FFED Website Updates:

Training Program/Opportunity Notes:

Professional Development >> More training programs >> Sustainable Food Systems
Certificate:
• Currently the “Sustainable Food Systems Certificate” link takes you to the Northeast
Minnesota SBDC website, and when you search for the certificate title nothing is found.

• Good resource, however probably not in this specific spot as it has nothing to do with
this certificate.

• When you try to search for the certificate on the actual UMD website, the only thing that will
appear is a course over Sustainable Food Systems, with the course number ES3100.

• The best link I found to replace current link would be: http://www.fssourcebook.org/
index.php/umd-continuing-education — stemming from that, there is a very helpful PDF
linked to that page, http://www.fssourcebook.org/media/com_jbusinessdirectory/
attachments/companies/135/SFSRAckCard-1487602971.pdf, which highlights the course
itself.

• FFED Website’s current ‘Structure and Fee’ and ‘Summary’ appear to be accurate

Professional Development >> More training programs >> Leadership for Sustainable
Food Systems Professional Certificate:
• The link from the FFED Website seems to be the correct link and goes to a University of
Vermont sponsored program; however, the course appears to be renamed as
“Breakthrough Leaders for Sustainable Food Systems.”

• For the ‘Structure’ section, it currently states, “Online followed by a “residential learning
experience” for 3–5 weeks.”

• After doing a little exploring, the course is only 3 weeks now, but they still have a
residential learning experience at The University of Vermont after the program’s
preliminary online component.

• On UVM’s website it states, “The first two weeks [are spent] in an online classroom,
engaging with your peer activists, completing pre-course readings, and initiating
discussions around food systems challenges. In the third week, you [as a program
participant] will come together with your peers in Burlington, Vermont to deepen your
engagement in the food movement continuing your conversations and interactions with
food systems leaders through site visits and hands-on experiences”

• For the ‘Fee’ section, FFED’s website currently gives two prices — for either noncredit or
credit.

 • After researching the last update to UVM’s information is from the 2019 program, which
gave a fee of $1,975. They mentioned that it included curriculum, materials,
transportation to site visits, lunch vouchers and a dinner reception the first evening, but
not housing.

• They also give information about scholarships which could be beneficial for potential
applicants to know about.

• However, that $1,975 fee was the only fee I could find; therefore, I don’t know whether
or not that is for credit, noncredit, or just for everyone at this point.

• As far as fees for 2020’s program (the most updated one at this point), it doesn’t give
any information because the start date, online and on-campus portions are “on hold” or
“TBD,” most likely because of uncertainty due to COVID-19.

• The ‘Summary’ section appears to be a good description of the course; however:

• I’d change the “… by the end of the four week course including…” to “… by the end of
the three week course” just to have that time period be accurate.

• I think there is benefit to highlighting the leadership questions to think about, but maybe
adding a little of the educational piece participants would get out of the program could
be beneficial too. A potential idea could be:

• This cross-disciplinary program course develops visionary leaders by walking

through the interconnectedness of cross-disciplinary impacts to our food system

Professional Development >> More training programs >> Local Food Systems Graduate
Course, and Professional Development Course, for Extension Agents:
• The link from the FFED Website seems to be the correct link and goes to a NC State
Extension Page; however, the courses appears to be renamed as “Local Food Systems
Courses” aimed at the target audience of instructors.

• It says that in 2015, “a one-time graduate course was delivered to Extension Agents in
North Carolina,” which may be where the current FFED title came from

• It continues on stating, the lectures and panel presentations were recorded during the
2015 course and are now used in the online Local Food System Courses.

• For the ‘Structure and Fee’ section, there is currently nothing.

• ‘FEE:’ I can’t find anything regarding the cost of the program.

• ‘Structure:’ It seems to me like the platform of these courses are very similar to the
CFS/LFL Certifications through FFED. The NC State Extension states the originally
recorded course was divided into five themes presented during six sessions. Those
themes are the basis for the five modules within the online course distributed through a
combination of Moodle, question/discussion, readings and recordings (I think).

 • In way less words than that description, you could at least have something in that
section on our FFED website.

• ‘Summary’ section looks good and comprehensive of the program to me!

Professional Development >> More training programs >> An introduction to the US Food
System: Perspectives from public health:
• Currently the course link on the FFED website takes you to Coursera’s homepage — here’s
the correct one for you: https://www.coursera.org/learn/food-system.

• ‘Structure and Fee’ section:

• It is free, so that is correct. This Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future website,
mentions that you can pay $49 to get a physical certificate. It also says that new
sessions begin every six weeks, however, you can begin any time by signing up and
previewing lectures while you wait for your session's start date. 

• Currently on the FFED Website it says it is a 7-week course. According the the actual
Coursera homepage, the course itself only take “Approximately 24 hours to complete.”

• ‘Summary” section:

• Content wise looks good to me. One tiny little detail I’d personally change based on
personal preference — “Through several case studies, we will discuss some key
historical and political factors…” I’d change ‘we’ to ‘participants.’

• Not that huge of a deal, but my kit-pickiness picked it out.

Professional Development >> More training programs >> Growing Food 1 & 2 —
Fundamentals Online:
• The link on the FFED website appears to take to the correct place; however, as far as I can
find within the Gaia College’s pages, course offerings, and Google’s help I’m not sure if the
Growing Food 2 Fundaments is offered anymore (that I could find).

• Therefore the updates below are ONLY for Growing Food 1.

• ‘Structure and Fee’ section:

• Updated fee for the course is $795.

• Structure currently has nothing, I’d add that it’s platform is online but engages students
with practical and hands-on projects.

• ‘Summary’ section: Overall good information, I’d just tweak it a little.

• “Courses are offered over a specific time frame (several times a year, but not self-
paced), with “virtual classroom” interactions that allow structured activities.”

 • This feels more like ‘Structure’ information than ‘Summary’ — I do think it’s valuable
information to keep included though. So maybe just move this text over to
‘Structure’ rather than my suggestions above.

• Courses of Interest Include List:

• As I mentioned, I can only find information for Growing Food 1 being offered still
presently. It suggests on the course page that “the Organic Master Gardener Online
Course / Organic Horticulture Specialist Online Course would be highly beneficial
either before, during or after this program.”

• I’d maybe include a course overview like something on the webpage. Maybe, “If you are
concerned about where your food comes from, what’s in it (or on it), or simply getting
the best nutrition possible, growing an abundance of healthy, nutritious and delicious
fruits and vegetables is the way to go. In this comprehensive course you will learn
essential applied permaculture and organic gardening techniques.”

Professional Development >> More training programs >> Sustainable Local Food
Certificate:
• The link on the FFED website works and takes you to the correct place!

• ‘Structure’ Section:

• Online, Part-time. Currently FFED’s site says 1 academic year to complete, St.
Lawrence has updated that to students having a maximum of five years to complete the
program.

• Similar to the Growing Food 1 Course, there are many start dates for the course
including, September, January, and May.

• ‘Fee’ Section:

• To find the Canadian and International Fees for the Certificate it directs you to use the
registration link: https://parttime.stlawrencecollege.ca/stlaw/category/category.aspx?
C=110&S=138.

• To declare your intent to complete the online part-time certificate, there is no fee.

• For the Field to Fork: Introduction to Local and Global Food Systems Course there
is a fee of $409.49 — but it also doesn’t say whether that is Canadian or
International

• The only other course it shows is Food Security and Food Justice in Canada, in
which registration is closed for so it doesn’t show a fee price.

• The other 4 courses aren’t even listed on the registration page, so for total cost of
the Certification I am unsure.

 • ‘Summary’ Section:

• After doing exploring I know that what’s currently listed in the Summary section is the
courses that are part of the program, but if I was looking at it for the first time I’d have
no idea what the list entails. Therefore, I would add a few details to that list. So, maybe
adding it to say:

• “This certificate explores the practices, principles and philosophies involved in local
food system development. To successfully complete this program, participants
must complete six compulsory courses including: (and then have the current list
there, which is still accurate).”

Professional Development >> More training programs >> Food Security Certificate:
• The link on the FFED website works and takes you to the correct place and all the
information on this one appears to be updated and accurate to what the website says!

Professional Development >> Training Opportunities >> OPPORTUNITIES I’D ADD to

either Training Opportunities or More Training Programs:
From Courtney’s Team List:
• Currently in the Training Opportunities Section, it includes Community Food Systems
Certification (ISU Extension and Outreach), Local Food Leader Certification (ISU Extension
and Outreach), Food Systems Core Competency Project (FFED and USDA AMS Cooperative
Agreement), and a link to learn more about those certifications.

• In comparing Courtney’s list with those listed, those not included are:

• Mapping 101: I’m pretty sure I remember this being a Module in the CFS Certification,
but it also being a stand alone course. That could potential be added to the Training
Opportunities from ISU Extension and Outreach.

• The Economics of Local Food Systems: A Toolkit to Guide Community Discussions,

Assessments and Choices (USDA/ CSU): This is a very broad and expansive resource.
I’d either put in ‘More Training Programs’ or on a resource page of some sort. I say it
could be a more training programs opportunity because ultimately it is a toolkit of best
practices for evaluating the economic impacts of local food system activities that is
delivered through seven modules.

• Very rough outline of the sections of the ‘More Training Programs’ table of the FFED
Website down below. I just want to clarify I am very likely providing entirely way too
much information for the summary section, and go ahead and edit that however you
 want even if it’s completely getting rid of what I said all together. I don’t have as much

knowledge as you guys in these resources 😊

Program Structure and Fee Summary

The Economics of Local Online, Self-Paced.

The goal of this Toolkit is to
Food Systems: A Toolkit to Free? — Unsure on this one if guide and enhance the
Guide Community there are online modules capacity of local organizations
Discussions, Assessments linked outside of the main to make more deliberate and
and Choices PDF that have a fee to them! credible measurements of
United States Department of local and regional economic
Agriculture and Colorado activity and other ancillary
State University benefits.

The Toolkit is made up of

seven modules that can be
grouped into two stages of
food system planning,
assessment and evaluation.
The first set of modules (1-4)
guides the first stages of an
economic impact assessment
and includes framing the
system, relevant economic
activities and assessment
process as well as collecting
and analyzing relevant
primary and secondary data.
The second set of modules
(5-7) provides a more
technical set of practices and
discussion of how to use the
information collected in stage
one to conduct a more
rigorous economic impact
analysis.

• Courtney’s list comparisons continued:

• Serving Up Change: A Food Ethics Workshop: This looks like a good resource to
potentially include, except it says “Partnerships with Extension or public health can
facilitate these engagements. At the end of the workshop, individuals will be charged and
equipped with leading initiatives in their locale,” which sounds very similar to how CFS/
LFL operate with Iowa State.

• Potentially good resource for non-profits

• Feels too specific to be put in the “More Training Opportunities” section, maybe?

 • Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Food Systems: This opportunity feels more like a
focus section/minor to pursue while in school; however, I feel like uMich wouldn’t turn
away someone just wanting to complete the certificate. Could be added to the “More
Training Opportunities” section. Potential Sample Mock-Up:

Program Structure and Fee Summary

Graduate Certificate in I can’t necessarily find the The Sustainability graduate

Sustainable Food Systems:
University of Michigan
definite answers for these
sections. Not really listed for
certain on website.
certificate provides the
knowledge, skill sets, and
credentials relevant to
sustainability.  Graduates will
be better positioned to take
advantage of new
opportunities in the emerging
global green economy and to
compete for a wide range of
positions in the private for-
profit, public, and non-profit
sectors.

The certificate requires

completion of:
• 6 credits of coursework in
fundamental knowledge
• 6 credits of coursework in
skill development.
• A capstone experience that
allows students to apply the
knowledge and skills they
developed through their
coursework.

Overall Observations between ‘More Training Programs’ and ‘New List from Courtney’s
Team’:
• Overall, I felt like there was a lot of overlap between both categories within the Curricula Tool
and Directory Spreadsheet as well as with the already listed Training Programs listed on the
FFED Website. I believe making the few updates and additions will be beneficial to the
current website. I do not believe any of the opportunities need to be removed as they all are
still being offered regularly.

Professional Development >> Non-ISU webinars and resources:

While I was at it, I went through and checked all these links to make sure they worked and
went to the right places still!

• Sustainable Food Systems Sourcebook — works correctly!

• Food Systems Leadership Network — Currently takes you to a ‘Page not Found’ site, —
here’s the correct one for you: https://foodsystemsleadershipnetwork.goentrepid.com

• National Good Food Network — when brought to this link the latest information is from
2017. The ‘live monthly and archived here' takes you to an archive last updated in October of
2019. It also lists at the top of their homepage, “For the most current news and resources
from the Wallace Center, visit our website" linking to the Wallace Center’s homepage.

• Is October 2019 to outdated to keep as a resource?

• National Farm to School webinar archive— currently the link takes you to an empty search
results page where nothing shows up. I’d replace it with this link: http://
www.farmtoschool.org/resources, that shows featured resources first and then can be filtered
down to show more specific options.

• Practical Farmers of Iowa Farminars — both this and the archived farminars link work
correctly!

• SARE Building Local and Regional Food Systems topic rooms — The current link takes
you to a topic room for Farm to Table: Building Local and Regional Food Systems. That may
be what was intended to be there, but if all the options for topic rooms was what you wanted,
here’s that link: https://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Topic-Rooms

• Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development — works correctly!

• Wallace Center at Winrock International — link works correctly, isn’t bold in the list as the
rest of the resources appear.

• North American Food Systems Network — link works correctly, isn’t bold in the list as the
rest of the resources appear.

• eXtension Foundation — link works correctly, isn’t bold in the list as the rest of the
resources appear.

Professional Development >> Where to look for jobs:

• All 3 of these links work!!