The Federal Reserve System and USDA have partnered to develop a book focused on the community and economic development opportunities of investing in regional food systems. In the book you'll find articles written by regional food systems investors, funders, and financial intermediaries including Coastal Enterprise Inc., RSF Social Finance, TomKat Foundation, Reinvestment Fund, and JPMorgan Chase. In connection with the book's release, the Fed and USDA are co-hosting regional meetings to advance local work on regional food systems strategies.

This invite-only meeting is being convened by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, in partnership with the Federal Reserve Board and Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI). The meeting is intended to bring together regional food systems investors, funders, and financial intermediaries to discuss the current state of investment in the sector, as well as what is needed to move the investment ecosystem to the next stage of development. The conversation will focus specifically on the investment ecosystem in New England, but is expected to have relevance and applicability to the broader national dialogue on regional food systems investment.

In addition to having the opportunity to engage in a dialogue about the future of regional food systems investments, meeting participants will have ample opportunity for networking and new partnership development, with the aim of propelling investment in the regional food sector in New England.

This meeting is intended for the following types of attendees:

• Philanthropic organizations
• Impact investors
• Asset managers or financial advisors
• Banks
• Credit unions
• Community Development Financial Institutions
• Other financial intermediaries
• Local, state, or federal government stakeholders

The co-hosts thank the planning committee for their work bringing this meeting together. The planning committee consisted of the following individuals: