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From right, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Local and Regional Food Systems Policy Advisor Tricia Kovacs, moderates a discussion about ‘How is USDA Measuring Impact of Local Food Investments?’ with Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Transportation and Marketing Program Deputy Administrator Arthur Neal, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Nutrition/Extension Division National Program Leader Jane Clary Loveless, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Census and Survey Division Director Barbara Rater, Food and Nutrition Service Community Food Systems Director Erin Healy, and Rural Development Rural Business-Cooperative Service Business Programs Deputy Administrator Claudette Fernandez, during the Local Food Impacts Conference, Monday, April 3, 2017, at George Washington University (GWU) in Washington DC. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), in partnership with GWU hosts the Local Food Impacts Conference. Congressionally authorized grant and loan programs to support local food systems have expanded in recent years. Quantifying and evaluating the impacts of these programs is critical. Attendees can explore how to best measure the impacts of local food investments, improve coordination across USDA agencies, and evaluate the extent to which disparate local food investments are complementary and reinforcing. Beyond metrics, this conference provides an opportunity to share local food stories with new stakeholders. For more information, please see localfoodsimpact.org/. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

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