California Food & Justice Coalition

:: September 2008 Newsletter ::

In This Issue
:: CFJC GROW LOCAL Workshops
:: CFJC On the Move and HIRING
:: Federal (Food and) Farm Bill Update
:: Funding Opportunities
:: Your Voice Your Vote — Getting Ready for Nov. 4th
:: The Real Food Challenge
:: Stuff Worth Reading – Reports and Books
:: In the News
:: Member Announcements – Help farmers hit by recent hurricanes, and more . . .
:: Job Opportunities

______________________________________________
It’s Time to GROW LOCAL - CFJC Workshops in November
Look for upcoming updates at http://www.CAFoodJustice.org

1. Land Access = Food Access: Securing Land for Urban Agriculture to Bring Healthy,
Affordable Food to Low-income Communities
San Francisco Bay Area, location TBA
November 15th, 2008: 9am – 5pm
Registration $20 CFJC Members/$40 non-members (scholarships available)
It’s time to grow local! Growing food in the city can increase access to healthy food, create job
and economic opportunities and build community self reliance. Securing sustained access to
land for food production is the first and one of the most important steps for almost all urban and
suburban agriculture projects. Join us for a day of information, discussion and training on how to
secure land in your community for food production aimed at increasing access for low-
income/food stamp eligible communities. Co-hosted by: the Oakland Food Connection,
People’s Grocery, Alemany Farm, Urban Tilth, Hope Collaborative, City Slickers Farms, Farm
Link, Mo Better Food & Full Circle Farm. Promotional fliers and more information about the
workshop and how to register, will available on our website soon. Contact Jessica Bell for more
details. jessicabell@cafoodjustice.org, 510 704 0245.

2. Grow Local, Grow Healthy: Increasing Access to Healthy Food For All Through Urban
Agriculture
San Bernardino / Riverside region, location TBA
Thursday, November 6th or 13th, 2008 9.30am – 4.30pm
Registration $20 CFJC members/$40 non-members (scholarships available)
Learn more about the ways urban agriculture can increase access to healthy, affordable food to
low-income communities, and generate revenue and employment opportunities for youth. Join us
for a day of information, discussion and training on how to organize urban agriculture projects in
your community. Workshop topics include: case studies of successful urban agriculture projects
that are increasing access to healthy food to low-income communities, models for getting your
healthy produce to the people that need it most. Co-hosted by: ACORN San Bernardino;
California Partnership San Bernardino; Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice, Inland
Empire; Community Benefits Department, Loma Linda University Medical Center; First
Congregational United Church of Christ; Healthy Communities, Department of Public Health and
Librería del Pueblo. Promotional fliers and more information about the workshop and how to
register, will available on our website soon. Contact Jessica Bell for more details.
jessicabell@cafoodjustice.org, 510 704 0245.

__________________________________________________
CFJC On the Move & Hiring!

The California Food and Justice Coalition (CFJC) has been a project of the national Community
Food Security Coalition (CFSC) for the last five years. With the national Coalition’s recent move
to Portland CFJC is taking on a few changes.

Of course, CFJC’s staff remained behind in CA -- Heather Fenney in Los Angeles and Jessica
Bell in Berkeley. The Berkeley office is now our primary mailing address (see new contact details
below). We are in the process of changing fiscal sponsor - starting this fall CFJC will become a
project of the Ecology Center in Berkeley http://www.ecologycenter.org. CFJC is also hiring a
director, and in the coming months will be launching a new interactive website with a new look
and new ways for our members to share resources, build relationships and take action. In the
midst of all this exciting growth and change the CFJC’s advocacy and education work continues.
We urge you to join with us, renew your membership, attend one of our upcoming workshops,
and join our advocacy committee to help develop CFJC’s future campaigns focused on increasing
access to land for food production and addressing the impact of climate change on the food
system. Thank you for your support and involvement and the work you do in your community!

New Mailing Address: 2530 San Pablo Avenue, Suite F, Berkeley, California 94702
Fax: 510-548-8896
Berkeley contact: Jessica Bell, Co-Director Office: 510-704-0245, Cell: 415-425-8837,
jessicabell@cafoodjustice.org
Los Angeles Contact: Heather Fenney, Co-Director Phone:310-591-4017
heather@cafoodjustice.org
Director Job Announcement:
http://www.foodsecurity.org/california/2008_CFJC_Director_Announcement.pdf
Call for Interns: http://www.foodsecurity.org/california/2007%20CFJC%20Intern%20Descrip.doc
Become a member: http://www.foodsecurity.org/california/CA_Join.html

________________________________________
Funding Opportunities

:: First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) is seeking §7871 organizations to

participate in a study to gather data for a report targeted at educating and informing foundations,
corporations with charitable giving programs, and the philanthropic community about §7871
organizations. Grants of $5,000 to $10,000 will be given to §7871 organizations selected to
participate. For more information visit http//www.firstnations.org. Deadline: 5:00 p.m. MST on
November 21, 2008.

:: The Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) grants program offers several
categories of grants, including: Research & Education, Farmer/Rancher, Professional/Producer
and Professional Development. SARE grants fund on-farm research, demonstration, or
educational outreach that further sustainable agriculture, rural viability, farm profitability, etc.
Grants can last up to three years. More Information: http://wsare.usu.edu/grants Deadline:
December 5, 2008.
--> Are you a producer who would like help applying for a SARE grant? Rebecca
Thistlethwaite is working with the Michael Fields Agriculture Institute to help minority farmers and
women apply for these grants. You can get assistance developing your proposal and potentially
get a grant writer to help with your application. If interested contact Rebecca at (831) 726-9618
or sustainconsulting@yahoo.com

___________________________________________________________
Your Voice Your Vote – November 4th Isn’t Far Away

November 4th is coming up fast. In addition to the presidential election CA has numerous ballot
initiatives and local elections that will be on the ballot. Your vote is a chance to voice what you
want for your community, your state, the country and beyond. Please be sure your are registered
and schedule time to act civically on the 4th. Not Registered to Vote? Register on-line at
http://sjhs.capwiz.com/election/register_vote/ (you will need to mail in your form). Deadlines to
register in CA is October 20, Remember that if you have moved recently or changed your name
or political parties, you must re-register. Learn about CA Ballot Measures:
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_2008_ballot_measures. From animal confinement
to alternative fuels, health care to law enforcement.. You’ll have a chance to speak up for what
you want on Nov 4th. So get registered, get informed and then get out to vote.

___________________________________________
Real Food Challenge

What is the Real Food Challenge (RFC): The Real Food Challenge is both a campaign and a
network. The campaign is aimed at increasing the procurement of real food on college and
university campuses. By leveraging their purchasing power college campuses can help catalyze
the transformation of the larger food system. The network offers a chance for students and their
allies (those working on the campaign along with those who've yet to sign on) to make
connections, learn from one another, and grow the movement. Goals: To redirect 20% of all food
purchased by colleges and universities (currently 4 billion dollars) towards real food by 2020.

What do they mean by Real Food: The term "real food" represents a commitment to the
multifaceted nature of this movement. Whether you are working on farm workers' rights,
advocating for more fair trade products, going organic, or forming relationships with local farmers,
we all care about one thing: a just and sustainable food system. The Real Food Challenge aims
to connect all these different parts.

RFC National Month of Action for a Just and Sustainable Food System -- September 21st-
October 21st
RFC is launching their campaign and network with a month of action where students can stand
hand in hand with farmers, farm workers, food service and allies to highlight the need for real
change in campus food around the country. To find more information about actions in your area
go to http://realfoodchallenge.org/launch-challenge. Get ideas, plan and register your action at
http://www.realfoodchallenge.org/launch-challenge.

__________________________________________________________
Stuff Worth Reading!!

:: Supply Chain Basics: The Dynamics of Change in the U.S. Food Marketing Environment.
A USDA publication discussing the changing of retail food markets in America that highlights
successful characteristics of smaller scale food producers. To get the article go to:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateU&navID=Lat
estReleases&page=Newsroom&topNav=Home&leftNav=&rightNav1=LatestReleases&rightNav2=
&resultType=Details&dDocName=STELPRDC5071231&dID=97831&wf=false&description=Repo
rt+Helps+Small+Farmers+Understand+the+Modern+Retail+Market+

:: Eat Well Guide's first publication, "Cultivating the Web: High Tech Tools for the Sustainable
Food Movement" is now available http://www.eatwellguide.org/. The Guide highlights new media
and web resources on food, farmers, and activism.

:: The Accidental American is a great book discussing the immigration policies of the United
States and its contradictions. Check out the author's blog where you can post how you became
an "Accidental American" and don't forget to check out their weekly recipe post!
http://www.accidentalamerican.us/the_book/

:: Impact of Federal Commodity Programs on School Meal Nutrition An analysis by The

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation takes a look at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's $1 billion
Child Nutrition Commodity Program and finds that many of the foods ordered by school districts
fail to meet nutritional standards. Download the full report
http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=34381&c=EMC-CA138

_________________________________
In the News

:: Good Foods are Not the Privilege of People who have Money By Amanda Witherell. A bay
area based non-profit Meals on Wheels discuss the advantages they found when they switch
from providing processed food to local fare foods.
http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=6939&catid=&volume_id=317&issue_id=392&volume_n
um=42&issue_num=47

:: A Fulfilling Graduation for Culinary Students One writer takes a 12 week intensive culinary
class through the new Culinary Social Enterprise program operated by Bay Area Community
Services. http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_10208099?IADID=Search-
www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com.

:: Reaching the Heights: "New Farmers Market promoting healthy eating in Diverse
Neighborhood" Read about CFJC members doing amazing work in San Diego. A New farmers
market has opened that makes farmer's market food available and affordable to low income and
elderly persons.
http://www.ediblesandiego.com/content/pages/articles/fall08/reachingTheHeights.pdf

:: "Food Banks Finding Aid in Bounty of Backyard" With the rise in food prices many
organizations have started to pick fruit from their local or neighborhood trees and donate to
shelters. Find out more by reading this interesting article from the New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/us/14harvest.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin

:: People should have one meat-free day a week if they want to make a personal and effective
sacrifice that would help tackle climate change, the world's leading authority on global warming
has told The Observer. Read more
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/07/food.foodanddrink

___________________________________________
Announcements

:: The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund needs financial

assistance to continue its "Relief & Recovery Project" to assist farming communities hit by recent
hurricanes. Please go to website at http://www.federation.coop to donate
:: The National Farm to Cafeteria Conference is calling for workshop and presentation
proposals: The three day conference will be discussing a wide variety of food justice issues from
distribution of food, infrastructure development, and farm to school as a "green". If you are
interested in presenting at this conference contact Marion Kalb at marion@foodsecurity.org

:: The Network for a Healthy California (Network) invites you to submit one or more abstracts
to be considered for a workshop or poster presentation at the annual statewide conference
entitled, "Inspiring Healthy Change Together." The conference will be held March 4-5, 2009 at
the Sacramento Convention Center if you have a great idea submit it here -
http://www.networkforahealthycalifornia.net/2009Conference/

:: Farm to School Champion Training at Crystal Bay Farm in Watsonville if you believe that
kids should have fresh produce at school or kids should learn about agriculture in school then this
is a great opportunity for you to get evolved. Find out how to make a difference with this one day
training opportunity at Crystal Bay Farm in Watsonville on October 18 by tickets today
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/43352

:: Please help the Ecology Center improve the EBT Farmers' Market Nutrition Project by
completing this brief survey. It will take only about 5 minutes:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=ehokWaFnuG2BZeohxKVqFg_3d_3d

________________________________________________
Job Opportunities

:: The University of California, Santa Cruz Center for Agro ecology and Sustainable Agrifood
Systems (CASFS) is accepting applications for a Sustainable Agrifood Systems Associate
Specialist. Read the posting
http://www2.ucsc.edu/ahr/academic_employment/Employment_opportunities_bulletin.htm#nonten
uretrack and scroll to the Social Science Division.

:: Ocean Son Farm and Wilderness is currently hiring a new Farm and Garden Director for
more information visit the website http://www.oceansong.org/. Send your resume and cover letter
to info@oceansong.org

:: The Richmond Children's Foundation is seeking a project coordinator to help establish the
Community Supported Agriculture Project for urban Richmond. The coordinator will have the
experience of building a local food systems and developing CSA's in the community. Interested
applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and professional references to: CSA Hiring
Committee, c/o Richmond Children's Foundation, 125 Park Place, Suite 230, Richmond, CA
94801

:: People's Grocery in Oakland is looking for a new Executive Director and paid and unpaid
interns for the fall visit http://www.peoplesgrocery.org for more details on both.

:: San Francisco Food Systems is accepting applications for a Project Manager. SFFS mission
is to ensure all residents of San Francisco to have access to nutritious food. The coordinator
would be evolved in school food and city wide food systems policy and planning. Check out the
website http://www.sffood.org contact Paula Jones at paula.jones@sfdph.org for more details.

:: Oakland Food Policy Council Coordinator Food First, the City of Oakland, and various
community-based organizations (CBOs) are collaborating to build greater food security and a
sustainable city food system. The Oakland Food Policy Council (OFPC) mission is to advance
public policies that favor locally owned neighborhood food systems to apply for the coordinator
position Please send or e-mail your resume, cover letter, and a writing sample to
conner.heidi@gmail.com. More information about Food First can be found at http://foodfirst.org
:: Literacy for Environmental Justice an organization working in San Francisco addressing the
communities concerns on ecological and health is looking for a new executive Director. To learn
more about LEJ go to their website http://www.lejyouth.org. Applicants should send a resume
and cover letter describing their qualifications and interest in the position to edjob@lejyouth.org.

:: Full Circle Farm Seeking Farm Manager Circle Farms is a new Farm located in Silicon Valley
serving the community through education and the dedication to bringing fresh local food to the
community. To learn more about circle farms and the job opportunity go to
http://www.fullcirclesunnyvale.org and to apply Please send your resume and a cover letter no
later than October 15, 2008 to Liz Snyder, Program Director liz@fullcirclesunnyvale.org

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The California Food and Justice Coalition is a statewide membership coalition committed to
the basic human right to healthy food while advancing social, agricultural and environmental
justice.
We collaborate with community-based efforts in California working to create a socially just,
ecologically
and economically sustainable food supply. We envision a California food system in which all
activities,
from farm to table, are equitable, healthful, regenerative, and community-driven.

California Food and Justice Coalition

2530 San Pablo Avenue, Suite F, Berkeley, CA 94702
LA Office: 310-591-4017
Berkeley Office: 510-704-0245
FAX: 510-548-8896
http://www.CAFoodJustice.org
email: info@CAFoodJustice.org

--
Shereen D'Souza
Director
California Food and Justice Coalition
Office: 510-704-0245
Cell: 510-332-7359
Fax: 510- 548-8896
shereen@cafoodjustice.org
2530 San Pablo Avenue, Suite F
Berkeley, California 94702

Believe in the mission. Join the the coalition. Become a member. www.cafoodjustice.org

The California Food and Justice Coalition is a statewide membership coalition that promotes the basic
human right to healthy food while advancing justice priorities.