[BCFSN] BCFSN News from the community & foodscape ~ June 2016

[Abra Brynne]

Hello all,
please see below for the latest newsletter from the Network, with updates
on the Gathering, news from the Wild Salmon Caravan and the work of the
Sustainable Food Systems Working Group.
in good food,
Abra

Abra Brynne
Director, Engagement & Policy
BC Food Systems Network
abra at bcfsn.org
Ph: 250.352.5342 // mobile: 250.777.2480
Skype: abra.brynne
www.bcfsn.org

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News from the community & foodscape
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18th Annual BCFSN Gathering: Don't miss it!!

The 18th annual Gathering of the Network is fast approaching and has a
wonderful lineup of speakers and workshops. The event will take place at
the world-famous En’owkin Centre
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in Penticton, on the traditional territory of the Sylix people, July 15
through 17th.

 We are honoured this year to have En’owkin Centre founder Dr Jeannette
Armstrong speak at our opening plenary, accompanied by Anna Warwick Sears
of the Okanagan Basin Water Board, Dawn Morrison, Director of the Working
Group on Indigenous Food Sovereignty, and Abra Brynne of the BCFSN.

 The workshops include a range of stimulating and informative sessions,
from a discussion of migrant labour on BC farms, to the ins and outs of
collaborating with local government, sessions on seeds and on
permaculture.  In keeping with the Network’s commitment to building just
relationships with the first people’s of this place called British
Columbia, the schedule will feature Indigenous speakers and content that
will help us along the path to decolonizing our practice.

 As usual, one of the most important elements of our yearly Gatherings will
be the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and meet new allies and
collaborators in our work to build thriving food systems across the
province. On friday evening we will be celebrating two important elders who
passed away earlier this year: Network founder Cathleen Kneen and Secwepemc
Elder, Wiliam Jones 'Wolverine' Ignace.

Children are welcome and are an important reminder of why we do this work.
Childcare will be provided free of charge during the day.

 If you have not yet registered, please consider joining us. This year
tenting is available on site but other accommodations are up to
participants to arrange in the area.  Please note that space is limited and
registration will close July 7th. More information can be found on our
website.
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[image: En'owkin Centre website]
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Wild Salmon Caravan

The Wild Salmon Caravan was an epic journey filled with highly spirited
artistic and cultural experiences as we traveled from the headwaters of the
Fraser River to the Salish Seas Corridor on June 6 – 11, 2016. The caravan
brought together hundreds of Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists,
fisheries and food systems advocates, coalitions, and communities to
celebrate the spirit of wild salmon through the arts and culture. Following
the leadership of Dawn Morrison (Working Group on Indigenous Food
Sovereignty) and Stó:lõ Elder, the caravan visited 10 Indigenous
communities along the shores of the Fraser River.

 The caravan required several months of planning the travel itinerary and
logistics for overnight camping stays, and extensive outreach to plan,
promote, and observe cultural protocols in ancient ceremonies, and feasts
in inter-tribal relationships where the strength of wild salmon fisheries
knowledge and practices lie. Regional planning teams in Vancouver and
Kamloops organized time, space, logistics, and programs for fundraising
concerts and gala dinners, parades, storytelling, poetry, musical
performances, and arts build workshops. Some performers included the
Melawmen Collective, David Allan, Fara Palmer and Sister Clan, George
Manuel Jr (Wake Up song), Kalilah Rampenen, Ta'Kaiya Blaney and many more.

 Traditional singing and drumming, ceremonies, and camping were offered in
some of the most ancient fishing villages along the Fraser River system,
and the caravaners enjoyed multiple feasts consisting of wild salmon and
large amounts of fresh and organic food donated by many generous farmers
and organizations. In addition to the many in kind contributions given so
freely by individuals, communities, and organizations, the caravan was made
possible by financial support from the First Nations Health Authority and
many individuals who donated to our crowdfunding campaign. A complete
listing of donors and financial sponsors can be found on the Wild Salmon
Caravan website
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.

We are grateful for the generous hospitality of the 10 Indigenous host
communities, as well as the planning team members who came together from
various backgrounds, cultural groups, and organizations. Collaboration and
partnerships with key members helped to ensure the caravan was made highly
visible in public spaces. On behalf of the BC Food Systems Network, Working
Group on Indigenous Food Sovereignty, we are looking forward to planning
the Wild Salmon Caravan 2017, where we will build on the existing
relationships to increase public engagement and call on people of all
cultures to demonstrate meaningful truth and reconciliation in a colourful
and creative show of our love for wild salmon, our most important
Indigenous food and cultural and ecological keystone species.
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Finding Common Ground Toward Local & Sustainable Food Systems

Over the past two years the BC Food Systems Network has been working with a
number of key partners through the Sustainable Food Systems Working Group
(SFSWG) to advance local and systems in BC. The SFSWG is made up of the BC
Food Systems Network, Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives
(CRFAIR), FarmFolk CityFolk, Institute for Sustainable Food Systems at
Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Real Estate Foundation of BC, Vancity and
the Vancouver Foundation. For the past year BCFSN Director has been one of
the Working Group’s co-chairs. Activities since the fall of 2014 have
included hosting six Regional Dialogues
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numerous webinars (including one on April 21, 2016
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with the Director of the Vermont Farm to Plate Network), and most recently
hosting the Finding Common Ground Summit.

On May 4 and 5 leaders from leaders from across BC’s agrifood sector
gathered for the Finding Common Ground Summit in Vancouver. Three focus
areas were chosen based on their alignment between the province-wide
priority areas for action identified through the Regional Dialogues and key
related actions from the BC Agrifood and Seafood Strategic Growth Plan
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which was released by the province in December 2015. At the two-day Summit,
participants shared their knowledge and created action plans around these
three focus areas:

• Increasing production through protecting and increasing access to
agricultural land.

• Training and support for new entrants.

• Building domestic markets through institutional procurement and local
value chains.

Planning committee members identified five outcomes for 2018 related to the
3 focus areas to be used as a guide in the co-creation of actions plans:

• The provincial government, local governments and other agencies are
working together to encourage land use planning, assessment regulations and
bylaws that support increased production on agricultural land.

• Together, academia, NGOs, industry and government offer (and communicate
about) education, training and extension opportunities that support new
entrants.

• New entrants have support to access the land and financing needed for a
successful business.

• A suite of services supports local producers of fresh and processed food
to get their products to the domestic market.

• Select public sector institutions have begun pilot projects to implement
and measure buy-local food purchasing policies.

To read more about the detailed action plans and other aspects of the
Summit, please see the Finding Common Ground 2016 Summit Report
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.

 The BCFSN and the SFSWG are committed to exploring how we can support the
advancement the action plans towards shared goals for food systems change.
Some examples include:

• Facilitate the bridging of relationships, sectors, partnerships and actors

• Convene and coordinate for collective action

• Mobilize resources, e.g. funding, research, and coordination

 We will continue to engage BCFSN members and partners around these and
other priority areas related to the Good Food Solutions for BC project
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.
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