To foster a whole-system approach to the sustainable growth of the North Central Florida food system.  We provide and promote foodways, foodshed, food economics, and food safety research and education; and we incubate low-income and disadvantaged food entrepreneurs.   Our on-going goals are: To create sustainable initiatives to address processing, sourcing, soil amendment, and waste bottlenecks in the local food system. To foster connections between local farmers, the foodservice industry, and consumers.  To empower low-income and disadvantaged populations and businesses by encouraging sustainable food entrepreneurshiworkshops, and materials to educate the North Central Florida community about the many levels of its relationship with food. To explore new avenues of sustainability in food, e.g. alternative processing facilities; regulatory innovation; energy efficiency and renewable energy programs; and food-waste, packaging, and greenhouse gas mitigation strategies.