Campus Dining Today - NACUFS 2023 - 51

Creating Effective Student Focus Groups
Evan Olsen, director of campus dining,
Florida Institute of Technology
BIPOC farm-to-institution
collaborations create
authentic, inclusive
experiences
Creating Exceptional and SAFE Dining
Experiences on Campus
Joel J. Schaefer CCC, CDM, CFPP, founder,
Your Allergy Chefs
Lesley Vogel, RDN, LDN, vice president of food
and nutrition, SAGE Dining Services
From Tactics to Strategy:
Marketing for Better Experiences
Kirsten McKinney, director of marketing for campus
operations, University of Richmond
Denishea Ortiz, executive director of strategic
marketing, Rochester Institute of Technology
Getting the Most From Benchmarking: A
Deep Dive into the InSights Data Center
by NACUFS
Rich Neumann, MS, FMP, director of culinary services
(retired), Ohio University
Operator to Administrator
Kory Samuels, associate vice president, Auxiliary
Services, Rochester Institute of Technology
Retention Through Collaborative
Full-Time Employment
Susan Cramer, senior associate director,
Michigan Dining, University of Michigan
Steve Giardini, senior director, Michigan Dining,
University of Michigan
The Farmer and the Chef:
BIPOC Farm to Institution Efforts
Michael Carter Jr., farmer/founder,
Carter Farms/Africulture
Katelyn Repash, local procurement director,
Responsible Sourcing Group, Aramark & Avendra Group
Jay Vetter, Pro Chef III, executive chef,
Aramark Collegiate Hospitality
Speakers used their personal experience to
present a complex picture of the realities of
sourcing local food from farmers who are Black,
Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), a group
that is typically older (average age of 60), underresourced,
and marginalized, yet highly resilient
and productive. Challenges that were discussed
ranged from building trust within the historical
and contemporary context of racism, marketing
and preparing unique food products, and helping
farmers obtain certifications.
For farmers, paperwork is on par with weeding
in 150-degree weather, said Michael Carter, Jr.,
farmer/founder, Carter Farms/Africulture-an
11th generation farmer, the Small Farm Resource
Center coordinator at Virginia State University,
and an instructor at Virginia Tech. Carter recruits
university students to help farmers complete
paperwork over the phone for certifications
like Small, Women-owned, and Minorityowned
businesses (SWaM), creating a learning
opportunity for students that makes certification
feasible for farmers. For institutions and dining
operations to build trust and become educated
about unique products requires putting in time-
visiting the farmers onsite, following through,
creating contracts that protect farmers through
seasonal uncertainties, and building flexibility into
menus.
" The worst thing you can do is to overcommit
and under-deliver, " said Jay Vetter, Pro Chef III,
executive chef, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality.
" Make a commitment you know you can live with. "
The best way to attempt to amend historic
realities around agriculture and slavery is to
invest in the farmers financially, which can make a
difference for generations, Carter said. Institutions
should feel free to share the stories of the farmers
in marketing, but only when trust has been
established, the farmer is comfortable, and there
is no risk or appearance of exploitation. These
partnerships have the potential to greatly benefit
the farmers, as well as institutions interested
in embodying their values and those of their
students.'
LeArNING SeSSIONS
| CAMPUS DINING TODAY

51
reTUrN TO TABLe OF CONTeNTS
Campus Dining Today - NACUFS 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Campus Dining Today - NACUFS 2023
