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Policy
There is state and federal financial support for and policies that encourage local food systems development, planning and capacity building because Missouri citizens and policy-makers understand the benefits of locally produced foods.
Outcomes, Indicators and Evaluation
| Indicators for Evaluation |
Evaluation of Progress |
| Outcome 11: Increased capacity of Missouri citizens to create change in their communities through public policy campaign development.
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| 15 stories in newsletters, local newspapers, TV and radio stations support food security policy proposals. |
- 4 news articles on policy directions for the state sustainable agriculture and farmers' market nutrition programs ran in St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield and Columbia.
- Distributed over 4,000 copies of "Our Position on Livestock, Rural Communities and the Economy" to individuals and all Missouri state legislators.
- Mailed action alerts to 1,600 livestock producers asking them to call for full funding and nationwide implementation of the Conservation Security Program and a federal rule that would reward farmers for using meaningful conservation and stewardship practices on working farmland.
- 15 media outlets covered workshop, field day and press releases on accessing Federal conservation programs to diversify farming operations. Annual Report 0607)
- As a result of the “mapping” of local food organizations, health advocates and school food services performed by project staff in Kansas City, a Cornucopia Forum that brought together 120 attendees to connect agriculture, nutrition, dietetics and educators was held in November. This forum, in partnership with KC Healthy Kids, focused on sharing ideas and finding ways to collaborate on local food systems and nutrition in the Kansas City Area. (Annual Report 0607)
- MRCC created and co-produced a documentary called Farming Is My Life, which depicts the negative impacts of industrialized agriculture on farm families, their communities and the environment. (MRCC 0708)
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| Outcome 12: Increased knowledge among policy-makers about the benefits of locally produced foods that leads to the adoption and implementation of policies that support community food systems.
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| 50 legislators support food security policy initiatives at the state and local levels.
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- Identified and built relationships with 28 state-level policy makers around the issues of local food, nutrition and sustainable ag. (Annual Report 0506)
- Created sufficient pressure from independent family farmers and consumers to get the “Sustainable Agriculture and Local Foods Initiative” (SB 504) introduced in the 2007 legislative session. SB 504 was a comprehensive bill that would provide technical and financial assistance programs to small farms and agribusinesses in order to enhance opportunities for the production, sale, and distribution of their agricultural products to institutions and underserved, low-income communities. This initiative would also promote the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program; create the “Missouri Farm-to-Cafeteria Program”, and the “Beginning and Transitioning Farmer Program”. Lastly, SB 504 would have created a Missouri-branding program which would assist small farms and agribusinesses market and distribute their agricultural products within the state. We were able to generate strong bi-partisan support in order to get the bill voted out of the Senate Ag Committee. (Annual Report 0607)
- Identified and built/strengthened relationships with 46 state-level policy makers around the issues of local food, nutrition and sustainable agriculture. (MRCC 0708)
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| Outcome 13: Increased state and federal financial support for community-based food systems development, planning and capacity building.
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| Increased amount of actual local, state and federal dollars spent supporting these projects.
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- $ 36,912 was raised to help with the program (STL Q4-0405).
- 1 philanthropic organization is coordinating with the Show-Me Local Food program and will be supplementing staff salary for 3 months to develop a 'map' of existing and potential local-food resources in the KC area. (KC Q3-0506)
- 2 farmers were awarded USDA SARE grants for $6,000. (KC Q3-0506)
- Leveraged $73,000 from USDA to increase access to high quality, locally raised food to low-income, rural Missouri citizens. (Annual Report 0506)
- Led efforts to preserve Missouri’s Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP). The budget proposal is $32,000 from the state’s general revenue, and a proposal to the federal government for $80,000 in matching funds. (Annual Report 0506)
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