Community Food and Agriculture Coalition

Formed in 2005, The Missoula County Community Food and Agriculture Coalition (CFAC) works to develop and strengthen Missoula County's food system by: promoting sustainable agriculture; building regional self-reliance; and assuring all citizens equal access to healthy, affordable, and culturally-appropriate food.

We seek to facilitate dialogue, education, and collaboration within the community, encouraging creative problem-solving and proactive policy advocacy. CFAC is a multi-stakeholder coalition that addresses community needs related to food and agriculture in a comprehensive and creative way. The dedicated involvement of citizens, public officials, and people with a range of interests, such as farmers and anti-hunger advocates, is essential to securing the health of our local food and farming system.

The Missoula City Council and the Board of Missoula County Commissioners passed a joint resolution in spring 2005 to support the work of the CFAC. Our aim is to work with the City and County to implement a comprehensive food policy for Missoula.

Some of the specific objectives of CFAC are to: Secure policies that support the local food and farming system - For instance, we are working to get the Missoula Schools to buy more local food and create new markets for farmers; Educate Missoula County residents about the value of farming and healthy, fresh food - We organized the 2005 Harvest Festival and other educational presentations; Promote the economic viability of area farms and ranches, which face real threats from development pressures; Involve all citizens in decisions that affect their food system - We are inviting those most affected by food insecurity to help guide research about barriers to food access and to promote advocacy efforts to address these issues.