“We never know how our small activities will affect others through the invisible fabric of our connectedness. In this exquisitely connected world, it’s never a question of ‘critical mass.’ It’s always about critical connections”
Our Story
The Western UP Food Systems Collaborative is a grassroots coalition of food growers and procurers, public health and civic partners, scientists, educators, land and water stewards, students, and all community members. We are committed to making food sovereignty, equity, and justice a reality for all peoples throughout the region known as Michigan’s western Upper Peninsula, but also known as the Anishinaabe homelands and ceded-territory established by the Treaty of 1842; thus, we are not constrained by boundaries, but by the willingness of those committed to food and food systems in the surrounding regions including local state, Indigenous, and neighboring states’ homelands and waters.
Kathy Smith teaching honorable harvesting at the Wild Leek Workshop in April 2019.
In our personal and professional roles, we join a dynamic set of skills, expertise, experiences, and talents to learn more about our shared food system and communities, to identify opportunities to support food systems work throughout our region, and to collectively implement food systems change. Our work is possible because of those who have led this work and cared for these lands before us.
Vision
All Western Upper Peninsula community members are invited to celebrate, learn about, care for, and engage in our abundant local food system.
Mission
The Western UP Food Systems Collaborative connects the people, lands, and waters of the region’s food systems through knowledge exchange, resource sharing, intergenerational and intercultural learning, and storytelling.
Purpose
Collectively, we have the knowledge and skills needed to support abundant local food systems across the region. Our shared work is guided by respect for treaties, a deep sense of place, food knowledge shared through stories, and a commitment to reciprocity.
Priority Focus Areas
- Supporting Farms and Local Food Infrastructure
- Strengthening Food Systems through Mutual Aid
- Building Collaborative Networks
- Celebrating Local Food together
Organizational Structure
WUPFSC is a grassroots collective composed of various individuals and groups. As such, we work to be non-hierarchical in our organizational structure. We are not an elected council and are not a regulatory body. Work groups emerge as needed to implement shared goals. Work groups report back to the planning team. Planning team members agree to abide by our shared collaborative agreements as defined in our guidance document.
Planning Team, Meetings, and Work Groups
The WUPFSC planning team meets monthly via Zoom and is open to anyone who wishes to join. Members may pass the invite to anyone. Please fill out the Contact Form to be added to the planning team email list and/or monthly meeting invite.
Ad-hoc work groups emerge from the planning team to assist in the planning of WUPFSC in-person meetings, food summits, and other collaborative projects as needed.