HEALTH & SAFETY GUIDELINES
How we developed these guidelines
We are monitoring and following CDC, Rhode Island, and local guidelines and requirements with respect to COVID-19 and other emerging health concerns. The following guidelines were developed in consultation with other event organizers, Farm Fresh Rhode Island, the FTI Summit Steering Committee, and our Network Advisory Council. These guidelines are subject to change at any time before or during the Summit.
What we are doing to keep our community safe
The in-person portion of the Summit will be held primarily indoors at Farm Fresh Rhode Island. The following measures have been put in place to accommodate the health and safety needs of our diverse network:
Offer a hybrid event. Virtual programming is available on Tuesday April 18th and Wednesday April 19th for those who wish to minimize direct contact. FINE will share recordings of in-person keynote presentations, and our virtual event platform facilitates digital networking for those who will not be attending in-person.
Use a venue with excellent ventilation: The FFRI facility was finished in 2020 and has state of the art air filtration systems that exchange interior air at a rate of 7 times per minute. We cannot guarantee the space will accommodate effective social distancing space. However, to the degree that the spring weather allows, we will use outdoor spaces and have significant air movement via open windows and doors.
Provide outdoor eating options: Outdoor tables and chairs will be available during mealtimes.
Help attendees communicate social contact comfort levels: All attendees will have the opportunity to indicate their comfort level with social contact with a color coded system provided upon check-in at the event.
Nourish a culture of understanding: We expect all participants to respect one another and the variety of experiences, perspectives, and belief systems we all bring to this event. Please review our summit community invitation & code of conduct, above.
What we’re asking you to do
Take a COVID rapid-test immediately prior to leaving home or upon arrival at the conference site.
Do not attend the conference in person if: you test positive on a COVID test, feel unwell, are exhibiting symptoms of illness (including but not limited to coughing, sneezing, congestion, stomach or intestinal upset, fever, rashes), or have been recently (within 5 days) exposed to someone with COVID.
If you have been exposed to someone with symptoms of non-covid respiratory illness in the last 5 days, we request that you wear a mask while at the summit.
If you are unable to attend the conference in person due to illness, we will offer a full refund of any registration fees.
If you develop symptoms of illness while at the conference, please put on a mask, notify a FINE staff member, and prepare to leave the conference venue. If you need assistance accessing medical care, please ask a FINE staff member or Summit steering committee member (we will be identifiable!)
Please observe basic health safety precautions including hand-washing, using your elbow to cover nose and mouth for any coughing or sneezing.
We encourage, but do not require, vaccinations, mask-wearing, and social-distancing.
People who do not comply with these policies may be asked to leave the conference site, but we will make every effort to offer alternative ways to engage in the conference. Thank you for working with us to keep our community safe.
Community Agreement
& Code of Conduct
We believe the following practices will help us create an empowering and equitable experience at the Summit and move us toward our common goal of creating a just, and resilient food system. We invite you to join us in the following:
Show up authentically. Our movement is strengthened when we bring our whole selves to this work.
Honor and celebrate diversity. Our work benefits from acknowledging, understanding and celebrating our differences including knowledge, experiences, location, age, race, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, religion, economic status, and political beliefs.
Respect and support others. We move toward a just and equitable food system when we treat others as we wish to be treated, assume others have good intentions, and hold ourselves accountable for the impact of our actions, regardless of intent.
Be open to learning. By adopting a commitment to curiosity, we can all learn something new, and support one another at different points of understanding.
Acknowledge privilege. By recognizing our privilege and how it impacts our worldview, we can monitor the space and time we take up and take steps to share that space with others.
Be present & practice self-care. When we take care of our own needs, we are better able to engage with others.
Cultivate Joy! As adrienne maree brown writes, “the truest victory would be our healing, our continuation, our longevity, and our joy”.
Code of Conduct
FINE is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all participants at the Northeast Farm to Institution Summit. We expect everyone associated with our conference (including attendees, presenters, sponsors, and FINE staff) to act responsibly, behave courteously, and respect the rights and dignity of others at all times while in attendance.
The following actions are prohibited at our virtual event:
Harassment or intimidation by words, gestures, or body language
Verbally abusive behavior, including angry or vulgar language, swearing, name-calling, or shouting
Sexually explicit conversation or behavior
Acts of overt or micro aggression
FINE reserves the right to remove or refuse service to anyone deemed to be in violation of this Code of Conduct. At FINE we believe in and practice a restorative justice approach and any conflicts that arise will be addressed within this framework.
