401: Distribution

The below content replicates the content of the physical exhibit at CSU Spur. It can be used for reference, language translation, and additional accessibility.

Distribution: From farm to fork 

Food needs to reach customers (like you!) once it’s ready to eat and enjoy. The system of how food is sold and transported from where it is grown to where you get food is called distribution. Distribution channels can extend from county, to state, to region, to country, and even between continents! Food is usually put into one of the following categories for distribution:  

  1. Resources (animal feed, seeds, fertilizer, machine parts) 
  2. Processed commodities (foods like flour, sugar, fiber, cornstarch) 
  3. Fresh foods (fruits and vegetables)] 

Image caption: The distribution channels in Colorado can range from railroads to the interstate to country roads. 

Where does this meal come from? 

Ingredients in a recipe can come from many different places around the world. 

While you can get many foods grown close to home or work, we also get different types of food from other states and countries depending on the season and the type of climate the food needs to grow.  

Green Chile Beef Burger with Sweet Potato Fries  

All of these foods grow in Colorado, and they can also come from around the world! 

  • Wheat: Canada  
  • Beef: Argentina  
  • Green Chile: Mexico  
  • Onion: India  
  • Cheese: Netherlands  
  • Tomatoes: Turkey  
  • Lettuce: Spain  
  • Sweet potatoes: Nigeria 

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Distribution is how we get food from where it is grown or produced to you! Many different people and transportation methods like trucks, boats, and planes make food distribution possible. 

Careers in Distribution 

There are many different jobs that help distribute food to the community! These can include figuring out new ways to keep food fresh and safe while on its journey to you, coordinating where food should be delivered, and transporting food across the world. 

  • Food Bank 
  • Grocery Store 
  • Food Shipment 

What meals can you make? 

Many different foods grow in the United States and around the world. The distribution stage of the Sustainable Food System helps us get the ingredients we need to make all kinds of different meals. 

Use the ingredient pieces to create a meal you or a friend would like. Try making a meal with ingredients from the different circles on the map. 

Where does food come from? 

Distribution helps get food to as many people as possible. Can you make a meal using ingredients from the first two circles around Colorado? How about the largest circle? 

  • Avocado  
  • Strawberries 
  • Grapes 
  • Beef  
  • Broccoli 
  • Lettuce 
  • Corn  
  • Wheat  
  • Chiles 
  • Sweet Potato 
  • Tomato 
  • Potato 
  • Cheese 
  • Eggs 
  • Rice  
  • Chicken 
  • Beans 
  • Fish 
  • Squash  
  • Carrots  
  • Pineapple  
  • Peach 
  • Apple  
  • Bacon 

Distribution for Food Access 

Many people and communities here and around the world don’t have access to healthy foods. We can all work together to solve this challenge. 

JOCELYN HITTLE

Associate Vice Chancellor for CSU Spur & Special Projects, CSU System

Jocelyn Hittle is primarily focused on helping to create the CSU System’s new Spur campus at the National Western Center, and on supporting campus sustainability goals across CSU’s campuses. She sits on the Denver Mayor’s Sustainability Advisory Council, on the Advisory Committee for the Coors Western Art Show, and is a technical advisor for the AASHE STARS program.

Prior to joining CSU, Jocelyn was the Associate Director of PlaceMatters, a national urban planning think tank, and worked for the Orton Family Foundation. She has a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton, and a Masters in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Jocelyn grew up in Colorado and spends her free time in the mountains or exploring Denver.

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TONY FRANK

Chancellor, CSU System

Dr. Tony Frank is the Chancellor of the CSU System. He previously served for 11 years as the 14th president of CSU in Fort Collins. Dr. Frank earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Wartburg College, followed by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. and residencies in pathology and toxicology at Purdue. Prior to his appointment as CSU’s president in 2008, he served as the University’s provost and executive vice president, vice president for research, chairman of the Pathology Department, and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He was appointed to a dual role as Chancellor in 2015 and became full-time System chancellor in July 2019.

Dr. Frank serves on a number of state and national boards, has authored and co-authored numerous scientific publications, and has been honored with state and national awards for his leadership in higher education.

Dr. Frank and his wife, Dr. Patti Helper, have three daughters.

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