Background

We believe strongly in the power of the Northeast Farm to Institution Summit - and gatherings like it - to move us toward a more just and sustainable food system. We also know that large events can have a sizable impact on the environment. Since the first Summit in 2015, we have worked hard to make sustainable decisions throughout the program planning process.

Our 2023 sustainability goals cut across four categories: Food Procurement, Waste Reduction, Energy Use, and Communication Materials.

We are grateful to be partnering with Farm Fresh Rhode Island, Harvest Table Culinary Group, and Harvest Kitchen in this process and value their leadership and enthusiasm in helping us meet our goals.

We also appreciate all of you for helping us make this a green event. Read on to learn more about our goals and how you can participate.

Action Plan

Food Procurement

We are working with multiple partners to bring delicious, local food to the Summit. On April 27th, we will host a reception in partnership with Harvest Table. This will be a zero waste event with an emphasis on regional and values-based foods. Our procurement goals for this reception include:

• Source 50 percent of all food and beverage from New England farms and food businesses.

• Source 100 percent of all meat protein, dairy, grains, oats, greens, and eggs from New England farms and food businesses.

• Prioritize hyper local food businesses housed at Farm Fresh Rhode Island.

• Prioritize purchases from women and BIPOC-led farms and food businesses.

• Reduce meat options by using meat as a side dish, condiment or flavoring ingredient and provide alternatives for meat.

• Provide recipes and information about featured farms and food businesses so attendees can continue to support local food businesses after the Summit.

Beyond the reception itself, there will be other food options available, including food trucks serving lunch, and breakfast from Harvest Kitchen on Thursday, April 27th and Friday, April 28th. We invite anyone serving food at the Summit to join us in reaching these goals. For more information on local producers, visit the RI DEM RI Grown Map, Farm Fresh Rhode Island’s farmers’ market map, and the NOFA RI Organic Farms Map. Also check out information on how to ensure your foodware is PFAS-free.

Spotlight on Procurement

100 percent of all meat protein, dairy, grains, oats, greens, and eggs will be sourced from New England farms and food businesses.

Waste Reduction

This will be a Zero Waste event, meaning that 90% or more of products will be diverted from the landfill and incinerator through composting, donation, and recycling/reusing. Specific waste goals include:

• Collect food preferences and allergies prior to the Summit to reduce food waste

• Donate surplus food using Rescuing Leftover Cuisine

• 100% of pre and post consumer food waste that cannot be donated will be composted after the reception.

• Serve food at food stations (as opposed to a sit down meal) and offer food through a buffet and made to-order stations to reduce food waste.

• Work with beverage companies that will retrieve and reuse empty bottles after the event.

• Eliminate non-compostable single use foodware and plastic water bottles. All foodware will be PFAS-free.

  • During the reception, New Harvest Coffee will also be serving cocktails and wine. Providence Brewing Company will open for beer during the reception as well. Harvest Table will provide compostable cups for the reception to ensure that all foodware is compostable and PFAS-free.

• We hope that 80% of attendees will bring a reusable water bottle and/or thermos to reduce the amount of single-use materials.

Spotlight on Waste Reduction

100% of pre- and post-consumer food waste that cannot be donated will be composted.

What Attendees Can Do:
BYO water bottle or thermos.

Take what you need, eat what you take! You can always come back for more.

Pay attention to signage at the waste receptacles to avoid contamination.

Energy Use

In 2023, we are hosting a hybrid event where a significant portion of the program will be virtual. We hope this will allow as many attendees as possible to get the value from the Summit while reducing travel and other energy costs that come with in-person events.

For the in person portion, we are lucky to be hosting the Summit at the newly completed Farm Fresh Rhode Island in Providence. Learn more about the ways FFRI is addressing sustainability.

Our additional energy goals include:

• Offer rideshare/carpooling opportunities through RickyRides.

• Encourage attendees to use public transportation, bikes, rideshare apps, and carpooling. More information on these options can be found here.

• Offer buses for certain field trips to reduce individual car usage.

• Encourage room sharing opportunities through Whova.

Spotlight on Energy Use

This hybrid event offers significant programming online.

What Attendees Can Do:
Find or offer a ride using Ricky Rides.

Utilize public transportation and other alternative modes of transportation.

Communication Materials

As we did in 2021, we are using an app called Whova to house the Summit content, including the agenda, speaker profiles, and full program, which allows us to significantly reduce the amount of materials we print. Attendees will use the app to build their own agendas, network with others, and learn about sponsors. Other goals include:

• Name tags will be on recyclable cardstock and we will not use plastic sleeves.

• Name tag lanyards are not date specific, are reused from our partners at NOFA-VT, and will be collected from our attendees and used again.

• Avoid using dates on printed materials so they can be reused (e.g., signs).

• Encourage presenters not to print out handouts unless necessary.

• Use virtual session evaluations forms instead of paper printouts.

• Work with printers, to the best of their ability, to:

  • Print on paper dimensions that do not require ends to be cut off.

  • Avoid using a bleed when possible.

  • Print in denominations that match printers’ proofs and avoid excess white space that will need to be cut.

  • Print on recycled paper using vegetable, soy, and UV inks only.

• Use recyclable/environmentally friendly materials for posters and large signs.

• Use recyclable/reusable signs for directions and labeling.

Spotlight on Communications Materials

Our all-digital program significantly reduces our printed materials.

What Sponsors and Presenters Can Do:

Utilize the app, QR codes, and other creative digital strategies to reduce the amount of printed materials you bring to the Summit.

Glossary of terms

Sustainability: Reducing our demand on natural and nonrenewable resources, fostering the growth of robust local economies and ethical industries, and promoting social justice and equitable access to resources and information.

Regional Food: For Summit food procurement we will use a regional food definition, defined as within the six New England states plus 50 miles (where 50% or more of the ingredients are regionally sourced).

Zero waste: 90% or more of products will be diverted from the landfill and incinerator through composting, donation, and recycling/reusing.

Pre-consumer food waste: Organic material, such as food scraps, that are created during the food preparation process.

Post-consumer food waste: Excess food that is partially consumed or has been placed in buffet stations or on dining tables. Post-consumer food waste cannot be donated and must be composted.

Leftover Food: Excess food (ingredients or dishes) that has not been placed in buffet stations or on dining tables. Leftover food that is not required to be temperature controlled can be donated.

Alternative transportation: Using carpools, rideshare apps, buses, bikes, or walking