Local Food Economic Development in Texas

Texas AgriLife Today - blog from your Texas A&M AgriLife Extenson Service; 2017 rural economic development project

Selling Food is Good Business in the Capital Area - But What About Food Production?  Capital Area Council of Governments, Jan, 2017

Local Food as an Economic Development Driver - seminar for community leaders held in Elgin in April 2016.  Links to PDF's of agenda and presenter slides are below.  We also made "home movie" quality video of the event and will post as we have it.

• Introduction & Overview - Sue Beckwith, Executive Director, Texas Center for Local Food
• What is a Sustainable Food System? - Edwin Marty, Food Policy Manager, City of Austin
• Local Food as Economic Development - Chris Schreck, Economic Development Director, Capital Area Council of Governments (video)
• Family Farms are Small Businesses - Cameron Molberg, CEO Coyote Creek Organic Feed Mill & President, Texas Center for Local Food
• Farm to School in Texas - Michelle Esper-Martin, Texas Department of Agriculture
• Private Investing - Jarred Maxwell, Austin Foodshed Investors
• Community Economic Impact of Local Foods - Dr. Rebekka Dudensing, Agricultural & Community Development Economist, Texas A&M AgriLife

The City of Austin's food systems work is the best in the state.  Their site has an excellent list of reports about Austin and central Texas.  Here is a PDF of the 2016 City of Austin State of the Food System Report.

Farm to Table Caucus Advances Local Food Movement - How the bi-partisan Texas legislative caucus is addressing food policy and why (Texas Tribune, Sept. 2012)

University of Texas Nutrition Institute 

Feasibility of a Texas Food Hub - National Center for Appropriate Technology, 2015 (PDF)

Who Are The Organic Farmers in Texas? - National Center for Appropriate Technology, 2016 (PDF)