Program Offices Planning Fun and Engaging Programs! Planning Fun and Engaging Programs!

Organic Taste Tests At Cowell & College 8 Tactile Engagement Tactile Engagement Working with Dining Halls and Activity Offices Working with Dining Halls and Activity Offices Fun and Light-hearted Fun and Light-hearted

Curricular Enrichment Courses: ESLP ART ESLP ART College 8 Core Course: Sustainability Service Projects College 8 Core Course: Sustainability Service Projects Center for Teaching Excellence Grant Center for Teaching Excellence Grant

Education for Sustainable Living Program Lecture class of 225 with 9 Action Research Teams (ARTs) Lecture class of 225 with 9 Action Research Teams (ARTs) 16 Students in the Food System ART 16 Students in the Food System ART Funding through the Campus Sustainability Council and FSWG Funding through the Campus Sustainability Council and FSWG

Course Foci We Learned about: The conventional agrifood system The conventional agrifood system Issues of pesticide drift and exposure in agriculture Issues of pesticide drift and exposure in agriculture The Organic Movement The Organic Movement And the larger Alternative Agro-food system movement And the larger Alternative Agro-food system movement

Activities of the ART Section: Organic College Nights Organic College Nights Strawberry Taste Tests Strawberry Taste Tests Farm tours: Blue Heron & Swanton Berry Farm tours: Blue Heron & Swanton Berry Food System Working Group Meetings Food System Working Group Meetings Student Food Oriented Group Meetings Student Food Oriented Group Meetings

Campus Food Systems Assessment

Project Areas of Focus: Past—labor, purchasing, waste reduction Past—labor, purchasing, waste reduction Present—purchasing/labor, student perspective, & waste reduction Present—purchasing/labor, student perspective, & waste reduction Future—What staff and students would like to see.. Future—What staff and students would like to see.. Resource—funding for future sustainability efforts. Resource—funding for future sustainability efforts.

C8 Sustainability Service Projects 355 Freshman participants 355 Freshman participants 4 Projects to select from based on the food system 4 Projects to select from based on the food system Building the capacity for “food citizenship” Building the capacity for “food citizenship”

CLEI 90 Garden Course CASFS UCSC Farm CLEI 80A Core Course CLEI80 CLEIC80A Food Systems Working Group PICA Living/Learning ENVS 91 F Agroecology ENVS 191 F Agroecology ESLP CLEI 61/161 Action Research Academic Integration and Assessment Project Team CTE Grant Food Citizenship Initiative

Food System Network for Santa Cruz Food Forum Food Forum Funding Support: Funding Support: a) Food Forum b) Santa Cruz County Food System Network Website:

What we learned Collaboration, organizing, outreach, and education were successful strategies Collaboration, organizing, outreach, and education were successful strategies Ongoing education of students and Dining Services is critical Ongoing education of students and Dining Services is critical Communication with all stakeholders is a difficult process that must be constructively addressed Communication with all stakeholders is a difficult process that must be constructively addressed Securing funding has been helpful in expanding our action steps and educational events Securing funding has been helpful in expanding our action steps and educational events

Next steps Securing UCOP support for purchase of “socially just” food and a statewide policy for purchasing, Waste reduction, and green facility standards for campus dining systems (CSSC-UC Foods). Securing UCOP support for purchase of “socially just” food and a statewide policy for purchasing, Waste reduction, and green facility standards for campus dining systems (CSSC-UC Foods). Continuing to educate meal plan holders Continuing to educate meal plan holders Addressing the costs of purchasing more sustainably produced food Addressing the costs of purchasing more sustainably produced food Continuing to work with local farmer’s collaborative, MBOFC Continuing to work with local farmer’s collaborative, MBOFC Following through with our commitment to secure direct marketing relationships with local dairies and other sustainable food suppliers with Dining Services Following through with our commitment to secure direct marketing relationships with local dairies and other sustainable food suppliers with Dining Services Cultivating a steady rise in sustainable purchasing each year as student demand for sustainable food and the capacity of local farmers to supply the University grow Cultivating a steady rise in sustainable purchasing each year as student demand for sustainable food and the capacity of local farmers to supply the University grow Looking at how we can work with campus groups who will focus on the “outputs” of the dining halls Looking at how we can work with campus groups who will focus on the “outputs” of the dining halls

Resources UC Santa Cruz Dining Services Dining_Main.html UC Santa Cruz Dining Services Dining_Main.html Dining_Main.html Dining_Main.html UCSC Food Systems Working Group _summit/FSWG.html UCSC Food Systems Working Group _summit/FSWG.html _summit/FSWG.html _summit/FSWG.html

PowerPoint produced by: Linda Wallace, UCSC Food Systems Working Group Sociology Graduate Student ( Sustainable Development) Contact info: Tim Galarneau, UCSC Food Systems Working Group CSSC Statewide Sustainable Food Systems Advisor Contact info: