Considering the What, Who, When, and Why

The latest news, resources, and opportunities from CRFS

Considering the What, Who, When, and Why “Greater than the tread of mighty armies is an idea whose time has come.” — Victor Hugo If you haven’t seen it, please check out CRFS’s 2025 Impact Report! In my introduction to last quarter's newsletter, I wondered if a comprehensive Right to Food might be the bold approach Michigan needs. As I've spoken with our communities and partners about this over the summer, I keep coming back to the classic questions of What, Who, When, and Why. Starting with the last, but possibly most important question: “Why?” In my conversations, a number of potential answers have come up, but one sticks out in particular: to ensure that when a Good Food program works, it doesn’t get cut! Looking at some of the work by CRFS and our partners—for instance, evaluation of the benefits of federal and Michigan Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Programs, or evaluation and testimony around the impactful, but still embattled, 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan's Kids and Farms program—it seems to me that a legal, or constitutional commitment to the Right to Food could help flip the script on programs like these. That is, those who want to cut programs that are found to support eaters and producers should be the ones who have to provide a justification. This could free up communities, policymakers, and researchers’ time to work on innovating and deepening, rather than defending, ways to achieve Good Food for everyone. The nitty-gritty of “What” needs to be saved for another day, but one excellent starting point for details is the example of Brazil’s 2006 Right to Food Law. Let's go back, though, to “Who?” Who is interested in a legal—or even constitutional—right to food? So far, I have found few people in CRFS’s networks who aren’t interested! This includes allies like food systems luminary Anna Lappé, who pointed us to Michigan Rep. Emily Dievendorf’s introduction of a State House resolution to make July 1 the “Right to Food Day.” Rep. Dievendorf called their resolution one step towards making Michigan the third state recognizing Food as a fundamental human right. Of course, “Who” and “Why” are often accompanied by “When?” Political scientist John Kingdon began his influential book on how major policy change happens with the question “How does an idea's time come?" There is no one simple answer, of course. But Kingdon found that a major part of the answer is when advocates, researchers, and policymakers start spontaneously and explicitly using the same paradigm. A paradigm, perhaps, like the Right to Food... Food, as it were, for thought. Jahi Support CRFS' continued resilience! Your tax-deductible gift will help us support communities to realize their own food system visions. Give Our Year in Review 2025 CRFS Impact Report "We look forward to continuing to build, and dream, and to realize justice, in community with all of you."  - Dr. Jahi Johnson-Chappell Check out our highlights, pivots, and long-lasting partnerships from the last year, as well as insights into what's next for our organization!  Read more Reflections on 10 years of “An Annotated Bibliography on Structural Racism Present in the U.S. Food System”  This paper, published within the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, is a reflective essay from CRFS on 10 years of writing and updating An Annotated Bibliography on Structural Racism Present in the U.S. Food System. Read more Local Food Purchase Assistance Impact Report A Preliminary Assessment of the LFPA Program The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program allocated up to $400 million in funds for states and other entities to buy and distribute local domestic foods. This report explores the impacts of this program from June 2022-December 2024.  This resource was made possible through a collaboration of a project team with members from across the country and was funded through a cooperative agreement with United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service.  Read more Producing a Value-Added Product on the Farm Liquid Honey, Meat, Poultry, and Eggs Producing a value-added product on your farm can be a great way to generate additional revenue. These brief sheets synthesize Michigan labeling requirements, food safety and available resources.   This project was created in partnership by CRFS, MSU Product Center, MSU Extension, and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).   Read more The Latest Good Work Takes Time: The Living Impact of MSU Center for Regional Food Systems CRFS continues to evolve to achieve our vision of just, regenerative, and sovereign food systems. Look back at some of our continued efforts that aim to transform regional food systems to support generations to come!  Rolling the Dice: Exploring Advocacy Campaigns through Policy Quest  Policy Quest brought together food policy council members to play out advocacy actions in an interactive activity. This event was presented by the Equitable Community Food Assessment Cohort, hosted through the Michigan Local Food Council Network.  MDARD highlights local growers at Farmers Market at the Capitol, unveils Good Food for Michigan Pledge  MDARD director, food and farm advocates join institutions working to bring more local food to schools, hospitals through new Good Food for Michigan initiative. This project is a partnership between MDARD, the Center for Good Food Purchasing and CRFS.  Stepping Stones: Accelerator spaces create economic growth opportunities for packaged food makers Get to know Julius Buzzard, Executive Director of Growing Hope. Learn how Julius and his team are creating an opportunity for food manufacturing in Ypsilanti.  Michigan Organizations Receive Funding to Strengthen Local School Food System through Innovation Hub  Five Michigan organizations will receive grant awards up to $200,000 per year from the Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub to expand access to local, healthy, and delicious food in schools.  Exploring the Roots: The Origins of the Michigan Farm to School and Early Care Network  Launched in 2026, the Michigan Farm to School and Early Care Network brings together years of work to support programs and people that buy local food, grow gardens, and teach children about food and farming. Dig into the history of this network!  Read more news and stories here.

Upcoming Events Register here! Growing Resilience: How Food Policy Councils Build Civic Engagement and Community Well-Being  September 25, 2026, 2 - 3:30pm East Lansing, MI In this book talk, author Nessa Richman will share practical strategies and actionable, research-based tools for building equitable, resilient local food systems from her new book, Food Policy Councils: Building Civic Engagement and Community Well-Being (Routledge, 2026). Register here! The Time is Now! Targeted Local Food Systems Investments and Infrastructure: Producing Measurable Impacts for Farmers and Communities October 8, 2026, 9 - 10:30am ET Virtual Local and regional food system infrastructure strengthens community access to healthy food even through global food disruptions and food safety concerns. Join CRFS and MSU Department of Community Sustainability to learn how the implications of recent investments in local food infrastructure created momentum for local food supply chains. Register here! Selling to Local Food Markets: A Webinar Series for Farmers Wednesdays, October 7 - November 18 Virtual Michigan's Emerging Farmers, in partnership with the CRFS, MSU Extension, and Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS), is hosting a seven-week webinar series designed to help emerging farmers build the knowledge, skills, and connections needed to access new and expanded markets. All sessions will be recorded and shared. Register here! Food as Medicine for People and the Planet MiCCA's 3rd Annual Climate and Health Event October 2, 2026, 8:30am - 4pm ET East Lansing, MI Join the Michigan Clinicians for Climate Action (MiCCA) for their upcoming event focused on Food as Medicine. Food as Medicine is a healthcare framework that integrates nutritious, high-quality food into clinical care, recognizing its role in preventing, managing, and treating disease. CRFS Director, Jahi Johnson-Chappell will be the keynote speaker at this event! Explore more upcoming events here.

Out of Office with CRFS CRFS Celebrates Good Food for Michigan! CRFS team members attended the Farmers Market at the Capitol and Good Food for Michigan Press Conference on July 28, 2026.  Pictured (from left to right): Emma Beauchamp, Lindsey Scalera, Jahi Johnson-Chappell, Jazmin Bolan-Williamson, Jude Barry, Jamie Rahrig, Rachel Kelly, and Ali Farra On July 28, 2026, MDARD Director Tim Boring joined food and farm advocates and school officials to announce the Good Food for Michigan Pledge at the Farmers Market at the Capitol hosted by the Michigan Farmers Market Association. This pledge encourages farmers to sell their products to local schools, hospitals and other institutions and boosts interest among those institutions in purchasing locally grown food. Lindsey Scalera, Assistant Director of Policy at CRFS, spoke during the press conference on potential impact of investing local and regional food systems at the event, “When we talk about Good Food in Michigan, we are talking about farmers, food businesses, institutions, communities, and advocates working together to build a food system that serves everyone. For more than a decade, the Michigan Good Food Charter has provided a shared vision for that work—The Charter calls on all of us to build a food system where food is accessible to everyone, supports healthy communities, is produced using fair and environmentally sustainable practices, and contributes to a diverse and equitable society,” Scalera said. “The Good Food for Michigan Project and pledge offers a new way to turn those values into action and demonstrate broad support for purchasing practices that benefit Michigan communities.”    The Good Food for Michigan Project is a partnership between Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Center for Good Food Purchasing and CRFS.

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