Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Notes prepard by Virginie Zoumenou and Alex McIntosh

The NC1196 research group met In Columbus Ohio from Thursday October 25 to Friday October 26, 2018. On behalf of the group, I would like to thank Dr. Irene Hatsu for organizing a very productive meeting.
Introduction
Dr. Hector Santiago was introduced to the group. He provided us with a brief update from USDA.
All the members in attendance introduced themselves and their research activities
Research activities
Dr. Irene Hatsu: Conducted research activities related to homeless and food security. She received an NIH grant focusing on substance using and effects on children 0-5 year olds. She published 2 papers
Dr. Ardyth Gillepsie: Is conducting community activities related to local food system in Iowa much of it with regard to the production of local food for local consumption. She is also working on the introduction of a book.
Dr. Virginie Zoumenou: Continued working on Preschoolers and Childhood Obesity. The project will received more funding through the SNAP-Ed Program. A waste management component will be added to the preschoolers’ project. She also received A Robert Wood Johnson Foundation award to implement the culture of health initiative which is entitled “Well Connected Communities project”. This project focuses on “Healthy Street & Healthy Me” in three communities on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Dr. Cherry Smith: Conducted several projects related to local food system and food insecurity in developing countries (Jamaica, Nepal). She focused on women and youth.
Dr. Alex McIntosh: Conducted focus groups of farmers some of whom practice no till and those who do not. As part of a second project focus groups made up of public health officials and members of NGOs concerned about the use of antibiotics in food animals.
A General Discussion Dealt with the Potential Changes in USDA. Some concern was expressed regarding the impact of the ability to continued funding for the projects that many of us have had in the past.
Working Group Discussion.
Food system literature review
Discussion regarding the need of an editor: Dr.Virginie Zoumenou shared with the group the information related to a Springer editor who contacted Dr. Gerad Middendorf. Cherry Smith also provided us with information regarding another editor interested by the project.
Decision: We decided not to focus on an editor but to focus on publishing 2 or 3 articles on the following topics for the literature review:
Topics
1. Food System: Food insecurity and safety net (Virginie Irene and Cherry)
2. Food System and history of gardening in US (Cherry –Christine-and Catherine )
3. Food System and Household behaviors & School system (Alex- Irene- Ardyth- Song)
4. Editorial: Food System Perspectives (Alex McIntosh)

Timeline:
Date Team Member Assignment Team Leader Assignment
March 2019 Team leader will submit the first draft
June 2019 Team Leader will submit the second draft in Alaska

Next year's meeting will be held at Texas A&M University in later October or early November

Milestones included the finding that in Indiana incentives in the form of meals discounts led to a reduction in food waste in by low-income indiviudals. In California while non-profit or community-driven stores have closed over time whereas nearly half of the commercial-driven and a third of government-initiated facilities canceled their plans to or closed their stores. In Michigan, more farmers were persuaded to grow nutrient-dense foods and increased high school student knowledge, awareness, skills and attitueds toward growing nutritional food in a sustainable manner. In Maryland, after research was done, food waste interventions at an elementary school declined. In Iowa, an open house was held for Celebration of Local Food and Farming toward the goal of connecting and creating a culture of cooperation among various types of farm operations from very small to industry size. 

Opichka, K. and C. Smith. 2018. Accuracy of self-reported heights and weights in a predominately low-income, diverse population in the USA. American Journal of Human Biology 30(6): e23184. 

Katare, B. and Beatty, T.K., 2018. Do environmental factors drive obesity? Evidence from international graduate students. Health economics 27(10):1567-1593.

Beatty, T.K. and Katare, B., 2018. Low-cost approaches to increasing gym attendance. Journal of Health Economics 61:63-76.

Schmitt SA, Bryant LM, Korucu I, Kirkham L, Katare B, Benjamin T, 2018. The effects of a nutrition education curriculum on improving young children's fruit and vegetable preferences and nutrition and health knowledge. Public Health Nutrition 22:28-34.

Barry, J., Bielaczyc, Heisler, D., Henne, R., Hembroff, L., Raven, M.R., Reed, K., Cotter, M., & Howell, K. (2018). Michigan Livestock Producer Capacity Assessment Final Report. East Lansing, MI. Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems.