Cass Clay Food Commission - January 10, 2024 Minutes
Members Present:
Arlette Preston, Fargo City Commission, Chair
Heather Nesemeier, Moorhead City Council
Jace Hellman, Horace City Council (proxy)
Jim Kapitan, Cass County Commission
Paul Krabbenhoft, Clay County Commission
Dave Steichen, Dilworth City Council
Anna Johnson, At-Large Member
Joan Kopperud, At-Large Member
Jeffrey Miller, At-Large Member
Carin Engler, At-Large Member
Jeff York, At-Large Member
Members Absent:
Jace Hellman, Horace City Council (proxy)
Mandy George, West Fargo City Commission
Others Present:
Michelle Draxten, Fargo Cass Public Health
Halli Heimbuch, Fargo Cass Public Health
Rory Beil, Clay County Public Health
Rita Ussatis, NDSU Extension
Noelle Harden, U of M Extension
Janice Tweet, Great Plains Food Bank
Erika Franck, Clay County Planning and Zoning
Eric Hegg, Great Plains Food Bank
Deb Haugen, Cass Clay Food Partners
Makenna Peterson, Metro Area Student Ambassadors
Adam Altenburg, Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Council of Governments
1a. Approve Order and Contents of the Overall Agenda
A motion to approve the order and contents of the overall agenda was made by Mr. Krabbenhoft and seconded by Mr. York. The motion was voted on and unanimously approved.
1b. Review and Action on Minutes from November 8, 2023
A motion to approve the minutes for November 2023 was made by Mr. Steichen and seconded by Ms. Kopperud. The motion was voted on and unanimously approved.
1c. Welcome to New Food Commission Member Jim Kapitan, Cass County; and Steering Committee Member Eric Hegg
Chair Preston noted that Cass County Commissioner Jim Kapitan was newly appointed to serve on the Food Commission. She also welcomed Eric Hegg of Global Refuge (formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service) as the newest member of the steering committee.
1d. Mission of the Cass Clay Food Partners
Chair Preston noted that the steering committee had asked that the mission of the Cass Clay Food Partners be included as part of meeting agendas in 2024. She read the following:
The mission of the Cass Clay Food Partners is to improve all levels of the community food system and ensure that residents have increased access to safe, nutritious, affordable, and culturally-based foods. The Cass Clay Food Partners includes three separate arms: the Cass Clay Food Commission which educates local leaders and discusses food policy issues, a steering committee comprised of key government institutions and local food systems experts that advises the Food Commission, and an action network of area organizations and individuals working together on important food topics in the community.
2. Commission Introductions
Chair Preston led the Commission and steering committee members in a brief round of introductions. She also directed the Commissioner’s attention to the video: The Cass Clay Food Partners and Our Food System.
3. Approve Appointments of At-Large Members
Mr. Altenburg explained that the steering committee reviewed and recommended the reappointments of current at-large members Anna Johnson, Joan Kopperud, and Jeffrey Miller and that each had agreed to serve an additional two-year term.
A motion to approve the reappointments of Anna Johnson, Joan Kopperud, and Jeffrey Miller to the Commission was made by Ms. Kopperud and seconded by Ms. Nesemeier. The motion was voted on and unanimously approved.
4. Cass Clay Food Partners Resource Review
Mr. Altenburg explained that in the past eight years, the Cass Clay Food Partners had developed nearly two dozen resource documents highlighting urban agriculture, food access, sustainability, and other food systems topic areas relevant to the Fargo-Moorhead area. He noted that these documents have included blueprints, which look at food systems from a land development code perspective; and issue briefs and snapshots, which provide more of an overview of an issue the community may have seen locally.
Mr. Altenburg provided a brief overview of the snapshots and issue briefs developed for Pollinator Habitats (2019) and Pesticide Use on Public Land (2020).
5. Asset Inventory Review
Ms. Tweet provided a brief recap of the asset inventory activity that Commissioners and steering committee members took part in at the last Commission meeting in November. She reiterated that the activity was meant to identify different types of assets in the community that related to food systems, whether assets were regional or specific to certain communities, and what assets did Commissioners and steering committee members agreed on collectively.
Ms. Tweet noted that individual, intellectual, social, and cultural assets that were identified included: strong community organizations, cultural diversity, good educational systems, community volunteers/civic-minded population, local food organizations, community gardens, and ethnic diversity celebrations. She stated that natural, built, political, and financial assets identified included: flood buyout properties, great farmland, land access, bike/ped/trail systems, health-related research and promotion, a high level of civic engagement, the Cass Clay Food Commission itself, Metro COG, grant opportunities, and the support of public health in Cass and Clay counties.
6. Cass Clay Food Action Network Survey Results and Update
Ms. Tweet provided the Commission results from the Cass Clay Food Action Network Interest Survey that was sent out to Food Partners members in November 2023. She noted that the purpose of the survey was to hear what the community liked about Food of the North, First Fridays, and other events celebrating the local food community, and to hear about ideas for a new local food action network moving forward in 2024.
Ms. Tweet noted that, of the 31 surveys received, over 84 percent had attended a First Fridays event in the past year. She stated that, of the responses received to the question of what people liked best about First Fridays, over 90 percent stated that they liked hearing from local organizations and individuals and over 80 percent stated that they liked learning about local food issues, meeting others who were interested in local food issues, and connecting with the community. Only 45 percent responded that they felt energized to take action and make change.
Ms. Tweet noted that, when asked about their preferred format, over 60 percent of respondents favored a panel or open conversation format, followed by an interactive format by 55 percent of respondents. The least popular format style was a social gathering at 39 percent, with 13 percent stating no preference.
Ms. Tweet noted that the next steps included a review of survey results by the steering committee, meetings with potential action network members, and the design of a new format and cadence for the Cass Clay Food Action Network.
7. Civic Engagement and Our Food System: Three Big Ideas for 2024
Ms. Harden provided a brief presentation on her findings from visiting several food policy councils and networks which included the Just Foods Collaborative, Roanoke Foodshed Network, Greater Franklin Food Council, Cumberland County Food Council, and the Main Network of Community Food Councils. She shared her three ideas for the Commission in 2024 including: (1) bridging and belonging; (2) cultivating community creativity; and (3) democratizing our dollars.
Ms. Harden also posed several questions to the Commission for their consideration including: (1) how to include more voices in shaping local food system decisions and support an accessible and inclusive action network; (2) how to tell community food stories and foster connections to food, nature, and art; and (3) how can grantmaking and budgeting processes be more participatory?
8. Steering Committee Updates
Ms. Draxten provided an informational update to the Commission regarding the steering committee’s recent activities.
9. Kudos and Community Recognition
Ms. Draxten recognized Makenna Peterson and the Metro Area Student Ambassadors for their work during the 2023 Fill the Dome. More than 50 area elementary, middle, and high schools participated in the annual Fill the Dome event on November 20 and 21, 2023. Since it began in 2007, Fill the Dome has raised over $740,000 and collected over 2.5 million pounds of food.
Ms. Peterson noted that the Metro Area Student Ambassadors, in partnership with the Great Plains Food Bank, Hornbacher’s, Fargodome, and Dakota Medical Foundation, raised over $39,000 and collected more than 100,000 pounds of food and other necessities in 2023. She stated that total donations would provide over 161,000 meals for area residents.
10. Public Comment Opportunity
Chair Preston informed the Commission that time would be allotted for public comments. She noted that members of the community may also submit comments via a comment link when Commission packets are emailed out.
No additional public comments were made.
11. Commission and Steering Committee Roundtable: Community Updates and Meeting Reflections
Chair Preston asked for the Commission and the steering committee to share any additional updates or meeting reflections.
12. Future Meetings and Commission Action Steps
Chair Preston stated that the next Commission meeting would be held on March 13 and noted the schedule for the remainder of 2024. She also mentioned that the Food Action Network would be hosting Food Systems Bingo at Front Street Taproom on January 11 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. She further noted that the next Coffee with the Commission event would be on a date yet to be determined.
Chair Preston adjourned the meeting at 11:56 AM.