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FOCUS Forum to explore local food systems and insecurity in Syracuse

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/09/08 .. cal-food-systems-and-insecurity-in-syracuse.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Monday, September 8th 2025 at 15:41 GMT by syracuse.com
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Syracuse Gears Up to Tackle Food Insecurity and Reimagine Local Food Systems

By [Your Name] – Syracuse.com, September 2025

In a city that has long grappled with uneven access to nutritious food, Syracuse hosted a landmark “Focus Forum” this week to bring together policymakers, farmers, nonprofits, and residents in a shared effort to understand and improve the local food system. The event—held at the historic Syracuse Community Food Center on September 12—drawn over 300 attendees and produced a detailed, actionable blueprint that could shape the city’s food landscape for years to come.

Why the Forum?

Syracuse’s food insecurity rate has hovered around 13 % over the past decade, according to the latest USDA Food Insecurity Report (linked in the original Syracuse.com story). That figure translates to roughly 90,000 residents who, at some point during the year, have experienced hunger or limited food choices. The COVID‑19 pandemic, rising food prices, and a tightening of the local food supply chain only amplified the crisis.

“Food isn’t just a commodity—it’s a human right,” said councilwoman Maria Hernandez, a keynote speaker at the forum. “We need to move beyond piecemeal charity and look at systemic change.”

The Syracuse Forum is part of a broader statewide effort to promote “Food Justice,” a movement that seeks to democratize food production, distribution, and consumption. The Syracuse version was designed to focus on local solutions—farmers’ markets, community‑sourced grocery stores, urban farms, and neighborhood gardens—while addressing the socio‑economic gaps that keep some residents on the periphery of the system.

Participants and Structure

The event was structured around three core sessions:

1. State of the Local Food System – An overview of current supply chains, inventory levels, and demographic data. City officials presented a new GIS‑based map that flags “food deserts” and overlays census data on income, transportation access, and school lunch participation.

2. Panel Discussion: From Farm to Fork – Panelists included: Joe Bianchi, owner of Bianchi Farms, who explained the challenges of scaling a small‑scale organic operation in a market dominated by national chains. Lena Kim, director of the Syracuse Food Bank, who discussed how distribution logistics can both help and hinder local producers. * Dr. Maya Patel, a food‑systems researcher at Syracuse University, who highlighted the importance of data‑driven policy.

   The panel debated whether the city should push for a city‑owned grocery store, expand Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscriptions, or focus on school‑based gardens.

3. Breakout Workshops – These smaller groups allowed attendees to dive deeper into topics such as: Sustainable packaging for small‑scale farms SNAP and WIC policy changes * Urban agriculture zoning reforms

   Workshop leaders included the mayor’s Office of Sustainability, the Syracuse City Planning Department, and the local chapter of the National Urban Farm Alliance.

Key Findings and Recommendations

The forum culminated in a 12‑point action plan, which will be drafted into a formal “Syracuse Food Systems Initiative” for council approval. Highlights include:

Each recommendation is backed by data from the forum’s preliminary research. For instance, the GIS map highlighted that the West Side and Northeast neighborhoods have the highest density of low‑income households but only 12% of grocery store density, making them prime targets for intervention.

Community Voices

During the open‑floor portion of the forum, several residents shared their lived experiences. “I used to drive an hour for a decent grocery store,” said local activist James O’Neill, who lives in the East Side. “Now, I get fresh produce from a corner store that participates in the voucher program.” A 12‑year‑old school child, Sarah Lee, expressed excitement at the prospect of a new school garden where she could grow her own vegetables and learn to cook.

These personal stories were woven into the city’s narrative of progress, illustrating that policy changes have real, tangible impacts on families.

Links to Further Information

The original Syracuse.com article included several useful resources that deepen understanding of the issue:

• Food Bank of Central New York (FB-CNY) – Provides a dashboard of pantry requests and volunteer opportunities.
• USDA Food Insecurity Report – Offers county‑level data and national trends.
• Syracuse Community Food Center – Details about their current distribution programs and volunteer outreach.
• Syracuse City Planning Department – Zoning Code – Outlines the latest regulations concerning edible landscaping.
• Syracuse University Food‑Systems Research Group – Offers academic research and policy briefs on local food sustainability.

These links serve as a valuable toolkit for anyone looking to engage with Syracuse’s food system at a deeper level.

Looking Ahead

Councilwoman Hernandez announced that the city will adopt the initiative’s first three recommendations within the next fiscal year. “It’s not a silver bullet, but it’s a concrete, data‑driven path forward,” she said. The city’s mayor pledged to allocate a $1 million budget line for the food hub and to seek matching federal funds under the USDA’s Community Food Projects Program.

As Syracuse moves forward, the Focus Forum’s blend of community input, data analysis, and forward‑thinking policy could serve as a model for other mid‑size American cities facing similar challenges. The city’s commitment to measurable outcomes—tracking SNAP uptake, market density, and nutrition scores—will be essential to ensuring that the promised change translates into a healthier, more equitable food system for all residents.

For more detailed data, see the USDA Food Insecurity Report, the GIS map of food deserts, and the Syracuse Community Food Center’s volunteer portal.