Food systems are a hot topic…your neighbor talks about planting a community garden in the empty lot across the street, your parent association is organizing to advocate for access to nutritious food in area schools, or maybe you turn on the news to hear organizations encouraging constituents to “buy local.” These conversations on eating healthfully, locally, and sustainably are happening everyday and they continue to deepen on local and national levels.

A commitment to that discussion is happening right here in Dane county. Since 2005, your Dane County Food Council (DCFC) has been dedicated to organizing thought and action on making our food system sustainable for all. We hope you spend some time exploring this site, join discussions, and visit often!

Food Day Celebration

The Dane County Food Council invites the organizations and people who do important food work every day to join us to celebrate Food Day on Monday, October 24, 2011 at 5:30 pm at the Goodman Community Center in Madison.

The Food Day Celebration will feature:

  • Wonderful appetizers featuring local food
  • Welcome featuring local food by County Board Supervisor Melissa Sargent, Chair of the Dane County Food Council who will introduce the DCFC Action Plan
  • Launch of the new Dane County Food Coalition. The Coalition will help community organizations and groups identify ways to coordinate our interests and resources, support one another by offering better knowledge of each organization, and work together in a non-competitive environment.
  • Keynote Tony Schultz will present Harvesting our Collective Power
  • And great company!

This event is free but RSVPs are required by Thurs, Oct. 20th. Please send your RSVP to Carrie Edgar at edgar@countyofdane.com or call 608-224-3706 or visit the Food Day website: foodday.org

New Structure and Members for Dane County Food Council

The make-up of the Dane County Food Council has been changed through an ordinance amendment passed in April 2011. The Council now consists of 3 County Board Supervisors appointed by the County Executive, 3 citizen members appointed by the Environment, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Chair and 3 citizen members appointed by the Extension Committee Chair. Click here for a list of current members.

Mission

DCFC is a dynamic citizen committee of the Dane county board that explores issues and develops recommendations to create an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable local food system for the Dane county region. The council has recently been highlighted by the National Association of Counties as a model for other county governments. Learn more.

What's New

The Dane County Food Council recently completed and approved an Action Plan which identifies the goals, objectives, actions and timeline for the Council. Please review the document and let us know your thoughts.