Food policy council in Yuba-Sutter will connect farmers with consumers
Blue zones are identified as places around the world where people tend to be healthier and live longer, usually reaching age 100.
The Blue Zones Project has a goal of bringing that longevity to other parts of the world, including the Yuba-Sutter area. Their next endeavor is the launch of a new food policy council to bridge the gap between local farmers and consumers.
"You go to the supermarket and you buy whatever is on the shelf. Most of it is processed and pre-packaged, but even most of the produce and meat is coming from long distances," said Steven Dambeck, a farmer and member of the Yuba Sutter Food Policy Council. "The food policy council is the missing piece right now."
Their official launch will take place next week. Spearheaded by the Blue Zones Project Yuba Sutter, their goal is to make sure anyone and everyone has access to nutritious, local food while educating and growing the economy.
"We have a large population of people who are disadvantaged and they don't have access to fresh produce. And we have food deserts. We're trying to address those gaps," said Marni Sanders, executive director of the Blue Zones Project Yuba Sutter.
"The problem is we don't have local markets," Dambeck said.
Part of the council's initiative includes coming up with a food distribution system that will benefit both farmers and consumers.
"I don't count on people to get up in the morning and visit three different farms to get the three different vegetables they need for dinner. We need to build a food hall where people can come directly to purchase their things," Dambeck said.
"We have all these small farmers who are running very small businesses and it's hard to make ends meet," Sanders said. "And when we can make that connection with our local community and local farmers, we're really helping to build a thriving economy for Yuba-Sutter."
Comprised of 16 members, the council will break off into committees to focus more closely on specific goals and needs.
"We need to get the kids eating local food all the time, every day at lunch," Dambeck said. "We need the hospitals to be serving healthy food and then encourage the restaurants and retail stores to also buy that food."
The official launch of the council and the release of their strategic plan will happen on Tuesday next week in the Harvest Room at 5:30 p.m. They encourage the community to come by.