The Food Systems Core Competencies Project partners met in October 2019 in Chicago to begin developing a list of food system training requirements and available curricula. ISU Extension and Outreach photo.

30 Partners Nationwide Identify Essential Skills and Trainings for Food System Practitioners

A growing number of practitioners across the US are working to create and enhance thriving, equitable local and regional food systems. These food system practitioners have identified a need for professional development opportunities to build their skills and capacities.

In August 2019, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) formed a cooperative agreement with the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Farm, Food and Enterprise Development Program. The purpose of the agreement was to work with national partners to agree upon a set of core competencies that food system practitioners deemed essential to their success.

Under the leadership of program director Craig Chase and program manager Courtney Long, a diverse group of more than 30 partners including Community, Local and Regional Food Systems, a National Extension Project, from a variety of sectors identified nine core competency categories for food system practitioners. They ranged from community capacity and equity to policy and business development. See the full project report.

The group then agreed upon a set of sample learning objectives related to each competency. Finally, based on a national survey, the team developed a matrix of existing curricula from providers across the US that can meet one or more of the learning objectives.

“Relating to agricultural marketing, extension educators identified a need for curricula that address emerging markets and consumer trends,” said Courtney Long. “Building skills in those areas will help food businesses and farmer clients improve profitability.”

The next step recommended by the project team is to create an online public access portal listing existing curricula based on the identified competencies. The portal also would offer information to assist food systems practitioners in understanding the logistics of accessing the curricula (location, costs, registration, etc.)

For information about this project, contact Courtney Long, court7@iastate.edu, and see the Food Systems Core Competency Project links.

###