1. Berea College Local Food Initiative A Campus Environmental Policy Committee Green Steps Forum

2. The mission of the Berea College Local Food Initiative is to promote the participation of Berea College in the development of a sustainable food system. Local Food Initiative (LFI) Mission Statement

3. Our goals are: to understand and foster the ecological, economic, social, and spiritual components of a sustainable food network; to promote understanding by Berea College students, faculty, and staff of the sources of their food, thereby increasing appreciation of fresh, local foods; to increase the purchase of locally grown foods for all of Berea Colleges dining facilities; to encourage campus use of College Farm and Garden products; and to provide new marketing opportunities for local growers. Local Food Initiative (LFI) Mission Statement

4. The word "local" represents: the proximity of the growers, processors, and eaters, an informed concern for the long-term health of the ecosystems and people involved, and a celebration of local and regional nature and culture.

5. Local means a commitment to local resources first, then state, regional, and national resources.

6. LF I Preliminary Goals Explore the feasibility/desirability of purchasing a greater portion of Berea Colleges foods for campus use (Boone Tavern, Food Service, Crossroads Café) from local/regional farmers and food processors. Engage in research and learning to prepare a report on findings and recommendations with respect to local food initiatives at Berea College and the surrounding community. Stage some on-campus "local food" occasions for raising awareness and provoking discussion of the benefits and requirements of a vibrant and responsible local food system in the Berea area.

7. Preliminary Research Objectives Learn about the experience of other colleges and universities with local food projects Develop baseline information about campus food sources Understand any liability or contractual issues associated with Berea College's purchase and use of foods from local/regional growers and processors Explore the opportunities and challenges associated with Berea College farms, gardens, and greenhouses providing foods for College use Explore the opportunities and challenges for Boone Tavern, Crossroads Café, and Food Service managers and workers in moving toward greater reliance on local growers for seasonably available foods Learn about the circumstances, needs, and potential of off-campus local/regional growers and processors Learn about the experience of other local food initiatives in Kentucky Estimate the costs and benefits of various local food initiatives

8. w Colleges and Universities with Local Food Projects Bates College Bowdoin College Carleton College (benchmark for BC) Dartmouth College Hendrix College Johnson College St. Bonaventure College St. Olaf College (benchmark for BC) Sterling College University of New Hampshire University of Northern Iowa Warren Wilson College Yale University (Berkeley College)

9. Dining Services: Pursues bulk purchasing opportunities, favors environmentally sensitive companies and presents bulk foods to diners whenever possible Has an informal co-op of local farmers that supplies a portion of its needs and provides a consolidated billing system for delivery Established a formal local Maine buyers group, known as the Farm Fresh Initiative in 2001 Rents cleaning cloths, aprons and uniforms through a company which deals with garment manufacturers with fair employment practices From: http://www.bates.edu/x57492.xmlhttp://www.bates.edu/x57492.xml

10. Overcoming Obstacles Aesthetics: the colleges local produce has been comparable or superior to conventional produce Uniformity: Diners…may…expect the uniformity in size and shape…but there have been no such complaints at Bates Cost: Bates runs its own food service and has therefore been able to absorb Higher initial costs for local, organically grown foods … Composting, recycling, and other waste reduction efforts help offset nominal cost increases. Taste: the produce is … fresher, healtherier, more flavorful, and can ripen before beling delivered... From Ecodemia: Campus Environmental Stewardship at the Turn of the 21 st Century, Dining Services pp. 90-92

11. Warren Wilson College Farm: Sustainable 275-acre mixed-crop, livestock farm with student labor Cowpie Café: student-initiated, student-run food establishment begun in January 2002 and managed by Sodexho Field to Fork Lecture Series: faculty, staff and community people talk about food issues Sustainable In-Dorm Cuisine: shows students how to make healthy food in a dorm setting Composting: All food, all non- diseased plant waste and most paper scraps are composted on campus for use in the WWC Garden. Work Colleges Consortium Member

12. Food preservation including root cellaring, canning, and freezing in order to extend the availability of garden produce Beyond WWC garden produce, most other produce is from a small local distributor but totally conventional and often from very far away A local cooperative of over 20 farmers sells to the area, but their produce is often cost prohibitive, and Sodexho is very cost conscious Challenges/Learning Opportunities Data entry and information accumulation What to do in the winter once the garden shuts down Greenhouses allow for extended crop seasons and cultivation of native wildflowers and grasses used for landscaping on campus and in the greater community

13. From: http://www.yale.edu/sustainablefood/

14. Per-plate costs at Berkeley were 1.5 times higher than other Yale colleges The dining services recipe for granola … is cheaper than buying bulk granola. Now Berkeley makes it for all Yale colleges. Students and dining hall staff would never go back Challenges included learning how to prepare in-season foods for large numbers and the time and labor that goes along with cutting, peeling, etc of vegetables that usually came prepared in large bags.

15. Key Campus People to Consult & Resources to Consider Agriculture & Natural Resources – Sean Clark – Mike Panciera Berea College Farms, Gardens, & Greenhouse Campus Environmental Policies Committee Debbie Brock, EPG The Green Team Stephanie Browner, Dean of the Faculty Lori Briscoe Pennington, Appalachian Center Danielle Capillo, HEAL Child and Family Studies Department Betty Hibler, CELTS Peter Hille, Brushy Fork Institute Sustainability & Environmental Studies – Richard Olson – Jim Dontje Diane Kerby, Business and Administration Randall Roberts, Convocations Alina Strand, International Center Employees of Food Service, Crossroads Café, and Boone Tavern involved in food preparation, serving, & waste processing La Vida Nueva Student Government Association Judge Wilson, Berea College General Counsel Gail Wolford, Labor & Student Life OTHERS?

16. Off-campus Resources for Local Food Initiatives Berea Farmers Market Bon Appétit Management Company Community Farm Alliance County Extension Agents Food Alliance Kentucky Department of Agriculture – Farm to Schools Program Kentucky Department of Parks – State Park Program Kentucky Sustainable Agriculture Community MCAT/MERJ Market Partners for Family Farms – Mobile Processing Unit – Restaurant Rewards Richmond Farmers Market Sustainable Mountain Agriculture Center OTHERS?

17. Steering Committee Members Steve Boyce, Retired Faculty Member 986-9210, CPO 1713, or boyces@berea.edu Tammy Clemons, Executive Assistant to the President Ext. 3524, CPO 2182, or clemonst@berea.educlemonst@berea.edu Josh Eckman, Gen. Manager of Food Service/Boone Tavern Ext. 3610 CPO 2143, or eckmanj@berea.edu Leslie Ferguson, SENS House Director Ext. 4559, CPO 429, or fergusonl@berea.edu Andrew Oles, Agriculture Major Ext. 6371, CPO 1182, or olesa@berea.edu Cheyenne Oldham, Major Gifts Officer Ext. 3016, CPO 2216, or oldhamc@berea.edu