Greetings:
Welcome to One to One, the inaugural update on the Global Initiative for Food Systems Leadership (Global Initiative). This quarterly newsletter will serve to keep our partners, participants, and supporters apprised of our activities, new program offerings, and helpful resources that uphold our mission of global food systems leadership.

The launch of the Global Initiative was auspicious, coming at a time of unprecedented attention to the global food systems: price increases threatening food security crises in thirty or more countries; food systems issues headlining trade agendas; and foodborne illness investigations expanding across multiple political boundaries. Although still in a "silent phase," our fundraising efforts already have netted commitments for over $5M, including an endowed chair and more than $3M in operating funds over the next four years. Donors include global food systems companies, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the University of Minnesota.

Our Partners

The Global Initiative has experienced a strong launch due in great part to the generous support of our partners. We want to thank them for helping us to further our mission of developing an affordable and safe food supply for all countries.

MENTORS

Regional and national government experience

Hans Wyss, Switzerland

Norm Willis, Canada

Peter Fernandez, U.S.

Gene Hugoson, U.S.

Industry experience

Mike Robach,
Cargill, Inc.

Dane Bernard,
Keystone Foods

Pat Stonger,
Daybreak Foods

Academic experience

John Finnegan,
University of Minnesota

Intergovernmental organization experience

Bernard Vallat,
World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

COLLABORATING ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS

University of Helsinki

Washington State University

University of California, Davis

University of Minnesota

Center for Animal Health and Food Safety

National Center for Food Protection and Defense

IGOs (INTER-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS)

World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

World Health Organization (WHO)

World Trade Organization (WTO)

Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA)

For more info

To find out more about the Global Initiative for Food Systems Leadership, download the answers to our Frequently Asked Questions. It's a great way to share our mission with others.

Suggestions?

If you have any suggestions for making this newsletter more informative or resourceful, please send them to Will Hueston.

 

Putting Global Food Systems Leadership on the Map

Already, the level of worldwide involvement in our mission has been extraordinary. During the first six months of 2008, the Global Initiative successfully introduced four programs that served over 200 participants from twenty-one countries.

Leadership Building Activities

We delivered three food systems leadership education programs in collaboration with Dr. Bill Sischo of the Gates Foundation-funded School of Global Animal Health at Washington State University.

  • "Engaging Intergovernmental Organizations" – Paris, Geneva, and Rome (read more)
  • Farm to Table Tour – Netherlands (read more)
  • "Engaging National Policymaking"
    – Washington,DC (read more)
  • "Globalization and Health: Challenges and Perspectives" – Iceland (read more)
  • "Two-day Global Food Safety Systems Leadership Workshop" – Minnesota (read more)

Leadership Capacity Building Activities

"International Food Defense Exercise" (G8 countries) Government representatives from six countries gathered to work through a three-day, table-top exercise in May, concerning a hypothetical intentional contamination of the global food system. The goal was to identify opportunities for strengthening the collective response through better communication and coordination.

  • "Embracing the Interdependence of Animals, Humans, and the Environment" – Minnesota (read more)

The upcoming months will include another three firsts: an international food safety management course for twenty-five senior Chinese officials; a symposium in Finland examining research strategies for evaluating the effectiveness of food control efforts; and an intense discussion of global food systems leadership competencies in Bellagio, Italy.

Also, we'll continue to explore food systems policymaking at the local level and kick off a one-week Public Health Institute in India–all while preparing to recruit the first class of global food systems leadership fellows from promising candidates around the world.

The First International Meeting on Food Control Research '08

Oct. 15—17, 2008
Helsinki, Finland

Led by a Global Initiative partner, the University of Helsinki, this three-day symposium will investigate methods for evaluating the efficacy of food control strategies.

Policymaking at the Local Level '08

October 20—22, 2008
Seattle + Olympia, Washington

A one-week short course examining animal health and global food systems from the context of a veterinary practitioner. Held in '07 in Davis, California, and in '09 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

China International Food Safety Management Program '08

November 2—14, 2008

A two-week food safety leadership program will be held annually for the next five years beginning this fall. Approximately twenty-five Chinese food safety officials from government, industry, and academia will participate each year. The goal is to foster networking with Chinese food safety professionals through a series of leadership activities in Rome, Brussels, Netherlands, Washington, DC, and Minneapolis, MN, with follow-up activities in China.

Bellagio '08

December 8—12, 2008
Bellagio, Italy

A three-day meeting at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center on Lake Como will bring together representatives from developed and developing countries around the world to discuss leadership development for the global food systems using the One World One Health (OWOH) paradigm.

Engaging Intergovernmental Organizations '09

February 15—21, 2009
Paris, Geneva, and Rome

Using directed experiential learning, participants will gain insight into public policymaking at the international level, with site visits and interactions with key officials working with food safety, animal health, and public health along with international professional, industry, and non-governmental organizations. The program emphasizes the impact of international standards and policy on food safety, animal health, trade, and public health.

Farm to Table Tour '09

South America

A one-week tour exploring food systems in South America is currently being developed.

Active partnership and participation are the formula for our continued success. We welcome your feedback, your involvement in our programs, and your contributions to support the growth of these programs.

Mentoring

We are currently recruiting leaders with experience in one or more of the following areas—government, industry, academia, and intergovernmental organizations—to serve as mentors for emerging leaders.

Collaboration on Program Delivery

We continue to foster partnerships with universities, NGOs, and intergovernmental organizations in an effort to create collaborative leadership development programs for both in-person and virtual delivery.

To discuss opportunities for further involvement, please email Will Hueston.

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