Welcome to the Local Food Systems Networking section!

The Networking section contains the social networking tools to help site users communicate and identify shared interests. The Networking section exists to help fledgling or expanding businesses and their supporters, particularly those in relatively close proximity, connect with each other to mutual benefit. Here you will find opportunities to connect with other individuals who are interested in starting new businesses, supporting existing businesses, and discussing ideas about local foods. The Networking section is focused on three main types of content:

Collaborative Business Networks (CBN) are designed for Local Food Systems users to collaborate, focus on, and achieve a specific, well defined goal. Primarily CBNs are used to develop business ecosystems, a collaborative network of entrepreneurs, existing businesses, business supporters, and customers that seek to create new or expand existing supply chains. However, CBNs have also be used for tasks such as developing inter-collegiate programs and as a vehicle for new community groups to organize around a shared vision. CBNs give site users a set of tools (posts, private messages, events, to do items, and folders) that allow them to organize and assign tasks, set deadlines, disseminate information, and share important files. CBNs can be either Public (available for everyone on the Local Food Systems website to see) or Private (view-able only by the members of the group).

Create A Collaborative Business Network

Common Interest Groups (CIG) allow you to discuss topics of interest with other Local Food Systems users. Less focused than Collaborative Business Networks, CIGs are designed to act as repositories of knowledge, to stimulate thought, and introduce people to new topics with which they are not familiar. Users with knowledge in topic areas are encouraged to share their experiences, post links to relevant articles, and answer questions from the Local Food Systems community. Tools available to CIGs include posts, events, and folders. These tools allow site users to disseminate information and share important files to other users that share their interests. CIGs can be either Public (available for everyone on the Local Food Systems website to see) or Private (view-able only by the members of the group).

Create A Common Interest Group

Forum Topics are for free flowing discussion on any topic relevant to Local Food Systems. You can start your own topic thread, or comment on an existing topic. All forum posts are public and view-able by all Local Food Systems users.

Create A Forum topic