slow food in the usa at a glance: 2016 annual chapter … food nations is a festival to taste and...

© Slow Food USA | June 2017 11

Slow Food in the USA at a Glance:

2016 Annual Chapter Report


Slow Food USA is part of the global Slow Food movement currently creating dramatic change in over 160 countries. We connect the pleasures of the table with a commitment to the

communities, cultures, knowledge, and environment that make this pleasure possible.

Our mission is to promote and protect good, clean, fair food for all.

GoodGood food is wholesome, seasonal, local, fresh, and delicious.

CleanClean food nourishes a healthful lifestyle and is produced in ways that preserve biodiversity, sustain the environment, and ensure human and animal welfare.

FairFair food honors the dignity of labor, from field to fork.

For ALLGood, clean, fair food is accessible to all and celebrates the diverse heritages, cultures, and traditions in the United States.

Who We Are


Slow Food USA’s chapters inspire and gather people who care about the food we buy, eat, and enjoy and who believe that our everyday choices connect across our environment, economy, and culture. We protect and celebrate:

Our Chapters

The pleasure of a shared meal

Animals

Local farmers, ranchers, fishers

The environment

Heritage food traditionsA better way of life


Submissions were accepted through the first half of 2016. (Note: Not all chapters answered every question, so the data is solid but not perfect.) Thank you to everyone—113 chapters—who took the time to respond! Your efforts helped make this report as accurate as possible.

The ReportABOUT THE 2016 ANNUAL

CHAPTER REPORTThis Chapter Report offers a snapshot of local chapters and what they accomplished in 2016. To collect this information, the Slow Food USA national office sent an email in December 2016 to all official chapter email accounts, asking leaders to complete and submit the chapter survey.


Where We Are: Slow Food 2016 Chapters

Zip codes were obtained from all submitted surveys

GoogleMaps


Chapters in Good Standing

The Slow Food USA national office defines a chapter as ”in good standing” if it:

i. Is up-to-date on tax filings ii. files annual chapter report iii. complies with chapter guidelines


Slow Food State Governors


Governors

State Governor

CA

Max Caruso (Northern) & Lisa Frank (Central Valley) & Dava Guthmiller (Bay)

CO Marilyn Noble

GA Peter Morich

HI Laurie Carlson

IL Jennifer Breckner

KY Mark Williams

LA Gary Granata

MI Kim Bayer

NM Grit Ramuschkat

NY Judiann Carmack-Fayyaz

OH Bear Braumoeller

OR Cheryl Brock

SC Carole Addlestone

TX Claudine Martyn

VT Mara Welton

VA John Haddad

WA Gerry Warren

WI Jennifer Casey


Demographics of Chapter Members

* These graphs are based on percent


Demographics of Chapter Members

Continued


Chapter NetworkChapter Social Media

In total Slow Food USA Chapters have…

119,000 people on email lists

160,834 Facebook Likes

165,872 Twitter Followers


Local chapters continue to embrace these initiatives and many others. Here’s a look at the campaigns and programs offered by local chapters in 2016:

What We DoINSPIRE ∙ GATHER ∙ CAMPAIGN ∙ PARTNER

In 2014, Slow Food USA narrowed its focus to three national initiatives: Slow Meat, Ark of Taste, and School Gardens.


NetworkStoriesSlow Fish

Richmond, VA“We had a ticketed Slow Fish dinner with some of Richmond's best chefs. The next day we had a festival focused on sustainable seafood with 8 oyster farmers, fish demos, local beer and wine and live music.”

Chapter EventSt. Louis, MO“Recent programming has included documentary film screenings, tastings, gardening workshops, urban homesteading classes, and a speaker series with local farmers. Slow Food St. Louis also hosts fundraising events such as Feast in the Field, a multi-course, sit-down dinner prepared by area chefs and served at a local farm.”

Slow FoodRussian River, CA“Our ‘apple core’ committee promotes local apple farmers, especially the Gravenstein which is also a precidia fruit. We support local 4-H kids who raise heritage turkeys by hosting a dinner to showcase their birds for sale.”


Network Stories Continued

Memorial DinnerUniversity of Wisconsin-Stout“The program our chapter took part in that we are most proud this past year was hosting a Saudi Arabian Memorial dinner for a student that was killed in our community in October 2016. Our Slow Food chapter started the idea with hosting a small dinner to appreciate the culture, and it turned into a 750 person dinner held for students and the community in memory of the student. Our Chapter felt it was important to hold an event to show that our campus is safe and accepting of all people no matter their culture.”

School GardenSouthwest Florida“The school gardening program is focusing on acquiring a food truck (or vehicle that we can transform into a food truck) to travel to each school for teaching the gardening program to students. The food truck will offer a ‘movable kitchen’ that our chef partners can use on-site to show the students how to prepare the ingredients from their school garden into healthy, delicious snacks and meals.”


Northern New Jersey

Chapter CampaignNorthern New Jersey

“We raise funds to support two organic preschool gardens in Jersey City, NJ and an urban farm in Newark, NJ where we subsidize organic vegetable purchases of hospital patients suffering from diet-related diseases.”


ChicagoArk of TasteChicago

“The Chicago chapter is very proud of an Ark Of Taste drink series we did with a restaurant group called One Off Hospitality. All 7 restaurants in their group at the time used an AOT ingredient in a signature cocktail and $1 from every sale was donated back to Slow Food Chicago.”


Hudson ValleySlow Meat

Hudson Valley

“We had a Saturday event in which a pig and lamb is fabricated (butchered), processed and tasted. By the end of the 2 weeks, each participant received and tasted both fresh cuts meats and those that have been processed into fresh or cured charcuterie/sausage including fresh sausage like chorizo to cured items like pancetta.”


EngagementIn 2016, approximately how

many…


ProgrammingIn 2016, did your chapter participate

in programs involving children and/or schools?


Participation in Biodiversity or Ark of Taste

Did your chapter participate in events related to Biodiversity or Ark of Taste?


2016 Involvement


2016 Involvement Continued


Ways Chapters Communicate


Do You Know Who Your Slow Food

State Governor Is?


ChapterRevenue


Expenses


Grassroots LobbyingIn 2016, did your chapter participate in grassroots lobbying?


PolicyChapter Involvement

Whidbey Island, WA

Signed Environmental Impact Statements advocating for small farms

Sacramento

Support for farm bills and local food policies

RVA, Virginia

Update Members on federal and local policy such as “Denying Americans the Right to Know” food labels

Mendocino County

Involved in Calls to Action

Hudson ValleyLobby to pass GMO labeling bill

Sonoma County North

Campaigns for resisting Farm Processing

Saratoga Region

Letter writing and speaking with legislators on SF topics


Where We Are Going

In 2016 Slow Food USA began an important strategic planning process yielding the new strategic mission to inspire individuals and communities to change the world through food that is good, fair, and

clean for all.

We achieved this together through gathering, campaigns, and partnerships.


Where We Are GoingContinued

Slow Food Nations Summer 2017- DenverSlow Food Nations is a festival to taste and explore a world of good, clean and fair food for all. Inspired by Slow Food International’s biennial Terra Madre gathering in Turin, Italy, Slow Food Nations will combine the energy of a street food festival, rigor of an academic conference, and inspiration of a cultural exchange.Entrance to the festival is free and includes a taste marketplace with 100 Slow Food producers, an outdoor culinary stage, gardening and cooking activities for kids and families, intimate talks, and many more events.Ticketed events include dozens of interactive workshops, fun block parties, regional food and farm tours, roundtable discussions, and one-of-a-kind dinners throughout the weekend.


Where We Are Going Continued

Menu for Change Fall 2017 - Everywhere

Our first international fundraising and communication campaign on climate change, promoting Slow Food programs that we know are a part of the solution, as well as actions that individuals can take in their own lives to help.

The 2017 campaign ushers in a new era of international and cross-cultural cooperation regarding Slow Food’s approach to fundraising. Slow Food supporters who consider themselves a part of our family from all over the world will have their say and can take part in the campaign.

Eat Local, Recipe For Change, and Make a

Donation

Engage your network during the campaign with these activities or “challenges”


New Chapters Opened in 2016 and 2017


Where We Are GoingContinued

7th International Congress Fall 2017- Chengdu, ChinaSlow Food International hosts an International Congress every 4-5 years, and this year's Congress will take place in Chengdu, China. The primary objective is to discuss the direction of the Slow Food movement’s policies, an opportunity for reflection on where our organization has been and where we're going.

Slow Food USA will send a group of 25 delegates and 20 observers, representing a range of communities, including school gardens, Ark of Taste/Presidia, Earth Markets, youth, indigenous, key partners, Slow Food State Governors, chapter leaders, board members and staff.Congress delegates will elect new governing bodies to guide and assist the development of Slow Food and Terra Madre over the next four years. This Congress will once more position Slow Food as leader in global change, an organization that brings people together around the idea of Good, Clean and Fair food for all.

slow food in the usa at a glance: 2016 annual chapter … food nations is a festival to taste and...

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