The Food System + You
For well over twenty years, Seven Valleys Health Coalition (SVHC) has held a vision that all individuals are empowered to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. In the past decade, SVHC has placed a strong focus on improving the local food system as a way to increase the well-being of Cortland's community members and uphold that vision.
So why the food system? And what is a "food system" anyways?
The term “food system” means the interconnected web of activities, inputs, movements, and outcomes, involving the production, processing, transport, and consumption of all things food.
The food system includes aspects you may think of like:
You (the eater!)
Your local farmer
Grocery stores
But it also includes important elements like:
Food transportation and storage
Food laws, certifications, and agreements (these can be at the local, state, or national level)
Your cultural food heritage (holidays, food staples, etc.)
Disposal (food waste)
Creating and processing (those potato chips don't make themselves!)
Food pantries or no-cost grocery stops
The visual above gives you a quick glance at the parts of a food system. As you may have noticed, there are not many aspects of life that are not impacted by the food system — we both eat to live and live to eat as human beings!
For SVHC, it is important to continue to create, be a part of, and provide leadership for a sustainable and equitable food system so that we continue to support and increase the health of both the individual and the community.
Looking to learn more or get involved?
As far as the food system goes, there are so many aspects and activities, you are almost guaranteed to find at least one thing to get excited about or be interested in.
Here are just a few things that occur in Cortland County, and that SVHC is a part of, that you may want to be a part of, too!
Cortland Food Project
The Cortland Food Project (CFP) is a multi-disciplinary group which services as the food policy council for Cortland County and collaborates with community members and partners of the local food system to advocate for and support policies and actions that promote a healthy population, social equity, economic revitalization, and environmental stewardship. You can learn more about CFP here.
Hunger Coalition
As a subcommittee of the Cortland Food Project, the Hunger Coalition is a collaborative approach to assessing and addressing hunger and exists to engage and support stakeholders to ensure all community members have access to equitable and nutritious foods. To learn more about this committee, click here.
Food Policy
As a subcommittee of the Cortland Food Project, Food Policy aims to identify and prioritize food system issues and make recommendations that promote, support, and strengthen local food in our community. To join or learn more about this subcommittee, please click here.
Volunteer or learn more about a local food pantry.
Locate a food pantry near you by going here.
Volunteer or support Seven Valleys Food Rescue
Seven Valleys Food Rescue (SVFR) picks-up excess healthy food from local food donors across Cortland County and delivers it to local organizations and community programs that feed food-insecure community members. You learn more about SVFR, including how to become a volunteer, here.
Join or support a community garden
To find a community garden near you, click here.
Join or support Farm to School work happening locally
Check out this news release about the new Farm to School initiative happening in 2023. Feel free to email Adrianne Traub for more info or to get involved!
Shop small, buy (groceries) local
Purchasing food items closer to home can help to create a better environment, support the local economic structure, and reduce food waste. To connect with a local producer (farmer) or locate a food retail store that sells local food items, check out the Cortland County Local Foods Map or BuylocalfoodNY.org.
