Solano Local Food System Alliance

Join or renew your Alliance membership here

The Solano Local Food System Alliance includes a wide variety of stakeholders committed to fulfilling the mission of creating an environmentally sustainable, economically viable, socially just and equitable local food system in Solano County.

The Solano Local Food System Alliance meets quarterly on the first Thursday of the month, usually at 4 pm. An executive committee of Alliance members meet monthly to move the work forward between the quarterly meetings of the full Alliance.

Alliance members represent various organizations and agencies that work within the local food system. Interested in representing your organization on the Solano Local Food System Alliance? Read more below about the goals and benefits of being a member of the Alliance, then fill out this form.

Alliance Goals

• Participate in Solano County’s ag planning representing the Alliance and the strategies / values the Alliance stands for
• Increase the Alliance’s participation in the California Food Policy Council
• Develop talking points for Alliance members based on the strategic direction
• Develop a shared document where Alliance members can share major accomplishments toward the Alliance’s local food system vision that can be used to create an impact report
• Work actively to engage farmers through listening sessions where they can share insight on topics that will guide the Alliance’s work during the year
• Develop the Alliance logo and other promotional materials
• Provide space for stakeholders to discuss and respond to current events and issues relevant to the Alliance’s strategic direction
• Continue with education for the Alliance and hosting educational forums

Playlist of Educational Presentations

Long-term/Overarching benefits of the Alliance’s work

• Improved quality of life
• Preserving open space, ag land and supporting farmers
• Better nutrition and health outcomes
• Better environment and economy

Benefits of serving on the Alliance

● Networking
● Expanding knowledge
● Connection with the issues and others involved in the local food system
● Being part of the solution — working as a group to fix the local food system
● Being part of a coalition to effect systems change
● Playing a role in achieving long-term benefits

Responsibilities of serving on the Alliance

● Sharing data/knowledge/insight
● Participating in a feedback loop to bring information back to the Alliance
● Bringing what you’ve learned from the Alliance back to your organization
● Challenging the status quo, being bold
● Recruiting (especially to fill knowledge gaps on the Alliance)
● Reading and contributing to the Local Food Bites
● Attending meetings
● Persistence

Solano Local Food System Alliance Members

Learn more about Alliance members here

Mary Ann Buggs, Co-Founder and Administrative Director, Faith Food Fridays

Gabie Carne, Community Member

Robin Cox, Senior Health Services Manager, Solano Public Health

Janae Crawford, Food Purchasing Coordinator, Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano

Leslie Daughtery, Program Analyst, CalFresh

Louise Dawson, Restaurant Program Manager, Northern CA SBDC Network

Rema El-Mahmoud, CalFresh Healthy Living Program Director, FANNS Committee Chair, Solano County

Gail Feenstra, Director SAREP, UC ANR

Whitney Galindo, Nutrition Program Manager, Catholic Charities of Yolo Solano

John Healy, Vallejo Nutritional Services Manager, Kaiser Permanente

Olivia Henry, Regional Food Systems Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension

Mike Ioakimedes, Community Member

Ron Kane, Community Member

Kristin Kiesel, Assistant Professor of Teaching Agricultural and Resource Economics, Agricultural & Resource Economics Dept., UC Davis

Ed King, Agricultural Commissioner, Solano County

Teri Knight, District Conservationist, USDA-NRCS

Maggie Kolk, Board of Directors, Sustainable Solano

Rose Loveall, Farmer, Morningsun Herb Farm

Ben & Denise Lyons, Farmers, Lockewood Acres

Marta McFarland, Community Member

Jahniah McGill, Environmental Health Supervisor, Solano County

Elizabeth Monteadora, Community Local Food Advisory Board

Lisa Murray, Marketing, Pleasants Valley Agriculture Association

Tim Murrill, Director, Solano SBDC

Lisa Núñez-Hancock, Culinary Arts Instructor

Heather Pierini, Director, Food is Free Solano

Paula Schnese, Board President, Cultivate Community Food Co-Op

Kimber Smith, Community Member

Krechona Westbrook, Community Local Food Advisory Board

Priscilla Yeaney, Assistant Agricultural Commissioner, Solano County