2023 UP Food Summit comes to Marquette

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - Monday, attendees of the 2023 U.P. Food Summit got the chance to explore the industry of food from production to distribution. Presentations from speakers included topics like seed libraries, wild rice and farm-to-school assistance.

In addition to presentations, attendees took part in breakout sessions and cooking demonstrations. The summit also gave growers a chance to network with others involved in the U.P. food supply chain.

“Our food has what’s called ‘food miles’ from an environmental footprint, the gas it takes to get there. The things it takes to grow that food and import it to the U.P. has a really substantial impact on the environment and then just the local industry, helping to provide jobs, getting people good food,” said May Tsupros, Partridge Creek Farms Director.

For organizers behind the scenes, it’s about much more than just farming.

“Food isn’t just this traditional agriculture. It’s about caring for the earth and the water and the land that gives back to us and so there’s a lot of great basic science stuff that they shared but also that cultural representation and helping us understand how we connect to our food system,” said Alex Palzewicz, U.P. Food Summit planning team.

Free and open to the public, the U.P. Food Summit is just one of the many resources provided by the U.P. Food Exchange. The group works to create a mutually supportive food system in the Upper Peninsula.

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