The Hands That Feed Us: Good Food and Good Jobs in the Pioneer Valley
How can we ensure that the development of our local food system provides farm and food workers with fair pay, quality working conditions and a voice in the workplace? Join us for PVGrows 2014 Spring Forum to learn what “good food jobs” are and what you can do to support their creation.
Go back to the main event/registration page.
- Thursday, April 10th from 9:00 am – 1:30 pm
- Mill 1 in Open Square, 4 Open Square Way, Holyoke, MA
Program
8:45 – 9:00 Arrivals, Coffee, Tea, Bagels, Muffins & Mingling
9:00 – 12:45 PVGrows Forum
Welcome
- Marcos Marrero, Economic Development and Planning Director, City of Holyoke
- Javiera Benavente and Sam Stegman, PVGrows
Keynote
- Alex Risley Schroeder, Massachusetts Workforce Alliance
- Erbin Crowell, Neighboring Food Co-op Association
Panel Presenters
- Rebekah Hanlon, Valley Green Feast
- Glenroy Buchanan, Pioneer Valley / New England Growers Co-op
- Orvelio Ramirez, Just Communities / Comunidades Justas
- Dave Jackson, Enterprise Farm
- Annie Allred, River Valley Market / UFCW Union Steward
- Heather LaPenn, United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW)
Small Groups
This is an open networking period during which the following “resource people” will be available to discuss their projects:
- Worker Cooperatives: What are the ways that worker owned cooperatives address economic and equity issues for local food system workers?
- Rebekah Hanlon, Valley Green Feast
- Addie Rose Holland, Real Pickles
- Immigrant Reform: How can local food businesses be allies to immigrant workers in the local food system? Why is immigration reform important to local food businesses, farm workers and our communities at large?
- Bliss Requa-Trautz, Just Communities / Comunidades Justas
- Restaurant Worker Organizing: What is the current state of working conditions for restaurant workers in Northampton? What can food service businesses prioritizing sourcing local food learn about creating fair wage jobs?
- Rose Bookbinder, Pioneer Valley Workers Center / WM Jobs with Justice
- Clare Hammonds, UMass Labor Center
- Job Training: What are the important considerations in training local food system workers?
- Christine Burns, foodWorks/Kate’s Kitchen
- Ryan Karb, Many Hands Farm Corps
- Local Food, Union Jobs: What role can unions play in local food system work and the viability of local food system businesses?
- Heather LaPenn, United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW)
- Brendan Carey, Unite HERE!
- Community-Based Food Job Creation: what options do communities have for local food system job creation?
- Emily Kawano / Fred Rose, Wellspring Collaborative
- Alex Risley Schroeder, MA Workforce Development
- Erbin Crowell, Neighboring Food Co-ops
- Youth Jobs: What is unique about engaging youth in local food system work?
- Ibrahim Ali, Gardening The Community
- Donna DuSell, Franklin Hampshire Regional Employment Board
- Andy Grant, Just Roots / Greenfield Community Garden
- Farm Jobs / Farm Work: What makes up farm work, and who are the people doing these jobs? How “do you walk the line” between producing quality food that is affordable, while creating jobs that are valued and respected?
- Dave Jackson, Enterprise Farm
- Glenroy Buchanan, Pioneer Valley / New England Growers Co-op
12:45 – 1:30 Lunch: tables arranged by Working Group
Forum Sponsors
- Artisan Beverage Cooperative
- Beets & Barley
- Common Capital
- Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)
- Cooperative Fund of New England
- Farm Credit East
- Franklin County CDC
- Franklin Hampshire Regional Employment Board
- Franklin Regional Council of Governments
- Glynwood Keep Farming
- Greenfield Community College – Farm & Food Systems
- Just Roots
- Lydia B. Stokes Foundation
- Mi Tierra
- Mount Holyoke College Community-Based Learning Program
- Northeast Organic Farmers Association – MA
- Real Pickles
- Simple Diaper & Linen
- Solidago Foundation
- Springfield Technical Community College
- The Conway School
- The Frances Fund
- The Trustees of Reservations
- UMass Amherst Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment
- UMass Amherst Stockbridge School of Agriculture
- Unite Here!
- Western Massachusetts Jobs With Justice
- Westfield State University