NJFDC Events
5th NJ State of the Food System Summit | New Brunswick @ the Douglass Student Center
The 5th NJ State of the Food System Summit will bring together leaders from across New Jersey to identify the infrastructure, investments, policies, and partnerships needed to build a stronger, more resilient food system.
New Jersey’s Food System Is at a Turning Point
Building a stronger and more resilient food system requires more than individual programs or short-term solutions. It requires the physical infrastructure that moves food from farms to markets and institutions, the social infrastructure that connects people and organizations, and the financing, policies, data, and coordination that allow the system to function and grow.
This year’s Summit will bring together farmers, food businesses, institutional buyers, policymakers, advocates, funders, researchers, community organizations, and food system leaders from across the state to explore what New Jersey needs to build, strengthen, and invest in next.
Designed as a working convening, the Summit will move beyond identifying challenges to surface concrete opportunities for action, investment, and collaboration.
Participants will leave with:
A clearer understanding of New Jersey’s most pressing food system infrastructure needs and gaps
Stronger connections across sectors, communities, and regions
Concrete priorities for policy, investment, programs, and research
Opportunities for continued collaboration beyond the Summit
Who should attend?
The Summit is designed for anyone working to strengthen New Jersey’s food system, including farmers and food businesses; schools, colleges, hospitals, and institutional buyers; food banks and food access organizations; policymakers and government agencies; food policy councils and community coalitions; researchers and educators; funders and investors; and advocates and community leaders.
What we’ll explore:
The Summit will examine key dimensions of food system infrastructure—supply chain and farm-to-institution logistics, coalition and food policy council capacity, food system data and metrics, and sustainable funding—through the lens of strengthening food security across all six dimensions: availability, access, affordability, utilization, stability, and agency.
The Summit also directly supports implementation of New Jersey’s 2025 Joint Resolution recognizing the Right to Adequate Food (AJR229), which affirms the importance of equitable access to healthy, culturally appropriate food and the sustainability of local food systems. Designed as a working convening, the Summit will strengthen cross-sector relationships, build shared understanding of infrastructure needs, and identify actionable priorities for advancing a more resilient and equitable statewide food system.
Outcomes will include clearer alignment around key system gaps, strengthened connections among stakeholders, and identification of priority areas for coordinated policy, programmatic, and funding strategies that advance food security and the Right to Adequate Food for all New Jersey residents.
Program Details
Click on each image to explore program details.
Note: Program and speakers are subject to change. Additional details will be announced as the Summit approaches.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Interested in supporting the Summit?
Sponsorship offers an opportunity to support statewide food system collaboration while connecting with leaders working across agriculture, food access, public policy, institutional procurement, research, and community development.
For sponsorship information, contact Sara at grants@njfooddemocracy.org or learn more here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/nj-state-of-the-food-system-summit
Hour of Action: Local Food for Schools
Join NJ Food Democracy Collaborative for a virtual Hour of Action.
On June 30, the New Jersey Legislature will finalize the state's FY27 budget—and we have a critical opportunity to ensure that Local Food for Schools is included.
For more than two years, legislation to establish a permanent Local Food for Schools program has stalled, despite broad support from farmers, schools, students, and communities across New Jersey.
The program would help K–12 schools purchase healthy, fresh foods grown and raised by New Jersey farmers, keeping food dollars in local communities while improving access to nutritious meals for students.
The good news? There is currently a proposal to include $4.5 million for Local Food for Schools in the FY27 state budget. But budget decisions are being made right now, and lawmakers need to hear from constituents before the final vote.
We'll spend one hour together contacting legislators and budget leaders to urge them to support funding for Local Food for Schools.
We'll provide:
• A brief overview of the program and budget opportunity • Talking points and sample messages • Legislator contact information • Time to make calls and send emails together in real time
No advocacy experience is required. Whether you've never contacted a legislator before or you've done this many times, we'll make it easy to participate. Every call and email helps demonstrate the broad support for investing in New Jersey farmers, healthy school meals, and stronger local food systems.
Join us and help make sure Local Food for Schools crosses the finish line. Bring a teacher, friend, or neighbor!
REGISTER HERE.
Hour of Action: Local Food for Schools
Join NJ Food Democracy Collaborative for a virtual Hour of Action.
On June 30, the New Jersey Legislature will finalize the state's FY27 budget—and we have a critical opportunity to ensure that Local Food for Schools is included.
For more than two years, legislation to establish a permanent Local Food for Schools program has stalled, despite broad support from farmers, schools, students, and communities across New Jersey.
The program would help K–12 schools purchase healthy, fresh foods grown and raised by New Jersey farmers, keeping food dollars in local communities while improving access to nutritious meals for students.
The good news? There is currently a proposal to include $4.5 million for Local Food for Schools in the FY27 state budget. But budget decisions are being made right now, and lawmakers need to hear from constituents before the final vote.
We'll spend one hour together contacting legislators and budget leaders to urge them to support funding for Local Food for Schools.
We'll provide:
• A brief overview of the program and budget opportunity • Talking points and sample messages • Legislator contact information • Time to make calls and send emails together in real time
No advocacy experience is required.
Whether you've never contacted a legislator before or you've done this many times, we'll make it easy to participate. Every call and email helps demonstrate the broad support for investing in New Jersey farmers, healthy school meals, and stronger local food systems.
Join us and help make sure Local Food for Schools crosses the finish line. Bring a teacher, friend, or neighbor!
REGISTER HERE.
Food Democracy Lunch and Learn - May: "Improving Food Systems through Cross-Sector County-level Collaboration" | Virtual
Counties are often an ideal level of the food system for various stakeholders and interests to collaborate at to address local challenges. From administering nutrition programs to supporting agriculture and public health, county agencies shape key outcomes for residents and farmers alike. But without coordination across sectors, opportunities for impact are often missed.
This Lunch & Learn will provide an overview of New Jersey’s county-level authorities—including Boards of Social Services, Cooperative Extension, County Commissioners, and County Agriculture Development Boards—and explore how they influence food access, farming, and local economies.
Participants will also hear examples of county-level food policy councils and collaborations, offering a glimpse into what coordinated, cross-sector food system work can look like in practice.
The session will include time for Q&A and discussion, and participants will be invited to share interest in future support opportunities, including Food Policy Council planning office hours.
Check out previous Lunch and Learn sessions here: https://www.youtube.com/@njfooddemocracycollaborati888/playlists.
Farmers' Markets Pre-Season Planning Workshop: Part 2 - Effective Outreach & Marketing for More FNA Customers
Boost Your Market Impact: 2026 Pre-Season Planning Workshops for Local Food Access Markets
A Two-Part Online Series for Farmers’ Market & Local Food Access Leaders
REGISTER NOW
Topics Include:
• Digital outreach (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook)
• Print & physical outreach: flyers, posters, newspaper listings
• Building your network: community partnerships for stronger redemption
• Promoting SNAP, FMNP & incentives effectively
• Breakout sessions + best-practice resource list
Who is this for? Local farmers’ market managers, mobile market coordinators, CSA managers, farmstand operators, Fresh Stop Market (farm share) organizers, and direct-market farmers who accept (or want to accept) nutrition assistance benefits such as SNAP, Good Food Bucks, WIC/FMNP, Senior FMNP, VeggieRx, or other incentive programs.
Purpose:
1. Share best practices to operate, manage & fund FNA authorized farmers’ markets
2. Inform and catalyze pre-season planning for 2026 to increase sales from FNA benefits.
2. Share what’s working and challenges for FNA integration and promotion.
3. Facilitate peer-to-peer learning and connections throughout the year
These workshops are made possible by a grant from the NJ Food Security Initiative
Farmers' Markets Pre-Season Planning Workshop: Part One - Organizing your Food and Nutrition Assistance-Aligned Market
Boost Your Market Impact: 2026 Pre-Season Planning Workshops for Local Food Access Markets
A Two-Part Online Series for Farmers’ Market & Local Food Access Leaders
REGISTER NOW
Part One covers organizing, staffing, and funding your food and nutrition benefits-authorized markets, communicating effectively with vendors, and provide ample time for sharing best practices. Part Two will cover promotion and marketing of our FNA-benefits aligned market and will be held in early March. Details and registration link for Part Two, coming soon.
Who is this for? Local farmers’ market managers, mobile market coordinators, CSA managers, farmstand operators, Fresh Stop Market (farm share) organizers, and direct-market farmers who accept (or want to accept) nutrition assistance benefits such as SNAP, Good Food Bucks, WIC/FMNP, Senior FMNP, VeggieRx, or other incentive programs.
Purpose:
1. Share best practices to operate, manage & fund FNA authorized farmers’ markets
2. Inform and catalyze pre-season planning for 2026 to increase sales from FNA benefits.
2. Share what’s working and challenges for FNA integration and promotion.
3. Facilitate peer-to-peer learning and connections throughout the year
These workshops are made possible by a grant from the NJ Food Security Initiative
January Food Democracy Lunch & Learn
Upcoming Lunch & Learn:
January, 2026: More info here soon!
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Past Lunch & Learns:
Missed a Lunch and Learn Event? Find the recordings on our YouTube Channel.
November 13, 2025: NJFDC Research Working Group presents, “NJ Food System Research Showcase.” View recording. Download slides.
September 23, 2025: Civic Engagement for Better Food Policy Series. Part I: How to Effectively Engage with the State Legislative Process. September 23, 12:00 - 1:30 PM. View recording. Download slides.
June 2025 (two Lunch and Learn events in one month!): Virtual Launch Party for New Root’s Fresh Stop Markets App in Phillipsburg and Atlantic City NJ! View recording.
June 2025: Overview and discussion of FDC’s new “FMNP Best Practices Guide & Toolkit”. View Recording. Download the Guide here.
April 2025: Urban Agriculture Zoning and Local Ordinances, with Liz Turner, Vermont Law Center for Agriculture and Food Systems, and Tobias Fox, Newark Science and Sustainability. View Recording.
March 2025: FDC Legislative and Policy Priorities & Food System Roadmap Progress Update. March 5, 12 - 1:30 PM. Save the date. View Recording.
January 2025: NJ State Board of Agriculture & State Agriculture Convention. Happening on January 28, from 1 - 2:30 PM, via Zoom. View Recording.
The Collaborative Table
The Collaborative Table, 5-Year Anniversary Fundraising Event
Highlights of the evening include:
A seasonally inspired dinner menu by Chef Lauren Owens crafted with local NJ farm sourced ingredients
An armchair chat on “The Imperative of Diverse Cross-Sector Allyship for Food System Resilience”
A silent auction
November Food Democracy Lunch & Learn
We’re thrilled to invite you to a very special edition of our Food Democracy Lunch & Learn series — a deep-dive into the groundbreaking research shaping New Jersey’s food future!
Join us as members of the NJFDC Research Working Group present 2025 Food System Research Highlights, featuring cutting-edge projects that bridge food science, community, and policy.
Register here
September Food Democracy Lunch & Learn
Civic Engagement for Better Food Policy Series. Part I: How to Effectively Engage with the State Legislative Process.
NJ State of the Food System Summit
Statewide Food System Summits
From 2021 through 2025, NJFDC convened annual State of the Food System Summits.
You can read summaries and themes from the summits here to use as a tool for food system planning: 2024-2025 Regional Food System Summits Notebook
You can view recordings of some of the sessions on our YouTube Channel.