[BCFSN] BCFSN Newsletter ~ Annual Gathering and More!

[BCFSN]

BCFSN Newsletter ~ Annual Gathering and More! 

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May 2017 Newsletter 

Annual Gathering registration and more!

19th Annual BCFSN Gathering: Don't miss it!!

Come join movers and shakers, pollinators and connectors, convenors and change makers, thought leaders and folks who are new to food systems change
for this year’s 19th Annual BCFSN Annual Gathering, which will take place from July 14-16 on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of
the Musqueam people. 
This year’s Gathering is made possible through a partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm and the Faculty of Land and
Food Systems - don’t miss out on this opportunity to enjoy the beautiful and unique learning environment of the UBC Farm (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL3ViY2Zhcm0udWJjLmNhLw%3D%3D&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
)!
Our theme this year is Cultivating Change: Building Our Food Movement. The plenaries and sessions will focus on the various ways we are working to
advance change in our food systems and where we can better work together. We will explore opportunities to strengthen connections and alignment of
people working on food system issues across the land and waters. This Gathering presents a unique moment to take action across different levels of
expertise and worldviews to collectively work towards food systems change at community and provincial levels.
A detailed schedule will follow shortly, but sessions and workshops will include:
• Campus-community engagement for food systems change in BC
• Confronting race and difference
• Energy, climate justice and Indigenous food systems
• Engaging in the development the national food policy
• Food Policy Councils working with local government
• Increasing food access and food literacy in BC
• Mobilizing support of Indigenous food sovereignty through the Wild Salmon Caravan
• Open space sessions
• Sustain BC Collective Impact Initiative
• Tours of UBC food systems initiatives
• Youth leadership for food justice
• And more!
Registration
We’ve made every effort to keep the cost of the Gathering affordable as possible. Please go to Eventbrite (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cHM6Ly8yMDE3YmNmc25nYXRoZXJpbmcuZXZlbnRicml0ZS5jYQ%3D%3D&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
) to register. Space is limited so sign up as soon as possible - we look forward to seeing you!
Accommodations
This year free tenting is available on site at UBC Farm (you must indicate interest as you register) and other accommodations in the area can be
arranged by attendees. There are a few options on our website (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL2JjZnNuLm9yZy9hbm51YWwtZ2F0aGVyaW5nLw%3D%3D&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
)if you are looking for additional choices. Please note this is a busy time of year in Vancouver so book early.
Interested in carpooling? If you want to make arrangements with other attendees about the possibility of carpooling feel free to make use of the BCFSN
Gathering Facebook event page (click on the Facebook icon at the end of this message and select Events).
More information can be found on our website. (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL2JjZnNuLm9yZy9hbm51YWwtZ2F0aGVyaW5nLw%3D%3D&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
) If you have questions please contact Carrie at gathering at bcfsn.org ( mailto:gathering at bcfsn.org ).

BCFSN strategic planning retreat April 18-19, 2017 * Delta, BC
Left to right: Kathleen Gibson, Steering Committee (SC) Co-Chair; Abra Brynne (staff); Linda Geggie (SC Co-Chair); Colin Dring (SC); Brent Mansfield
(staff); Heather Deegan (SC); Andrew Stegemann (consultant); MC Seebohm (staff). Absent: Amanda Barney (SC); Ione Smith (SC) 

Message from our Co-Chairs

Hot weather at last indicates summer to come and with it our annual Gathering, this year at UBC Farm from July 14 to 16. We look forward to seeing a
good crowd! More information below and on our website here.
Your Steering Committee spent two days in April in focused discussion about the BC Food Systems Network: past, present, and future. We are 18 years
young this year and we continue to grow into new roles. Some words we used to describe ourselves are “emergent” and “multi-cultural
experiment.” In social change language, we understand our three key activities as building connections, facilitating alignment around key food
systems issues, and supporting focused, productive actions.
We are part of Canada’s food movement, voices of “civil society:” in other words, the people. In a global context, this voice is more important
than ever before. The BCFSN is a provincial convenor of regional and local groups in BC, and is one of the provincial-territorial organizations in
regular conversation with Food Secure Canada (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mb29kc2VjdXJlY2FuYWRhLm9yZy8%3D&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
) (FSC). The work of the food movement is to support its own development (sustainable food actions in communities) as well as to bring ideas, pilot
projects, and policy reform to other sectors in an effort to shift food systems from uniformity to diversity. Through FSC in the next few months we
will be engaged in public consultation around a National Food Policy for Canada (this was an item in the federal Minister of Agriculture’s mandate
letter). 
Local and regional governments are increasingly engaged with food system matters through Agricultural Area Plans, local action groups, or Food Policy
Councils. Members of our Steering Committee and staff have experience in this area and are actively engaged as consultants. Our work with local
governments related to sustainable food systems includes coaching sessions and a toolkit, and the development and coordination of a new Food Policy
Council (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL2NrZm9vZHBvbGljeS5jYS8%3D&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
) in the Central Kootenays. 
Since our formation in 1999 we have convened an annual Gathering of people from around BC who are committed to growing sustainable food systems. We
hold a space for important conversations about ways that food can be environmentally, culturally, socially, and economically regenerative. Over the
years we have deepened the conversation by moving the Gathering to different bioregions and traditional territories, as we undertake a journey of
reconciliation with First Nations. These efforts challenge us to rethink how we approach, talk about, and respect cultural diversity.
As well as the local government work and the Gathering, the BCFSN has been working for the last three years to build connections and common cause
(alignment) with industry and government around elements of BC food systems. We have drawn on initiatives like Vermont Farm to Plate (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL3d3dy52dGZhcm10b3BsYXRlLmNvbS8%3D&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
) as templates for this work. Thanks to the generosity of and collaboration between our major funders (Real Estate Foundation of BC, Vancity
enviroFund and Vancouver Foundation), we have participated in development of a “collective impact” initiative we have named Sustain BC. Its
ambitious goal is “Healthy, local food sustains all in BC by 2030.” It is led by a multi-sector Leadership Council; the BCFSN serves as the
coordinator (or “backbone”) of Sustain BC. 
Solid management is key for the BCFSN to coordinate the Gathering and local government work as well as to support Sustain BC. Our Steering Committee
sets the strategic direction for the organization and is responsible for planning and budgeting. Administratively, the BCFSN has been a project on
Tides Canada’s shared platform since 2014. For financial reporting, grant management and HR support we have the benefit of Tides Canada’s systems
and support team. In April we hired Marie-Claire Seebohm as Operations Manager to support Brent Mansfield as our Director. We are well supported in
project work by Abra Brynne and Andrew Stegemann and for the Gathering by Carrie James and a local volunteer committee.

Building civil society capacity to work with local government to improve community food security

The BC Food Systems Network is partnering with the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) and the healthy authorities to build the capacity of
community food security groups and food policy councils to engage effectively with their local governments. 
The purpose of this multi-year project is to provide community-based food security groups and organizations with the tools and supports needed to help
them work more effectively with local governments to address community food security. The supports offered through this project include establishing a
community of practice facilitated through videoconference sessions, providing coaching to number of communities and developing tools such as a toolkit
and webinars. A focused in-person training and several related workshop sessions will also be taking place connected to this year’s Annual
Gathering.
The objective of these various resources and activities for community-based food security leaders is to support learning and networking related to
working with local governments to improve community food security. Monthly community of practice sessions will be taking place throughout 2017.
Applications to participate are not required, but we do ask for those who participate to commit to engage as much as they are able. If you are
interested and this sounds like a good fit for you we would be excited to have you participate and would ask that you contact Abra Brynne at
abra at bcfsn.org ( mailto:abra at bcfsn.org ) to find out more.

Sustain BC is a new province-wide “collective impact (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zc2lyLm9yZy9hcnRpY2xlcy9lbnRyeS9jb2xsZWN0aXZlX2ltcGFjdA%3D%3D&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
)” initiative that brings leaders together, aligns priorities and coordinates action towards a collective ambitious goal: healthy, local food
sustains all in BC by 2030. It builds on the previous work that the BCFSN was involved in through the Sustainable Food Systems Working Group,
including the Regional Dialogues (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5yZWZiYy5jb20vbG9jYWwtZm9vZC1mdXR1cmVzLWJyaXRpc2gtY29sdW1iaWEtJUUyJTgwJTkzLXJlZ2lvbmFsLWRpYWxvZ3Vlcy1hbmQtcmVwb3J0&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
) in October 2014 and the Finding Common Ground Summit (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5yZWZiYy5jb20vbmV3cy90dXJuaW5nLXByaW9yaXRpZXMtYWN0aW9ucy1zdHJlbmd0aGVuaW5nLWJjJUUyJTgwJTk5cy1sb2NhbC1mb29kLXN5c3RlbXMjLldTaUhPY20xdWxP&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
) in May 2016, as well as the Good Food Solutions for BC project. 
Sustain BC is guided by a collective impact approach to strategic coordination founded on the recognition that no one organization or entity, however
well managed or funded, can single-handedly solve complex social and environmental issues. Instead, Sustain BC uses a collective impact approach to
convene leaders and organizations to share data, combine resources and collaborate on actions to achieve systemic change. BCFSN, serving as the
“backbone organization (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zc2lyLm9yZy9hcnRpY2xlcy9lbnRyeS91bmRlcnN0YW5kaW5nX3RoZV92YWx1ZV9vZl9iYWNrYm9uZV9vcmdhbml6YXRpb25zX2luX2NvbGxlY3RpdmVfaW1wYWN0XzE%3D&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
)” for Sustain BC, will facilitate the connection and alignment of everyone involved, enabling these organizations to either self-organize or,
formally under Sustain BC, come together into partnerships to achieve common ends.
To help ensure all actors within BC’s food systems are working towards the same impacts, Sustain BC has designed a shared measurement framework,
which, once completed, will catalyze collaboration and align efforts. In addition to working to develop the shared measurement system, pilot Action
Teams have been created.
Based on the priorities that emerged from the Finding Common Ground Summit in May 2016 and current funding priorities the two initial Sustain BC
Action Teams are ‘Farmland Protection and Production’ and ‘New Entrants’. Plans are underway to form more Action Teams to start working on
other food systems issues in the near future. Work is taking place to secure the funding and partnerships to make that possible.
More on Sustain BC and how you can get involved will be shared at the annual Gathering, as well as through new content on our website coming soon. If
you have any questions before then please reach out to Brent at director at bcfsn.org ( mailto:director at bcfsn.org ).

Indigenous Food Sovereignty 

We look forward to continuing to partner with the Working Group on Indigenous Food Sovereignty, who recently held a strategic retreat that the BCFSN
was able to help support. 

We are committed to continuing to explore how we can be allies for Indigenous food sovereignty and seek meaningful reconciliation through land and
food systems. We plan to create some space to revisit the Decolonizing Pledge (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL2JjZnNuLm9yZy8%2FZW1haWxfaWQ9MTAmYW1wO3VzZXJfaWQ9MCZhbXA7ZGVtbz0xJmFtcDt1cmxwYXNzZWQ9YUhSMGNEb3ZMMkpqWm5OdUxtOXlaeTkzY0MxamIyNTBaVzUwTDNWd2JHOWhaSE12TWpBeE5pOHdPUzlRYkdWa1oyVkdTVTVCVEM1d1pHWSUzRCZhbXA7Y29udHJvbGxlcj1zdGF0cyZhbXA7YWN0aW9uPWFuYWx5c2UmYW1wO3d5c2lqYS1wYWdlPTEmYW1wO3d5c2lqYXA9c3Vic2NyaXB0aW9ucw%3D%3D&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
) at the upcoming Gathering to continue these conversations.

The Wild Salmon Caravan (
http://bcfsn.org/?email_id=10&user_id=3&urlpassed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZmFjZWJvb2suY29tL3dpbGRzYWxtb25jYXJhdmFuLw%3D%3D&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions
) will happening this year in October and we encourage you to get involved. We are also planning to have a session at the Gathering in July to explore
how people of all cultures can demonstrate reconciliation in a colourful and creative show of our support for wild salmon, this important Indigenous
food and cultural and ecological keystone species. Another reason to come to the Gathering!

Unsubscribe (
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