What Is the Food System?
The food system is everything that is part of ensuring that people have the food they need to survive and thrive - from production through processing, distribution, consumption, and food waste management - if it involves food in some way, it is part of the food system. A functioning local food system integrates the five sectors to serve the values of enhancing the environmental, economic, social, and nutritional health of a particular place and its inhabitants.
10 Things to Know About Local Food Systems (Iowa State)
Food and Agriculture Mapper and Explorer (FAME) (eXtension)
Farm to Table: Building Local and Regional Food Systems (SARE)
Harvesting Opportunity: The Power of Regional Food System Investments to Transform Communities (St. Louis Fed)
Introduction to Local Food Systems (MU)
The Economics of Local Food Systems (pdf, USDA)
Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
Local Foods, Local Places Toolkit (pdf, EPA)
Local Food Economics (eXtension)
Strengthening Communities with Local Food (pdf, KDHE)
Urban Agriculture Best Practices and Possibilities (pdf, MU)
Kansas Local and Regional Food Systems
Many communities, counties, and regions in Kansas have already started conversations around supporting and developing their local and regional food systems. Some communities have formed councils or groups to discuss local food and farm opportunities. Other communities have completed food system assessments or plans. Below are links to existing reports that share goals, needs, challenges, and opportunities for local and regional food systems in Kansas.
What do statewide reports say about local food?
Feeding Kansas Report (KRC, 2014)
2016 Local Food and Farm Task Force Report to the Legislature (pdf, KDA, 2016)
2017 Local Food and Farm Task Force Report to the Legislature (pdf, KDA, 2017)
Special Reports on Kansas Agriculture (KDA)
Douglas County Food Policy Council - Food System Plan (2017) North Central Kansas Food Council - Regional Food System Assessment (pdf, 2017) Allen County Grow - Community Food Assessment Report (pdf, 2015)
Geary County Food Policy Council - Food System Plan (pdf, 2022)
Greater Kansas City - Envisioning a Collaborative KC Foodshed Report (pdf, 2023)
Kansas City, Kansas Healthy Food System Assessment (pdf, 2017)
Live Healthy Franklin County - Food Council Planning Grant Report (doc, 2017)
Shawnee County - Food System Assessment (2017)
Individual county reports for north central region counties are linked from the NCK Food Council page.
Eat Well Crawford County - Food Systems Assessment and Action Plan (pdf, 2015)