Kalamazoo Valley Community College hosts the first ValleyHUB Summit

More than 70 farmers, food producers, food service directors and buyers, community and state partners, and stakeholders gathered at Kalamazoo Valley's Texas Township campus to connect, learn, and share.

The first annual ValleyHUB Summit, held on January 12, created an opportunity for ValleyHUB staff to share about the state of the food hub and engage in meaningful discussions around food safety, crop planning, institutional food procurement, and more. Farms, producers, and buyers from across Southwest Michigan were represented - including some of the farms instrumental in the development of ValleyHUB.

ValleyHUB is a food hub that operates as a social-enterprise business within Kalamazoo Valley Community College whose goal is simple: to get more local foods on more local plates by connecting local farmers and makers to local markets.

During the morning session of the Summit, several experts provided an update and feedback opportunity about on-farm food safety. In addition, various presenters from Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Department of Education, and Kalamazoo Valley staff hosted further learning and discussion opportunities during afternoon sessions. Topics included accessing and leveraging grant money, exploring dry beans as low-cost, healthful protein options in school lunches, safe food handling techniques in hydroponic lettuce harvesting, a scratch cooking demonstration, and panel discussions on food procurement and planning. At the conclusion of the afternoon, one local food service director shared, "Seeing all of this, and what's possible, has made me so excited to do my job again!"

ValleyHUB's key role is to connect farmers and producers to buyers and market channels they wouldn't otherwise be able to reach. ValleyHUB is the champion of Southwest Michigan's local food system, advancing practical pathways and illuminating what's possible. From small retail shops to large institutional customers, buyers can shop online where farmers and makers can list their crops and items - which range from fresh seasonal produce, to meat and eggs, to prepared items like tortillas and pastas. ValleyHUB then manages all of the marketing, coordination, and logistics. Meanwhile, the enterprise serves as a living lab for Kalamazoo Valley's educational programs. In her opening remarks Rachel Bair, Director for Sustainable Food Systems at Kalamazoo Valley, shared, "That's where the magic is, here at ValleyHUB: the alignment of education with the infrastructure that makes the good choice into the easy choice." She continued, "This is big work. It's complex, and none of us could do it all. That's why we're so happy that this room is full of growers and cooks and purchasers and educators and advocates and eaters - we all have a role to play that is absolutely critical to this system. You are the hub - none of this exists without your products, your mouths to feed, your work."

Dr. L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D., president of Kalamazoo Valley Community College, welcomed the participants to the event. "A food hub like ValleyHUB is not a typical program for a community college, but there are real ways that it ties into our mission," he said. He shared that, "ValleyHUB is one way we implement our Strategic Plan Priority of cultivating intentional community partnerships: our strategic goal is to 'Leverage broad expertise and intentional partnerships to best serve the college community.' You are our community - you are employers, and you are providers of key services and beautiful food, and you are partners in creating and sustaining a high quality of life in Southwest Michigan."

The day concluded with a Cultivate Michigan Marketplace reception at the Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building. Cultivate Michigan Marketplace events focus on connecting institutional food service buyers with local farmers and food makers. The reception featured food prepared by Kalamazoo Valley culinary students and staff, using foods sourced through ValleyHUB.

If you are interested in learning more about ValleyHUB or becoming a partner, visit the website at valleyhub.kvcc.edu. To see photos from the event, go to the college's Flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/kalamazoovalley/albums/72177720305212380.