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Food System Committee
Purpose
A food system includes all of the inputs that impact food, from farm to fork to waste. The purpose of the Whatcom County Food System Committee is to draft, implement, provide oversight for, and regularly update a countywide Food System Plan. The Committee is made up of 9 representatives from various food system sectors. The members of the Committee created a 10-year Food System Plan, which was adopted by the Whatcom County Council in July, 2023.
The Plan was created by updating the Community Food Assessment, reviewing other County plans and food system plans, and engaging the community in a robust engagement process. The development of the Plan is demonstrated in this story map.
Now in the implementation phase, the Committee is providing oversight of the execution of the Food System Plan. The Food System Committee has developed taskforces around each of the 5 goals in the Food System Plan.
To get involved in a task force and/or receive updates on the food system plan, please sign up here or contact Committee Staff.
Meetings
Committee meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of the month*. The meetings are hybrid: in-person at 509 Girard Street in Bellingham and virtual via zoom. Find the virtual meeting link in the agenda. Agendas prior to 2023 can be found in the Agenda Center.
*The Committee does not meet in August or December
| Date | Agenda | Meeting Summary |
|---|---|---|
| October 24, 2023 | Agenda | Minutes |
| November 28, 2023 | Agenda | Minutes |
| January 23, 2024 | Agenda | Minutes |
| February 20, 2024 | Agenda | Minutes |
| March 26, 2024 | Agenda | Minutes |
| April 8, 2024 (retreat) | Agenda | Minutes |
| April 23, 2024 | Agenda | Minutes |
| May 28, 2024 | Agenda | Minutes |
| June 25, 2024 | Agenda | Minutes |
| July 23, 2024 | Agenda | Minutes |
| August 27, 2024 | Agenda | MInutes |
| September 24, 2024 | Agenda | Minutes |
| October 22, 2024 | Agenda | Minutes |
| November 26, 2024 | Agenda | Minutes |
Members
The Food System Committee has 9 members.
Specifications: This committee shall include nine members appointed by the County Executive. There shall be representation for a variety of sectors in the food system. Current committee members:
Local sales farming: Margaret Gerard
Food Access: Sierra Crook (secretary)
Nutrition/Public Health: Noelle Beecroft (secretary)
Natural Resources: Trevor Gearhart (vice chair)
Whatcom Food Network representative: Rhys-Thorvald Hansen (chair)
Export Sales Farming: Rob Dhaliwal
Labor: Sean Hopps
Processing/Distribution: Nikki Oleson
Fishing Industry: vacant
Term Length/term limit
Term of office for appointed members is four years; limit of two terms served. The Whatcom Food Network Representative is a two-year term.