Since elevating regional food policy coordination to one of its four key “impact areas” in 2020, the Food Solutions New England network has been convening conversations about the role of our network in helping to move meaningful, collaborative and values-based food policy forward in our region. In addition to hosting successful online events in late 2020 and beginning work on a draft regional policy platform (more on this soon), we have hired Adam Kotin as a part-time Policy Analyst to help move this effort forward.
Please join us in welcoming Adam to the FSNE team, based here at the UNH Sustainability Institute!
For the past decade, he has worked with farmers, policymakers, scientists, and conservation professionals to advance sustainable food systems, with a focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Through his advocacy, research, and coalition-building, Adam has helped craft policies and programs in the areas of soil health, water quality and water use efficiency, dairy methane management, renewable energy, agricultural lands preservation, and climate adaptation.
As Associate Policy Director for the California Climate & Agriculture Network (CalCAN), he helped vision that state’s landmark climate-friendly agriculture programs, which have invested nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in GHG-reducing farming practices since 2014. In his role as Director of Environmental & Regulatory Affairs at Wine Institute, he collaborated with winery and vineyard companies to advance sustainable best practices in the industry. Previously, he served as a Consultant on climate adaptation projects in Africa and Southeast Asia for the United Nations Development Programme.
Adam serves on the Advisory Board for Zero Foodprint (formerly the Perennial Farming Initiative), a nonprofit organization mobilizing the food world around agricultural climate solutions. On nights and weekends, he is a theatre director, producer, and designer. He is currently a teacher and Associate Artist with the Yat/Bentley Centre for Performance in Oakland, Calif.
