Evaluating partnerships…

David S. Conner , Ph.D.C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

Michigan State University

Improving School Food

Measuring the Right Things

Food “improvement” and changes in the 3 P’s are vital, and need to be measured, but…

They must be accompanied by changes in people

Elements of effective partnerships

• Are the food service professionals in the driver’s seat?

• Do community partners have deep understanding of the school food service business?

• What changes in knowledge and attitudes occurred (or may need to occur)?• School food professionals?• Community partners?• Vendors?• Farmers?

Learning Supply Chains

Elements of Learning Supply Chains

• What changed? Efficacious? Replicable? Fair?

• What was learned? How was “new” knowledge created and communicated?

• Were the vendors partners too?

• Key themes:• Competition• Cooperation• Compromise

Thank You!

David S. Conner, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

309 Natural Resources BldgMichigan State University, East

Lansing MI 48823Voice: 517-353-1914Email: connerd@msu.edu