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30 <br /> 1 that. She said that they can be doing better by doing a local ag census that is independent of <br /> 2 USDA. <br /> 3 Chair Price asked how many people are on the entire council. <br /> 4 Ashley Heger said sixteen, but five are open seats. She said they are requesting to have <br /> 5 stipends to grapple with the issue of free work because they do not want to create a Council <br /> 6 that is majority filled with those that have privilege and access. <br /> 7 Chair Price clarified that the co-chairs are not elected representatives. <br /> 8 Ashley Heger said that is correct. <br /> 9 Chair Price said she was skeptical in 2018 but sees that this is getting somewhere now. <br /> 10 She said that she can see the need. She said she hopes the pilot works and that Ashley Heger <br /> 11 has actually brought the Food Council a long way. She asked about the proposed 5 years for <br /> 12 the MOU. She said she hopes it is five years. She said she does not think Ashley will work <br /> 13 herself out of this job because the need will be continuous and ever evolving. She said she is <br /> 14 thinking about three years instead of five. <br /> 15 Commissioner McKee asked if she was advocating for a separate ag center from USDA <br /> 16 and Extension. <br /> 17 Ashley Heger said she said a separate census. She said that the USDA does one every <br /> 18 seven years and that she wants to do one locally. She said they have talked about doing one <br /> 19 multiple times but they always come back to the same issue — who do we talk to, what data are <br /> 20 we collecting. She said that if that does not change and if they only get input from those already <br /> 21 connected then the data will be there but how good will it be. She said that is why they decided <br /> 22 to start small and a way directly connected to those on the ground. She said that hopefully this <br /> 23 pilot project could lead to a local census. <br /> 24 Commissioner Bedford said she loves the idea of a census. She said that she would like <br /> 25 more information, or numbers, because she is not clear on what marginalized communities she <br /> 26 is talking about. She said more numerics help her. She said that she thinks the Board needs <br /> 27 better ways to share information because they are all liaisons to committees, but they do not <br /> 28 really share any of that information with the full Board. She asked the Board to think about it <br /> 29 because there has to be a better way. <br /> 30 Chair Price said they all can give reports at the beginning of meetings, but she <br /> 31 understands that is not likely enough. She said even though the Board is looking at what is <br /> 32 happening now, the project can also help support new farmers if they know there is a place for <br /> 33 them. She said this could encourage new and younger farmers to start. <br /> 34 Ashley Heger said it would be a launching pad. <br /> 35 Chair Price said that she has talked to some of the new Black farmers, and they are <br /> 36 excited to get into Weaver Street but that is not insurance and they would be happy to get more. <br /> 37 Ashley Heger said that Fresh Fire works with restaurants, stores, and institutions with <br /> 38 buyers spanning from US Foods to Weaver Street. <br /> 39 Commissioner Greene said that Breeze Farm moved from the model of accepting brand <br /> 40 new farmers, so that left a gap there. She said this highlights the importance of working with a <br /> 41 more informal network. <br /> 42 Ashley Heger said it will always be "both and." She said she fully hears the criticisms <br /> 43 and understands because they really are flying the plane and building it at the same time with <br /> 44 this work. She said moving toward equity is challenging. <br /> 45 Chair Price said not to think about them as criticisms but rather comments. <br /> 46 <br /> 47 <br />