San Mateo County FSA Blossoms
The San Mateo County Food System Alliance has been breaking ground for the Food System Alliance movement since its formation in November 2006. As the first Food System Alliance in California, the group has sought to bring together all the parts of the San Mateo County food system into a cohesive group capable of creating an ever healthier and more vibrant local food economy.
Throughout 2007 the group worked hard to hear and understand the very different perspectives on food and farming in the County from the views of “coast-side” farmers and fishermen to “bay-side” community service workers struggling against poverty and obesity. This is the first Alliance in California to seat both the County’s Agricultural Commissioner and its Public Health Officer, creating an unprecedented opportunity to link local food production to healthy citizens.
In its first year of operation the group developed its constitution and implemented an effort to get San Mateo County’s Mayor to sign-on an appeal for US Farm Bill Reform. As the group enters its 2nd full year of operation it has set three areas where it wants to focus its efforts:
- Promoting integrated health and nutrition education programs at all local elementary schools.
- Enhancing the connection between local producers and large institutional buyers of food.
- Encouraging increased local food production by looking at land use patterns in the County.
The San Mateo FSA is a new model for how citizens can get involved with making the County a great place to live, work, and eat for everyone.
Alliance Mourns Passing of Jack Olsen
In May 2010, the San Mateo Food System Alliance lost a strong member and supporter, Jack Olsen. Through his role as Executive Administrator of the San Mateo County Farm Bureau, he was able to provide important contributions to the viability and health of agriculture in the region. His presence will be deeply missed.