Statewide & Regional Food Systems Plans National Community of Practice (NCoP) Session — Learning Across Food Systems Plans: A Landscape of Approaches to Inform Food Systems Planning and Implementation Practice
September 10, 2026 3:00PM - 4:30PM
Contact: Colleen Matts, matts@msu.edu and Lindsey Scalera, scaleral@msu.edu
Drawing on interviews with leaders of 17 food systems planning efforts across the United States, guest speakers Lia Kelinsky-Jones and Shadrack Nii Yarboi Yartey from Virginia Tech will share lessons from recent efforts on how plans get started, stakeholders are engaged, and what helps or hinders implementation over time.
Following a brief presentation, attendees will engage in facilitated peer-to-peer coaching to reflect on their planning efforts, identify implementation challenges, and exchange practical strategies to strengthen food systems planning in their communities. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas and new connections to support their work.
Guest speakers:
- Lia Kelinsky-Jones, Research Assistant Professor, Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education and Assistant Director for Research, Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation at Virginia Tech
- Shadrack Nii Yarboi Yartey, Graduate Research Assistant, Virginia Tech
Coordinated by the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, the Statewide and Regional Food System Plans National Community of Practice, is a national, multi-state space that convenes leaders from current and emerging food system plan efforts across the country to increase our collective knowledge and capacity to collaborate and strengthen local and regional food systems using an equity approach.
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