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Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Gain Some Peace of Mind this Winter. Legal Workshops Going Fast!

Hi Folks,

As the winter begins, many farmers and ranchers are reviewing their business structures, considering diversification options, and developing strategic marketing goals and events for the upcoming year. Wintertime offers the perfect opportunity for farmers to jumpstart another season by resolving their legal vulnerabilities. At Farm Commons we believe:

Every farmer and rancher can build legal resilience.
Every agriculture support person can help them get there.  

Beginning in just two weeks, we are offering two online interactive workshops to help you realize this vision. Reserve your spot today because tickets are going fast.

Discovering Resilience empowers farmers and ranchers with the knowledge to identify and resolve their most pressing legal vulnerabilities. Upon completing this 5-week interactive workshop you'll learn the 10 best practices of farm legal risk management, build an individualized action plan so that you can take immediate steps to build your farm's legal resiliency, and connect with other farmers going through similar situations. 

Grab a spot in our Discovering Resilience Winter 2022 session:
Wednesdays (2-4pm CST), beginning on January 5

Guiding Resilience empowers agricultural support providers to guide farmers and ranchers towards resolution of their legal vulnerabilities. Be there for them when your producers ask legal questions without creating more risk (for yourself or anyone else). This 5-week interactive workshop keeps you engaged and gives you the info you need while networking with colleagues in the field.

Grab a spot in our Guiding Resilience Winter 2022 session:
Thursdays (2-4pm CST), beginning on January 6

Workshops are a free benefit of membership. Learn about joining our farm law community with a Producer Membership or Institutional Membership so you can get full access to our extensive library of resources and support materials.

If cost is a barrier- reach out. Scholarships are available.


Not sure if these workshops are right for you? Get a taste of what you have to gain by checking out our free tip sheet on sorting out the basics of agritourism legal risks! Also, check out our tip sheet on farm insurance, as it's the primary way to address the legal risk of liability for on-farm events.

Wishing you a wonderful and safe holiday season. 
Best, 
Rachel

MIFARMTOSCHOOL is a listserv that links farm-to-school stakeholders and practitioners in Michigan, from school food service directors and school administrators to growers and distributors. Content posted to MIFARMTOSCHOOL does not necessarily reflect the views of Michigan State University or the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems.

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Winter 2022 Farmer Support/Education and Legal Workshops

Hi Folks,

As the winter begins, many farmers and ranchers are reviewing their business structures, considering diversification options, and developing strategic marketing goals and events for the upcoming year. Wintertime offers the perfect opportunity for farmers to jump start another season by resolving their legal vulnerabilities. At Farm Commons we believe: 

Every farmer and rancher can build legal resilience.
Every agriculture support person can help them get there. 

Beginning in January, we're offering two online interactive workshops to support this vision: 

Discovering Resilience: A Legal Workshop for Farmers and Ranchers
Guiding Resilience: A Legal Workshop for Ag Service Providers

Find out more details below and by clicking on the links. 

Register Today, as spaces are limited!

Discovering Resilience empowers farmers and ranchers with the knowledge to identify and resolve their most pressing legal vulnerabilities. Upon completing this 5-week interactive workshop you'll learn the 10 best practices of farm legal risk management, build an individualized action plan so that you can take immediate steps to build your farm's legal resiliency, and connect with other farmers going through similar situations. 

Grab a spot in our Discovering Resilience Winter 2022 session:
Wednesdays (2-4pm CST), beginning on January 5

Guiding Resilience empowers agricultural support providers to guide farmers and ranchers towards resolution of their legal vulnerabilities. Be there for them when your producers ask legal questions without creating more risk (for yourself or anyone else). This 5-week interactive workshop keeps you engaged and gives you the info you need while networking with colleagues in the field.

Grab a spot in our Guiding Resilience Winter 2022 session:
Thursdays (2-4pm CST), beginning on January 6

Workshops are a free benefit of membership. Learn about joining our farm law community with a Producer Membership or Institutional Membership so you can get full access to our extensive library of resources and support materials.

If cost is a barrier- reach out. Scholarships are available.

Not sure if these workshops are right for you? Get a taste of what you have to gain by checking out our free tip sheet on sorting out the basics of agritourism legal risks! Also, check out our tip sheet on farm insurance, as it's the primary way to address the legal risk of liability for on-farm events.


Thanks, 

Rachel

MIFARMTOSCHOOL is a listserv that links farm-to-school stakeholders and practitioners in Michigan, from school food service directors and school administrators to growers and distributors. Content posted to MIFARMTOSCHOOL does not necessarily reflect the views of Michigan State University or the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Season's Greetings! ❄️

cherries on a tree branch covered in ice
Season’s Greetings!
At this time of year, there is greater focus on the seasonal rhythms that shape our lives, especially amidst the pace of modern life and ongoing uncertainties of the global pandemic. 

There is comfort in knowing that we are in these seasons together, and in knowing that we are together as a community working to achieve regionally-rooted healthy, green, fair, and affordable food systems. We are grateful to be part of this community with you.  

As we approach another year’s end, we want to wish you a very happy holiday season and we hope you’ll take a moment to reflect on important things that happened in your 2021, as we share some highlights from our year.  

Values 

In early 2021, our team re-centered on the values that collectively guide us in our work. These five core values are: collaboration, shared vision, place, equity, and accountability. Please visit our About Us page to read brief descriptions of what these mean to us, what we do, and how we do it. 

People 

We have had the good fortune to welcome three new people to our team in 2021: 


Visit their pages on our website to learn more about them and what they do at CRFS. 

We also recognized Mike Hamm, Founding Director of MSU Center for Regional Food Systems, as he retired from Michigan State University in July. 

New, renewed, and ongoing partnerships and programs 

We share our gratitude for new and continued support from our funding partners in 2021. With support received this year, we are: 


We are also grateful for ongoing support that makes it possible for us to work toward health and economic development through resilient Michigan good food systems. A new Michigan Good Food Charter will be published in 2022! 

The people and organizations we work with are essential to these efforts. Follow the links above and subscribe to our newsletter to learn more about some of our many collaborations. 

The coming year 

Lastly, we would like to share that 2022 will bring a new season for us. Our director Rich Pirog will transition away from MSU in spring 2022. We are grateful to Rich for his leadership as director since 2016 and as associate director from 2011-2015. The search for a new director will begin early next year.  

We look forward to another year of high-impact programming, network-building, and collaboration in 2022. We invite you to partner with us to address the root causes that prevent people from having equitable access to healthy, affordable, and sustainably grown food. Please consider making a tax-deductible year-end gift to our general fund. 

Peace and Health,

Your friends at the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems 
EMAIL CRFS@msu.edu
CALL 517-353-3535
FOLLOW @MSUCRFS
Your gift will support a thriving economy, equity, and sustainability for Michigan, the nation, and the planet by advancing systems that produce food that is healthy, green, fair, and affordable.

Saturday, December 4, 2021

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Monday, November 29, 2021

How a network helps Michigan institutions source and serve local food

Photo credit: Matt and Emily Martin
How a network helps Michigan institutions source and serve local food
The story of how the Michigan Farm to Institution Network (MFIN) has connected food supply chain players from farmers to eaters is described in a new case study commissioned by the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems. Since 2014, MFIN has brought together farmers, food processors and food suppliers with institutions like schools, early care and education settings, colleges, and hospitals to produce, source, and serve local foods.
The Michigan Farm to Institution Network Past, Present, Future includes data about network activities and quotes from interviews with network members. The report demonstrates the value of the network and how it developed to support institutions in meeting the 2010 Michigan Good Food Charter goal that Michigan institutions source 20% of their food products from Michigan growers, producers and processors by 2020.

Individuals with a wide range of interests – including institutional food service providers, farmers, food processors and suppliers, food systems practitioners, entrepreneurs, community organizers, and students – can use this case study to learn how networks can create a space for learning, sharing and working together to help farm to institution programs grow more widely.

Six themes frame the case study:
  • Launch and Growth 
  • Leadership and Engagement 
  • Strategies 
  • Impacts 
  • Challenges 
  • MFIN Looking Forward 
Explore and share the summary and full report with your networks!

For more information, contact:  
Colleen Matts, matts@msu.edu
Lilly Fink Shapiro, finkshap@umich.edu  

This case study was commissioned by the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems and authored by an evaluation team from the University of Michigan. This work is funded by the generous support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Since its launch, the work of MFIN has been supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, the USDA Farm to School Grant Program, the Michigan Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and the Americana Foundation. 
Please help us spread the word
Forward this message and share on social media. Tag @MSUCRFS and @michiganfarmtoinstitution on Facebook and @MSUCRFS and @cultivatemi Twitter.

How a network helps get local food to eaters in Michigan’s schools, early care and education settings, colleges, and hospitals. Don’t miss this just-published story of the Michigan Farm to Institution Network from @MSUCRFS and @cultivatemi. foodsystems.msu.edu/mfin-past-present-future
EMAIL CRFS@msu.edu
CALL 517-353-3535
FOLLOW @MSUCRFS
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