Buying Local: Community Preferences for Local Food

Apr 29, 2026

By Sustainable Solano

What does “organic” mean to you? How about “local”? How should farmers and other food producers communicate the direct benefits of local food to communities?

These labels and their interpretation have been part of ongoing research around consumer habits when it comes to food purchases, and most recently are part of a study by UC Davis in partnership with Sustainable Solano here in Solano County. This study’s preliminary findings for Solano residents and consumer behavior in general around local food were part of a recent presentation and forum hosted by the Solano Local Food System Alliance.

The Solano Local Food System Alliance is dedicated to supporting an environmentally sustainable, economically viable, socially just and equitable local food system in Solano County. The Alliance brings together a variety of stakeholders, organizations and agencies that work within the local food system, from producers to retailers to food access providers. An important part of the Alliance’s work is education. It holds regular educational forums to learn more about topics that intersect with the local food system.

On April 9, the topic was about what leads consumers to make purchasing decisions around local food. For example, information alone won’t make a difference in buying habits, but experiencing freshness does. So increasing access and opportunities to experience local food can lead to increased purchases.

Alliance member and UC Davis professor Kristin Kiesel and PhD student Hyunjung Lee presented findings from surveys and a retail experiment that show what affects consumer preferences and purchasing decisions in the county. Sustainable Solano will use the research to shape marketing and messaging strategies that can increase community awareness about local food, farmers and food producers.

You can watch the presentation and discussion in the video below. Those interested can fill out this form to request the complete data analysis from the research when it is available.

You can view the slides from the presentation here. Due to some technical issues the slides in the video may be difficult to view. It may be easier for some viewers to open the slides separately while listening to the video presentation.

All About Agritourism

Oct 29, 2025

By Stephanie Oelsligle Jordan, Local Food program manager

While purchasing crops and products from local farms is an important part of supporting our local food system, it is only one way to support the work and livelihood of local farmers. Another way is agritourism, which puts farms and farmers face-to-face with community members who can grow to know them.

Agritourism can take a lot of forms. Some examples include a u-pick, farm dinner, farm tour, harvest event, etc. Small and mid-sized farmers are utilizing agritourism more and more to supplement their income as farmers and help make ends meet.

The Solano Local Food System Alliance is dedicated to supporting an environmentally sustainable, economically viable, socially just and equitable local food system in Solano County. The Alliance brings together a variety of stakeholders, organizations and agencies that work within the local food system, from producers to retailers to food access providers. An important part of the Alliance’s work is education. It holds regular educational forums to learn more about topics that intersect with the local food system.

On Oct. 2, the topic was agritourism. In Solano County, the Suisun Valley region has been employing agritourism for many years, but other regions have not. The Alliance wanted to understand more — what agritourism is, how it can benefit farmers, its economic impacts and best practices from around the region.

The Alliance invited Rachael Callahan, Statewide Agritourism Coordinator for UC SAREP (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program), and Olivia Henry, UC Cooperative Extension‘s Regional Food Systems Advisor, to address these questions during the online forum, which you can watch in the video above. Also included is a short interview with Lisa Howard, owner and winemaker of Tolenas Winery, who explained how agritourism began in Suisun Valley and the benefits it has for growers in the region today.

Agritourism Resources

Click on the links below for additional resources on agritourism

Introducing the new Solano Local Food System Alliance Logo

Apr 25, 2025

By Stephanie Oelsligle Jordan, Local Food Program Manager

The Solano Local Food System Alliance has a new logo!

The Alliance Steering Committee began this process about a year ago in collaboration with a graphic designer to enhance our presence in the county (and among other food policy councils) and provide a brand for when we engage in advocacy, policy work and send statements to outside groups.

The Alliance is a coalition of diverse organizations that believe in our mission of creating an environmentally regenerative, economically viable and socially just local food system in Solano County.

First was a brainstorming session with words, ideas and images that come to mind when we think of Solano County, which was a challenge because Solano County is so geographically diverse, with open spaces, water access, cities and farms. Then the real work began, to reflect an additional layer of images that would represent the local food system.

The Alliance examined logos from other regional/national food policy councils and advocacy groups for inspiration and ideas. Steering committee members then reviewed multiple versions of the logo to lead to the final design.

The final design incorporates farms and ranches, rural and urban, land and water, with a spirit of cooperation to build a strong and healthy local food system in Solano County.

About the Solano Local Food System Alliance

The Solano Local Food System Alliance includes a wide variety of stakeholders that work within the local food system in Solano County. Sustainable Solano is a member of the Alliance and the backbone administrative organization for its work.

Learn more about the Alliance here

Nourishing Solano County: A Collaborative Vision for Medically Tailored Meals

Oct 25, 2023

By Noah Galgan, Program Manager

Stakeholders meet to discuss how medically tailored meals could work in Solano County

In an era where the healthcare landscape is constantly evolving, the concept of “food as medicine” is gaining traction. The notion that the right diet can be pivotal in preventing and managing chronic illnesses is a scientifically proven fact. A group of Solano County stakeholders is bringing this knowledge to bear on an exciting journey to nourish health through medically tailored meals (MTM).

At its core, an MTM initiative in Solano County revolves around the idea that providing individuals with carefully crafted, nutritionally sound meals can have a profound impact on their well-being and support recovery from serious illnesses. These meals are not just about sustenance; they are about empowerment, about offering individuals the tools they need to take control of their health.

MTM initiatives are gaining traction all over the United States. We have seen many great examples of what MTM could look like through the dedicated work of groups such as the Food is Medicine Coalition. The coalition is an association of nonprofit medically tailored food and nutrition service providers that supports research-based interventions, advances public policy, promotes efficacy research for nutrition services, and shares best practices in providing medically tailored meals. This provided a foundation to build upon, and this is where we started the conversation in Solano County. The Solano Local Food System Alliance hosted an insightful educational panel on medically tailored meals back in February, with speakers from the Ceres Community Project and Project Open Hand. From this panel, the Solano MTM initiative gained a foundational understanding of what medically tailored meals are and opened the door for further discussion.

Solano County Ecosystem of Care

A medically tailored meals program has yet to be fully established in the county, but initiatives are already underway. A diverse group of stakeholders from various sectors have rallied together, all driven by a shared vision. In late April, the group came together to discuss the vision of an ecosystem of care. We realized it is not just about the healthcare providers or the chefs creating the meals — it’s about everyone coming together, recognizing the vital role they can play in this ecosystem, and understanding that they collectively have the power to make an impact. We also realized how complex the legal and logistical framework is for this vision, since it involves insurance, patient privacy, strict healthcare regulations, ingredient sourcing, meal production and delivery, and supporting services. Some of the community stakeholders that have joined the initiative so far are listed below.

  • Healthcare Providers and Administration
    • Solano County Public Health
    • Touro University
  • Culinary Experts, Chefs, and Meal Providers
    • Meals on Wheels Solano County
    • Thistle
  • Local Farmers, Food Suppliers, and Transportation
    • Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
    • Food is Free Bay Area 
  • Collaboration, Coordination, and Policy
    • Sustainable Solano
    • Innovative Health Solutions
    • 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. Many of these MTM stakeholders are also Alliance members)
    • The Food Agriculture and Nutrition Network of Solano County (FANNS)

Ecosystem Updates

Thistle – President Shiri Avnery said Thistle is beginning a fourth round of producing medically tailored meals in partnership with Kaiser Permanente for an MTM pilot study. The pilots are a 12-week whole-person care model that seeks to include wrap-around services such as nutrition consults and regular wellness check-ins. Thistle is interested in continuing to be a local meal provider for MTM and would like to participate in more pilot studies to help with development and collaboration for the logistics of an MTM program. One area of discussion is navigating the higher price points of Thistle meals that aim to be whole-food, plant-based meals from California growers. There is an opportunity for meal delivery outsourcing within the county as this would help reduce costs per meal for patients. Also, is there potential for a patient-selected tiered pricing model, where patients can choose a standard plan (covered by insurance) or premium plan (an added cost per meal beyond what insurance would cover). Cultural preferences for MTM is a tension point, and some recipients who are not used to a plant-based diet may find these meals unappealing.

Meals on Wheels Solano County – Executive Director Laurie Hartmann offered an exciting update on a local and state level regarding Meals on Wheels. MOWSC has been in the process of building a new production facility and is ready to break ground after acquiring all necessary funding. The new facility will be on Union Avenue in Fairfield, and scheduled for completion in spring 2024. With this new facility, they intend to include a small-scale commercial kitchen for use by community partners, such as Sustainable Solano for youth culinary instruction. On a much larger scale, Laurie shared about the upcoming work of Meals on Wheels California in the MTM space. MOWCA hosted a learning collaborative with all MOW program directors around MTM initiatives. There is a high probability MOWCA could become a one-stop-shop MTM wraparound service provider for healthcare providers and would potentially distribute administrative roles to leading regional agencies such as Solano County (NorCal Lead). This effort within the MTM space could start as early fall 2024.

Innovative Health Solutions (IHS) – Founding CEO and CFO Norma Lisenko shared an update on the work IHS has been doing and will be doing in the coming months around medically tailored meals. The team is currently wrapping up a 12-week MTM pilot with La Clinica Vallejo, which provided 50 community participants with weekly ready-made meals made by Provisions. While we look forward to the final report from this pilot toward the end of this year, Norma shared the importance of access to culturally relevant prepared foods. All the hard work that goes into a meal to be carefully prepared and transported can end up going to waste if people don’t like the food they are eating. IHS is set to receive additional funding through the Solano County Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) to further its MTM efforts over the coming months through a 12-week pilot program focused on maternal health.

Food is Free Bay Area – Through the work of Heather Pierini and Alma Munoz, FIFBA has participated in two separate MTM pilots for IHS. FIFBA actively participated in both pilots in a transportation provider role for MTM meals and grocery boxes. The first pilot was the 12-week program at La Clinica Vallejo for 50 participants: the team provided distribution of refrigerated meals prepared by Provisions and custom weekly grocery boxes to the La Clinica Vallejo distribution site. The second IHS pilot is a 12-week MTM program with Partnership HealthPlan of California, in which ready-made meals were picked up from Thistle and delivered to participants’ homes twice a week, alongside packed grocery boxes. Heather shared that the biggest hurdle in these pilots was creating the necessary logistical infrastructure, including a delivery/logistics app for drivers, a food safety program through the FDA recommendations, food storage/movement equipment for the bagged/boxed foods, limitations of eco-friendly packaging (compostable cardboard packaging was not sturdy enough for participants to carry home). She also shared about their efforts to find a better participant-tracking system for participant meal selection, allergies, and delivery weeks.

Sustainable Solano – Sustainable Solano continues supporting the foundation for medically tailored meals in Solano County through stakeholder meetings and creating an action plan. Sustainable Solano will continue the collaborative work to form an ecosystem of care amidst community stakeholders and clarify roles of each stakeholder in the emerging vision.  Besides the ecosystem’s coordination role, Sustainable Solano sees its participation in the MTM vision through public education programs, especially targeting youth, which can help prevent diet-related illnesses in the future. They continue their public education efforts through monthly cooking classes focused on healthy local food and are set to receive funding under the Solano County Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) for three youth wellness internship cohorts. These internships aim to educate Solano County youth about health and wellness through culinary and garden exploration.

Food for Thought

The beauty of collaborative efforts lies not only in celebrating successes but also in collectively addressing the challenges encountered along the way. We have discovered some thought-provoking areas that merit thoughtful consideration:

  • Exploration of the healthcare administration role (HIPPA compliance for patient records, billing, etc.) and capability to operate in the role.
  • How to generate access to additional pilot programs that foster collaboration and open feedback loops through diverse funding channels.
  • Exploration of providing health-forward meals that honor diverse cultural palates.

    These topics will likely be central to an upcoming virtual collaborative meeting around MTM in early January, as well as other topics offered by the partners working together on this process. We invite those interested who see a role for their organizations in these efforts to  reach out to Noah Galgan at noah@sustainablesolano.org to share more about your interest and what you can contribute to the conversation.

    A Step in the Right Direction

    This is just the beginning of fostering an ecosystem of care in Solano County. We are beyond excited to continue in this work and advocate for community-based collaborations for the good of the whole. Each community stakeholder brings a unique perspective and a passionate commitment to this initiative, and together, they are forging a path toward a healthier future for Solano County.

     

    Influencing Local Land Use Comes Down to Making Your Voice Heard

    Nov 28, 2022

    By Sustainable Solano

    Ag land near Vacaville / Photo credit: Ken Lund, Flickr

    When it comes to how land is put to use in your community — whether rural or urban — it is important to remember that each local citizen has a voice and that those voices can influence government decisions around planning and zoning.

    Experts on planning and land use discussed how to be informed and take action around such decisions at the Rural & Urban Land Use: Planning, Zoning & the Local Food System event on Nov. 3 hosted by the Solano Local Food System Alliance. The online event started with keynote speaker Dr. Catherine Brinkley with the Center for Regional Change at UC Davis, and a panel that included Solano County Planning Manager Allan Calder, Solano Land Trust’s Tracy Ellison, and Vacaville Senior Planner Tyra Hays. You can watch the video of the event below.

    While the topics covered were wide-ranging, several highlights emerged.

    During her keynote, Brinkley talked about the importance of looking at where similar zoning and planning decisions have been in effect and also analyzing where the gaps exist. This is difficult because city and county general plans have not been kept in a central location and, when they can be found on government websites, they are not always easy to search for the particular land use that is being researched.

    “Not all plans are in the same place,” she said. “You can’t Google ‘I’d like a recipe for food security’ the way you do for pumpkin pie.”

    That’s why the Center for Regional Change has been collecting general plans and creating a database that can be searched for keywords that will help to cut through the dense text of general plans. Searches show when the plans were created and can help to see if nearby jurisdictions are doing something similar or if a municipality might be the first to have an innovative policy in place. This can support everything from community advocacy to supporting general plan updates.

    In the local food system, this might mean searching agricultural plans that affect policies and purchasing, development rights, or greenbelts in agricultural areas; looking at food equity policies; or exploring urban growth boundaries. You can learn more about the database here.

    Another part of influencing the planning process around the food system is making sure you are involved. This is true for citizens of any age — even if you’re not yet old enough to vote, you can make your voice heard to influence planning decisions. Sometimes what it takes is showing up.

    Hayes recommends speaking with city council members or bringing forth a proposal around planning issues. It can be involving yourself in general plan update meetings and land use discussions. Having interested residents who support an idea helps greatly, she said.

    Calder said there are often technical or citizens advisory committees involved in shaping new plans, and these are opportunities to participate as a citizen in planning and zoning updates.

    The panel also touched on hot topics including urban agriculture/community gardens; the use of prime ag land for greenhouse growing; agritourism; and foreign entities buying local farmland.

    Interested in learning more about the local food system? The Solano Local Food System Alliance holds public educational events every quarter to address different topics that affect local food. The 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. You can learn more about the Alliance here.

    Vallejo Food Rescue Project Promotes Community Collaboration to Share Information, Resources, Food

    Jun 23, 2022

    By Sustainable Solano

    The Vallejo Food Rescue Project had its official launch meeting in early June at Loma Vista Farm, bringing together people from organizations involved in current food rescue and distribution operations in the city and seeking guidance on how to streamline and shape food rescue efforts in Vallejo.

    “So much of what we do is not about lifting a box of food,” Food is Free Solano Executive Director Heather Pierini said. “It’s about getting food to people in need.”

    The Vallejo Food Rescue Project seeks to do just that in a pilot project that could serve as a model for elsewhere in the county — perhaps elsewhere in the state and nation.

    Starting the meeting in the shade of the large tree that centers the entrance to the educational farm and surrounded by pollinator and native plants, the attendees acknowledged the indigenous stewards of the land’s history and shared about their own work in the food system. Organizations represented at the meeting included the Islamic Center of Vallejo; Emmanuel Arms Community Inc., the nonprofit arm of Emmanuel Temple Apostolic Church; Catholic Charities of Yolo-Solano; and Vallejo Together.

    Many related how the need for food has grown in the community and they could serve many more people if they had more access to food for distribution. Food pantries quickly empty out, and hundreds of people show up for meals or to pick up food.

    Heather noted that the meeting brought together a diverse group of individuals and organizations. Each of these groups can reach different communities, and it’s important to make sure resources are spread out so that people feel they have someone to reach out to, she said.

    The Vallejo Food Rescue Project is a joint effort between Food is Free Solano and Sustainable Solano under a grant from the Office of Environmental Justice at the EPA. It seeks to support current efforts by creating a network of organizations and individuals and develop an app that can be used to streamline the giving and receiving of excess food within the city. The app is being developed by Kim Quach of FreeBites.

    The project is using a collaborative problem-solving approach under EPA guidance.

    “The people doing the work actually design the solution,” said Lauren Gucik, the SuSol program manager involved in the project.

    That’s why it was important to have this first meeting with selected stakeholders. Upcoming meetings will be open to the general public and involve more wide-ranging discussion around how the Vallejo community can share food between institutions, organizations and individuals.

    The issue is two-fold: The state is now requiring that excess food go first to people, then animals, then compost to keep food waste out of landfills. There is also an increased need for food, with hunger rising sharply in the county during the pandemic. Organizations that seek to distribute food run into myriad challenges, from restaurants that are hesitant to donate food due to liability concerns to not having enough ways to get information out to people about the food distribution and other services they are offering. The Vallejo Food Rescue Project seeks to address that by increasing collaboration, food security, better health for our communities and a reduction in landfill waste, said Cristal Gallegos with Food is Free Solano.

    A big part of that is the app, which the group discussed. Kim developed FreeBites while a student at UC Davis. She witnessed first-hand how food was often thrown away after university-catered events, while at the same time there were students who were hungry on campus. She created the app as a direct response to this and to help bridge the disconnect. As part of this project, she’s further developing the app to help with the logistics and build community around food sharing.

    The app will allow posting of surplus food, create a map that shows available food resources based on distance, and match donors and recipients.

    Heather likened the use of the app to the way someone might post an item on Facebook Marketplace. It’s a way to share what is available locally with those who might be interested. But through using filters, those donating food and those receiving it are able to narrow down who gets the notifications. So if a caterer has 30 extra meals, their post would go only to those organizations that have said they could take that many meals and distribute them properly.

    “That right there takes me five texts,” Heather said. By shortening the communication chain through the app, the process can become easier and more efficient.

    The excitement and interest around the app was apparent as the group discussed what support they could use. But something else was also going on during the meeting — connections were happening within the room.

    “I’d like to acknowledge the collaboration happening here,” Cristal said, noting how when the meeting started people were talking about how they didn’t know what each other’s organizations offered, and now that they had shared and did know, they were already seeking ways to work together.

    By the end of the meeting, people were inviting each other to come volunteer and observe their distribution events and to find other ways to connect. They said they left feeling hopeful, optimistic, informed and energetic and that doors were opening and help was on the way.

    The project will be working on a prototype of the app through the end of July. At the next meeting, on Wednesday, Aug. 17, members of the food rescue community and the general public will be asked for feedback on the app and the possibilities and challenges they foresee.

    Vallejo Food Rescue Project Community Meeting

    The next VFRP community meeting will be Aug. 17 at the John F. Kennedy Library at 505 Santa Clara St. in Vallejo. The meeting will be an opportunity to learn more about the project and the app.

    More details will be announced soon. Learn more here.