Revitalizing Regional Economies
image of attendees at a conference
Food System Program Initiatives bring together experts from across value chains to collaborate and discuss solutions to pressing issues facing small to mid-scale, regional farmers. Piloted through the Cascadia Grains Conference Initiative, this model has grown to encompass other areas of the food system as well, such as the Peri Urban Agriculture Initiative, the Inland Northwest Artisan Grains Conference, the WA Meat Up, and the Quinoa Research Symposium.
CONNECT
Transdisciplinary Networking
We convene and connect growers, processors, brokers, investors, and policy-makers across the value chain.
LEARN
Hands-on, High-Quality Educational Events
Our events provide a platform for the latest science, techniques, research, market opportunities, and hands-on learning.
GROW
Resources and Databases
Working to cultivate an economically viable network of market opportunities for locally-sourced, value-added products.
two images of graphics illustrating organizational structure: organizing team-WSU faculty and staff who ensure deliverables; working groups-small working group of internal and external partners who fundraise, recruit speakers, and promote; advisory committee-larger group of invested partners who sign off on the direction of the initiative and help promote as needed; and broader stakeholder network-larger open source voluntary stakeholder group, often participants.
Current Food Systems Initiatives
WA Meat Up
WA Meat Up was created to catalyze collaboration and entrepreneurship along every link of the niche meat supply chain in Washington State. We’re hoping to inspire change, build resilience, foster viable farm and food businesses, and promote scaled processing and distribution systems.
Cascadia Grains Conference
The Cascadia Grains Conference and supporting events bring together farmers, bakers, brewers, distillers, brokers, investors, policy-makers and others to strengthen the role of grains in our local food economy by sharing the latest science, techniques, and developments, as well as creating a space in which new business, policy and research relationships can form and existing ones can be strengthened.
Past Food Systems Initiatives
Washington Organic Seed Summit
The second annual Washington Organic Seed Summit convened virtually on February 15–16, 2023, bringing together specialty seed growers, researchers, and seed industry professionals from across the state. Hosted on the Organic Seed Commons platform, the Summit featured dynamic roundtable discussions focused on collaboratively defined themes, including seed quality, access to specialty and regionally adapted seed, and strategies for scaling organic seed production for high-value markets.
Participants engaged in two days of knowledge-sharing, networking, and visioning, aimed at strengthening sustainable, resilient, and profitable seed systems in Washington. Attendees heard research updates, explored new market and policy opportunities, and deepened their connections within the local seed community. The event provided space for both live interaction and post-event access to recorded sessions.
logo for Organic Seed Alliance on an image of multicolor corn
Peri Urban Agriculture Initiative
The Peri-Urban Agriculture Network aims to provide a supportive network of farmers, researchers, educators, policymakers, and community stakeholders working together to facilitate education and develop long-term strategies to keep farms and agricultural lifestyles viable in the face of urbanization pressures.
Assesssing WA Food through an Equity Lens
Purpose of Report
The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) funded the Washington State University (WSU) Food Systems Program to coordinate an assessment of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks affecting Washington’s food system,
Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates: Sustainable High-value Horticulture and Processing
Washington State University’s College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resources and the WSU Food Systems Program, proudly present the Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates Internship (REEU), a unique opportunity for students interested in careers in food systems. Selected undergraduate fellows will be paired with a WSU Faculty mentor for a 10 week summer internship. Participants will learn valuable skills, through research and extension activities, and receive a generous stipend, travel support, and lodging. Interns will also work independently throughout the summer on a research or extension project with the guidance of their mentor and, at the end of the internship period, present the results at the Undergraduate Research Symposium at the WSU main campus in Pullman, WA.