The Community Food and Agriculture Coalition is a multi-stakeholder coalition that addresses community needs related to food and agriculture in a comprehensive and creative way. The dedicated involvement of citizens, public officials, and people with a range of interests, such as farmers and anti-hunger advocates, is essential to securing the health of our local food and farming system.

Some of the specific objectives of CFAC are to:

• Secure policies that support the local food and farming system. For instance, we are working to get the Missoula Schools and restaurants to buy more local food to create larger markets for farmers.
• Educate Missoula County residents about the value of farming and healthy, fresh food. We organized the 2006 Harvest Festival and other educational presentations.
• Promote the economic viability of area farms and ranches, which face real threats from development pressures. We are working to establish a Land Link program and ways to create new markets for local farmers.
• Involve all citizens in decisions that affect their food system. We are inviting those most affected by food insecurity to help guide research about barriers to food access and to promote advocacy efforts to address these issues.

Our mission is to develop and strengthen Missoula County's food system: promoting sustainable agriculture, building regional self-reliance; and assuring all citizens equal access to healthy, affordable, and culturally-appropriate food. CFAC facilitates dialogue, education, and collaboration within the community, encouraging creative problem-solving and proactive policy advocacy.