The North American Food Systems Network is a professional association of people working to strengthen their local & regional food systems.
We bring together practitioners, researchers, educators, advocates and students engaged in community-based food systems work. Our members include food hub workers, farm-to-school managers, value chain coordinators, food justice organizers, farm service providers, agricultural researchers, Extension staff, food policy council members, regional planners, and food systems consultants. NAFSN supports a range of professional development opportunities, including training, tools, a jobs board, career coaching, and communities of practice. Read on to learn what we’ve been working on and where you can join in! Go ahead: push all our buttons ;) |
Donations to NAFSN help assure that affordable professional development remains available to all community food systems practitioners and advocates.
Our new platform, Every.org, makes giving easy by accepting a wide variety of payment methods. |
| NEW MEMBER ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM! |
NAFSN has adopted a new platform called "Circle" to make networking and engagement more effective for all members.
Members received an invitation to join the platform this month!
Gobs of appreciation to NAFSN Leadership Member Vivian Le for bravely spearheading this initiative.
And hugs to NAFSN Co-Director Natalie Cruz for manifesting a vision for what our community of food systems professionals can be. |
|
|
As fellow food systems practitioners, we acknowledge challenges that many of you have faced in the wake of political decisions with profound impacts on much of our collective work.
Our commitment to support those who work for more just, equitable, healthful, economically viable, community-driven food systems remains steadfast. READ OUR PURPOSE STATEMENT |
|
|
FEATURED FOOD SYSTEMS STUDENT |
JEFFREY XUE
This quarter, we celebrate the work of one of our work-study students, Jeffrey Xue! Jeffrey is a third-year student in the departments of Food Science and Global Development at Cornell University. He has been a student employee of NAFSN since August 2024, originally supporting our CARAT program.
He now serves as producer and host of our popular Finding Your Future in Food Systems (FYFFS) series. FYFFS concluded its 8th season in Spring 2025, and Jeffrey is close to announcing the next round of speaker for our 9th season in Fall 2025! Jeffrey will also add long-form, pre-recorded episodes of FYFFS this year, focused on "Redefining Business" within the sustainable food space, both domestically and internationally. Thanks to FarmWise Indiana for sponsoring the Fall 2025 season! |
| |
|
FEATURED COLLABORATION
The Food Finance Institute (FFI) helps food and farm businesses thrive at every stage through finance-forward training, coaching, and consulting. By working with food-focused entrepreneurs, organizational leaders, consultants, and a broad network of organizational partners, FFI seeks to strengthen the entire food and farm ecosystem. Its expert-led training programs help food brand, farm, and food system enterprises achieve financial sustainability and drive growth.
FFI offers a 20% discount to NAFSN members for select live, virtual trainings. |
| |
|
| FEATURED TRAINING
ACRE (AgriCluster Resilience & Expansion) helps farmers and their partners across a value chain team up to solve shared challenges and build stronger, more resilient food systems.
The ACRE Facilitator Training provides instruction specifically designed for food and agriculture professionals to facilitate the ACRE Process with farmers and other community stakeholders. The course is asynchronous, composed of 18 short videos and quizzes, and can be completed in about 10 hours.
Course graduates are also invited to join the ACRE Community of Practice.
Attend a free ACRE Information to learn more. The ACRE Facilitator Training is free for NAFSN members. |
|
|
FEATURED RESOURCE
The Community & Agriculture Resilience Audit Tool (CARAT) helps community stakeholders assess how they currently utilize the assets of their local food system to achieve a substantial level of community resilience. CARAT measures the resources within a food system via 101 indicators to determine possible next steps to increase community resiliency and food sovereignty. NAFSN is supporting a cohort of 12 communities throughout the US to complete a CARAT audit in 2025. We are honored to be working with this cohort representing communities in OR, NJ, ND/MN, IN, OH, CA, AZ, PA, NE and MD.
CARAT is open-access and free to use. |
| |
|
| FEATURED NETWORKING TOOL
NAFSN launched its open-source Community Food Systems Consultants Directory to help community-based organizations find and hire consultants with the specific expertise they need. We also intend to build a network of consultants to increase connectivity, collaboration and opportunity among those with experience supporting community food systems development. |
|
|
"I am looking for ways to grow my consulting business. North American Food System Network seems like a very relevant place
to be listed for my expertise.” - participating consultant |
|
|
| FEATURED FOOD SYSTEMS RESEARCHER |
“Feeding the Mission: Dr Charise Breeden-Balaam On Food Insecurity, Purpose, and Power”
written by Akayla Green
With a heart for service and a voice for the unheard, Dr. Charise Breeden-Balaam transforms research into advocacy and struggle into strategy. For Dr. Breeden-Balaam, the fight for food justice isn’t theoretical. It’s personal, purposeful, and rooted in the stories of students she refuses to let go unheard.
A committed scholar, social worker, and community voice, Dr. Breeden-Balaam brings the full force of her expertise, lived experience, and servant heart to the issue of food insecurity in college students. From her role as Field Director for the Social Work Program at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, to her roots in community-based activism and research, her mission is crystal clear: serve those most overlooked, and serve them well.
|
|
|
LEADERSHIP LEGACY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |
DEBRA TROPP
This Spring, the Thomas A. Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture & Food Systems - NAFSN's sister project - recognized Debra Tropp for the instrumental role she played in developing the Community & Agriculture Resilience Audit Tool (CARAT). For this monumental effort she was conferred the Award for Excellence in Leadership.
We are so grateful to have Debbie as a member of NAFSN's Leadership Circle and honor her tireless efforts to inspire more and more localities to conduct a CARAT audit of their own communities' resilience from a food and agricultural perspective. Debbie is shown here with fellow food systems professional Tyler Yarbrough, Project Manager for Partnership for a Healthier America, at the Community Food Systems Conference in Portland, OR, in June. |
| |
|
| NATALIE CRUZ NAFSN's Co-Director, Natalie Cruz, was honored as one of New York City’s 40 Under 40 who are working to transform the food system in 2025!
Sponsored by the Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center, honorees include policymakers, educators, community advocates, farmers and innovators who are making significant strides to create healthier, more sustainable food environments and to use food to promote community and economic development. Read about Natalie and other honorees here. ABOUT NATALIE: One word you would use to describe our food system: Tireless
Food policy hero: José Andrés
Your breakfast this morning: Homemade oat milk latte and honey turkey grilled cheese
Favorite food: Crispy french fries – I can’t resist!
Favorite last meal on Earth: My aunt’s sancocho with white rice on the side
Favorite food hangout and why: I love any cafe with stellar coffee/pastries and that has outdoor seating where I can people watch. |
|
|
SAVE THE DATES FOR OUR 9TH SEASON ... COMING SOON |
|
|
|
Save the dates for the Fall 2025 episodes of our popular series "Finding Your Future in Food Systems": Sep 3, Oct 8, Nov 5,
& Dec 3, 2025. Speakers announced soon!
Past episodes are now available in podcast form! |
|
|
WITH APPRECIATION FOR OUR
ORGANIZATIONAL SPONSORS THIS YEAR |
|
|
| | | Ideas? We're here for you! Vivian Le NAFSN Productions Chair
Ari Lipsman Wendy Bongjoh NAFSN News Editors |
|
|
The North American Food Systems Network is a project of the Center for Transformative Action (CTA), an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization affiliated with Cornell University, located on the original land of the Gayogohó:no’ (Cayuga) Nation.
We encourage you to read about the bold social justice stance that CTA brings to its role as fiscal sponsor. |
| |
|
|
