15. October 2018 · Comments Off on 2018 BCFSN Gathering and Network Update · Categories: Uncategorized

October 15th 2018

It is with heavy hearts that we announce that the 2018 BCFSN Gathering will not be happening as we have focused staff time and volunteer energy to successfully transitioning Sustain BC. It was decided that we could not do both the Sustain BC project and host/coordinate a Gathering. Limited time, people (staff and volunteers) and money were a strong factor in our decision. We apologize to folks for the lack of communication. The situation continues to be challenging, but we are doing our best to move forward.

As part of this forward movement, we have decided to pull back from the coordination and facilitation of Sustain BC. Instead we will be prioritizing our efforts to building a movement in BC for fair and sustainable food and agriculture. In April 2018, the Steering Committee and BCFSN staff came together to discuss the future of the network. We identified as a priority for the network to address inequities with growing, accessing, and working with food, and the loss of control over food and foodlands in BC. With this new direction, we propose that the BCFSN directs its energy towards addressing the challenge of fair and just BC food and foodlands.

Key efforts of the network will be:

i) To bring attention and understanding of structural inequities within food and agricultural systems in BC
ii) To skill BC actors in organizing, mobilizing knowledge, and working to decolonize their own practices and institutions
iii) To amplify and strengthen voices across BC that call for a fair and sustainable food system

We know how important the Gathering is to many food system and foodland actors across the province. Our goal is to ensure that the 20th Anniversary of the BCFSN Gathering goes ahead for 2019. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Consider contributing and supporting our work. We are looking to recruit volunteers with lived experience or self-identified expertise in:
⇒ Anti-oppression
⇒ Decolonization
⇒ Movement building
⇒ Equity education
⇒ Planning with a focus on radical change, compassion, or healing trauma
⇒ Organizing

Finally, we wanted to acknowledge the efforts of our ancestors, those who have come before, those in the here and now, who have contributed their time, sweat, and tears to the BCFSN and building this movement. Please consider supporting this movement for a fair and just food system.