A persisting obstacle in Flint, Michigan is the organization of its food system and resulting low food security, i.e. the accessibility, utilization, and availability of foods (especially healthy and lead adsorbing foods). Participatory research that relies on local knowledge of the Flint food system can help identify a more desirable future that better reflects the needs and wishes of the community. The aim of this thesis is to a) identify a process and protocol for visioning in urban food systems and b) identify community priorities for a desired food system in Flint. In order to reflect the social-ecological nature of food systems, the resulting visioning process was carried out with stakeholders representing production, distribution, and consumption, a novelty given values are usually elicited from only one group, representing a single facet of the food system. Eight visioning workshops were held and the conversations inductively coded for values, guided by the theory of 'values as priorities'. The qualitative analysis yielded 16 values and accompanying statements described participants' priorities for a desirable food system in Flint: affordability, comfort and safety, common good, convenience, economic Justice, economic opportunity, education, feeling of community, food diversity, food waste, fresh and natural food, health, local Food, proximity, tradition, and urban agriculture. The results demonstrated that stakeholders' values extend beyond achieving food security and reflect the dynamic, interconnected nature of our food systems. The resulting values can be used by Flint stakeholders to operationalize visions for the Flint food system.
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