How to Optimize Local Food Tracking Systems to Meet Procurement Goals

The Evaluation and Tracking Working Group of the Farm and Sea to Campus Network is pleased to host a forum focused on local food tracking systems on campuses. We know from FINE’s Campus Dining Survey that nearly all colleges and universities in New England plan to increase their local food purchases in the next year. Despite this, a surprising number of campuses, nearly a third, do not have a tracking system in place. Those institutions that are tracking local food procurement use a variety of systems, tools, and indicators. In this forum, Michael Leviton of Region FoodWorks and the FSCN Evaluation and Tracking Co-Chair will share findings from a recent report on data management systems, produced by FINE and the FSCN.

Speakers Jamie Moore of Eat N’ Park Hospitality Group (which provides food service management for colleges and universities across the country) and Garett DiStefano of University of Massachusetts Amherst will present on how and why they track local food and how they use the information they collect to meet food procurement goals. Speakers and attendees will discuss opportunities and challenges they encounter in their tracking efforts, as well as tools and best practices available to meet our shared goals of increasing institutional local food procurement.

Speakers

Jamie Moore

Director of Sourcing and Sustainability, Eat N’ Park Hospitality Group

Garett DiStefano

Director of Residential Dining Service, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Michael Leviton

CEO, Region FoodWorks and Co-Chair of the Farm and Sea to Campus Network’s Evaluation and Tracking Working Group

MODERATOR

Tania Taranovski

Director of Programs, Farm to Institution New England