community community by JOANE WINTER In 2009, when I first wrote a report on the state of Napa County’s food system, there were a number of groups working on food-related issues, including farming, nutrition, food safety, housing for farm workers, the restaurant industry, disposal of food waste and everything in between. Yet few were acknowledging their connection and working together. Fortunately, Dave Whitmer, Napa County’s Agricultural Commissioner for the last twenty years, had a vision to unify the stakeholders of this system. In the spring of 2010, Whitmer led a collaboration of county officials and representatives from social services, nutrition and the farm industry at the first Napa Local Food Forum. More than two hundred residents gathered to discuss such issues as Napa County’s obesity epidemic, the need to stabilize the wine industry’s farmworker population through food farming, the viability of producing food in a winegrowing region, sourcing food from local producers for restaurants, schools, food banks and other institutions, and changes to school lunches. Out of this enthusiasm, the Napa County Local Food Advisory Council (the “food council”) was born. Over the last two years, the food council has: • Highlighted the work of organizations like Frog’s Leap Winery, whose garden employees use to feed their families, and Community Action Napa 54 www. n A PAVA L L E Y L I F E magaz ine . c o m Valley (CAN-V)’s culinary training program, which provides food sector employment training to underprivileged Napa residents. • Acted as a hub to connect organizations such as St. John’s Mission Farm, which has provided fresh produce to the Napa Valley Food Bank, and to nutrition classes for low-income residents (the latter initially founded in partnership with the Housing Authority and Queen of the Valley Hospital). The council also connects growers and buyers, like the chefs and farmers partnered at the food council’s first annual Food Day celebration. • Proposed policies to support safe bee-keeping, as well as a commonsense process for small growers to sell to stores and restaurants while maintaining public health standards. The Ag Commissioner’s office also held discussions on the Cottage Food Bill, which now allows small-scale food entrepreneurs to sell foods they have processed in their home kitchens. • Educated the public about food issues, joining with the Community Alliance for Family Farmers on their “buy local” campaign, creating better market opportunities for growers (leading to two new local Community Supported Agriculture farms), and supporting nutrition education in the community and schools to deal with obesity and diabetes. Whitmer, who is retiring at the end of this year, sums up the council’s work by saying, “We’ve given people a new voice.” Farmers who are not grape growers now have a place they can seek help, and there is now a central source where advocates from the various food system sectors can connect with one another. The food council intends build a website to act as a hub for everyone interested in our local food. The food council is a valuable hub for information and activity, but it isn’t the only source of progress in Napa’s food system. Other activities include: i t t a k e s a t o f e e d a In just three years, Napa County’s food system has united to serve the people, farmers and businesses of our county Napa County Agricultural Commissioner Dave Whitmer
NVLife_JulyAug_2013
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