Thanks to Ellen Kahler of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund for sharing this survey to identify the training needs of food system professionals and volunteers. It is open through May 31, 2012 to practitioners across North America.

We are reaching out to folks involved with programs ranging from beginning farmers, farmland protection, food hubs, and food value chains to urban agriculture and community food security. American Farmland Trust, the Wallace Center at Winrock International, and the Michigan State U. Center for Regional Food Systems (formerly the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems) have teamed up with the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development (JAFSCD) to conduct a survey of food system development practitioners in North America. To complete the survey paste the following in your browser: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Food_System_Development_Practitioner_Survey.

The survey objective is to identify the specific challenges and training needs of current and prospective food system development practitioners. This anonymous questionnaire is largely simple checkboxes and should not take more than 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

For the purposes of the survey, a “food system development practitioner” is anyone who, as a significant portion of their work, uses community development strategies in working with farmers, business people, government agency staff, local residents, or other persons or entities to create or strengthen the viability, equity, and sustainability of food systems.

We believe that improving knowledge and skills of practitioners will lead to more effective and efficient programs, and ultimately to more viable and sustainable food systems.

Thank you for your participation and for sharing this link with others! If you have any questions, contact Duncan Hilchey at duncan@newleafnet.com.

To complete the food system practitioner survey paste the following in your browser: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Food_System_Development_Practitioner_Survey.