This has been a pivotal year for the NH Food Alliance. Following the successful completion and statewide launch of the NH Food and Agriculture Strategic Plan, our focus has shifted from building a shared vision for New Hampshire's food system to helping turn that vision into action.
The Strategic Plan provides a roadmap shaped by thousands of voices across the food system. As the plan gained momentum, an important question emerged: what is the most effective role for the NH Food Alliance to play in supporting implementation? Over the past year, we have been exploring that question while continuing to strengthen our network, deepen partnerships, and refine how we work.
At the same time, the NH Food Alliance entered a new chapter through its transition to the University of New Hampshire's College of Life Sciences and Agriculture (COLSA). This move created new opportunities to connect research, education, and community engagement with the priorities identified in the Strategic Plan.
Much of our work this year focused on building the structures needed to support long-term implementation. We expanded leadership and partner engagement, developed new models for collaborative workgroups, created pathways for organizations and individuals to contribute to Strategic Plan priorities, engaged students in advancing food system solutions, and began developing systems to track progress across the network.
As we look ahead, our focus is on learning through action. We are piloting new approaches, supporting collaborative initiatives, and continuing to adapt our role to meet the needs of New Hampshire's food system. The Strategic Plan remains our shared guide, and the NH Food Alliance is committed to helping align people, resources, and efforts to accelerate progress toward a more resilient, equitable, and thriving food system for all.
The Network is Growing! Through our work this past year, the NH Food Alliance network of partners increased from xxx businesses, organizations and coalitions last year to over 360 this year. Newly engaged and involved partners include the NH Fruit Growers Association, the NH Department of Business & Economic Affairs, the NH Agricultural Experiment Station, and many others. Scan the QR code to meet the network!
Download the pdf of the 2025-2026 Year in Review.
here
Network Development
We aim to deepen our existing network connections and actively develop new relationships between individuals and organizations, especially among traditionally underrepresented communities, policy makers, and groups. This year, we accomplished this through the following events and initiatives. :
Expanding the Network Leadership Team
Since the NH Food Alliance was established in 2013, a dedicated Network Leadership Team has provided strategic guidance, strengthened relationships across sectors, and helped steer the direction of our work. As implementation of the NH Food and Agriculture Strategic Plan began to take shape, it became clear that a broader and more representative leadership structure was needed to support this next phase.
In Fall 2025, the NH Food Alliance expanded its Network Leadership Team to include 25 leaders from across New Hampshire's food system, representing agriculture, food businesses, nonprofit organizations, philanthropy, state agencies, and UNH Cooperative Extension. Together, these leaders help steward the Strategic Plan, identify emerging opportunities, and ensure that implementation efforts remain connected to the realities and priorities of communities across the state.
The Network Leadership Team serves as an important hub for communication, coordination, and collaboration across New Hampshire's food system and grounds the work of the NH Food Alliance. Team members are actively engaged in advancing Strategic Plan priorities as Participating Partners, and many also provide leadership within Implementation Workgroups. This interconnected structure helps strengthen relationships, align efforts, and create greater momentum toward shared goals. You can see the list of Network Leadership Team members on page 1.
2026 NH Food System Statewide Gathering
Each year, the NH Food Alliance hosts the NH Food System Statewide Gathering as an event that brings together individuals, businesses, organizations, and communities from across sectors who are dedicated to growing a local food system that works for all in the Granite State.
The theme of this year’s gathering was strategic momentum. Attendees gathered to learn about and engage in work happening in support of our food system and the NH Food and Agriculture Strategic Plan. The gathering highlighted Strategic Plan work and investments that have been made across our food system while also offering collaborative opportunities to address pressing issues and build skills to help all of us do more together.
197 participants
6 breakout sessions
109 organizations represented
25 event sponsors
Every New Hampshire region represented
*98% of attendees agreed the Gathering was valuable to their work
*attendees who filled out the evaluation
“This gathering is a highlight of the year for me – for my work, for the connections, the informational breakouts, and deepening friendships.” — 2026 NH Food System Statewide Gathering Participant
Collaborative Action
We catalyze collaboration to find shared interests, advance policy changes, generate knowledge, and build collective solutions at the community, state, and regional levels through workgroups, convenings and the facilitation of various strategic meetings.
Implementation Workgroups
Implementation Workgroups are where the NH Food and Agriculture Strategic Plan moves from vision to action. These collaborative groups bring together individuals, organizations, and businesses from across New Hampshire to advance specific recommendations and priorities identified in the Plan.
Led by network partners and supported by NH Food Alliance staff, workgroups provide a structure for coordinated action, shared learning, and collective problem-solving. Together, participants identify opportunities, develop strategies, and advance initiatives that contribute to the long-term goals of New Hampshire's food system.
Our current Implementation Workgroups are below. We hope to launch additional workgroups later in 2026.
Local Food for Schools
NH Wholesale Producer Directory
Recognition and Looking Ahead
bob award
Learning & Leadership
RFSI Field Trips
Network Cafes
EcoGastronomy Collab
