Lincoln, Neb. —The third annual Nebraska Regional Food Systems Summit will take place via Zoom Feb. 8-11. The annual summit, hosted by Nebraska Extension, is intended for anyone interested in access to local food and building resilience in the Nebraska food system.
All Nebraskans, no matter what their role, need to know what is going on and coordinate with others from across the food systems, said Vanessa Wielenga, assistant extension educator for food access. Nebraska Extension’s Regional Foods Initiative works to connect people and organizations working in the Nebraska food system, and the annual summit is a key part of building those connections.
In the past, the summit has attracted farmers, ranchers, food processors, grocery distributors, health professionals, educators and more. Wielenga hopes those who attend gain a more holistic understanding of growing and sourcing local foods in Nebraska.
The Nebraska Regional Food Systems Initiative Summit will be held via Zoom. Participants have the option to sign up for each session individually. Participation is free. The schedule is as follows:
Feb. 8
- 1 – 3 p.m.: Food System Equity
Feb. 10
- 9 – 11 a.m.: Feeding the Future with Farm to School
- 1 – 3 p.m.: Food Access
Feb. 11
- 9 – 11 a.m.: Climate Resilient Agricultural Practices
- 1 – 3 p.m.: Sustainability
Sessions will host featured speakers which will be announced at a later date. Those interested in seeking updates should sign up here.
“The Food System is a big place and some of the best people in the program focus on one thing,” said Vanessa Wielenga, assistant Extension educator in food access. “We hope that everyone can find one session they are passionate about and interested in.”
To learn more about the upcoming summit, visit foodsystems.unl.edu/2021-summit.