Tania Taranovski, Director of Programs, Farm to Institution New England
Jessika Brenin, Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning, and Food & Nutrition Policy, Tufts University
"Farm to institution" represents an important lever for change in the effort to build resilient and sustainable regional food systems. Institutions, including colleges and universities, make important daily choices about food including: what food to buy, where to buy it from, if they should grow it, how much to pay for it, how much to charge for it, and how to serve it. These choices provide opportunities to promote sustainable growing practices, provide transparency in the food system, support regional economies, and increase food access & food justice. These connections have become ever more relevant due to Covid-19’s food system disruptions. What roles can (or should) institutions play in support of the regional food movement at the intersections of sustainability, resiliency, student food access, and food justice?