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1 If you are calling in on a phone line turn your computer volume all the way down. Type questions into the chat window we ll respond during the Q & A portion of the presentation All participant lines are muted Technical difficulties use the chat box

2 Mark Winne

3 Food Policy Councils are popping up all over a8105fce73

4 Current position o o Food Policy Council Project Director Community Food Security Coalition Previous positions o Executive Director, Hartford Food System ( ) o Co-founder Community Food Security Council(CFSC), Hartford Food Policy Council, Connecticut Food Policy Council, and Santa Fe Food Policy Council Author of: o Websites o Food Rebels, Guerrilla Gardeners, and Smart-Cookin Mamas and Closing the Food Gap o mark@foodsecurity.org

5 Increase the state of our food policy knowledge Review best practices Introduce NEW resources

6 No major famine has ever occurred in a functioning democracy with regular elections, opposition parties, basic freedom and a relatively free media (even when the country is very poor). -Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate

7 They should: Influence policies that promote justice, equity, and sustainability Coordinate food system stakeholders within area NOT: Favor projects over policies* Take on the forces of multi-national agribusiness

8 Check for state, local, and tribal FPCs here To add/modify listing for your FPC, complete online form Special thanks to Andrea Sauer for the census, map and analysis re: 2012 FPC Census

9 Table 1: Frequency, Percent of Total, and Percentage Change of Active and Emerging FPCs Frequency (#) OLD LIST NEW LIST % Change Local % County/Local N/A 15 N/A County % Regional % State/Provincial % Tribal 0 5 N/A U.S % Canadian % Total** % Source: 2012 FPC Census

10 Figure 1: Percentage of Active Food Policy Councils by Governance (2012) Unknown 4 Government-Appointed 40 Independent Source: 2012 FPC Census

11 Figure 2: Keywords in Names of Active Councils (2012) Rank Keyword(s) # % of Total 1 Food % 2 Council % 3 Policy 91 59% Something other than Council (Group, Alliance, 4 Coalition, Network, Initiative, Task Force, etc.) 46 30% 5 System 19 12% 6 Advisory 9 6% 7 Agriculture 6 4% Source: 2012 FPC Census

12 Alabama State: Alabama Food Policy Council Tom Simpson, Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network (334) County/Local: Birmingham-Jefferson Food Policy Council Web: Regional: North Alabama Food Policy Council Web:

13 Good Laws, Good Food: Putting Local Food Policy to Work for Our Communities (Harvard Law School) Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) Special thanks to Emily Broad Leib, Director of the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, and the following law students: Ona Balkus, Kathleen Eutscler, Caitlin Foley, Yasmin Ghassab, Adam Jaffee, Emma Kravet, Jacqueline Pierluisi, Danielle Purifoy, Nathan Rosenberg, Rachel Sanchez, Matthew Woodbury, & Lauren Wroblewski

14 Section I: General Legal Setting Section II: Food System Infrastructure Section III: Land Use Regulation Section IV: Urban Agriculture Section V: Consumer Access Section VI: School Food & Nutr. Ed. Section VII: Environmental Sustainability Section VIII: Resources

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16 Coming Fall 2012! Getting Started: Developing and Operating More Effective Food Policy Councils An example of a FPC manual o Chapter 1 - Some Why s and What s of Food Policy Councils o Chapter 2 - The Basics of Food Policy Action o Chapter 3 - Developing a FPC o Chapter 4 - Putting the Policy in a FPC o Chapter 5 - Operating a Food Policy Council o Chapter 6 - Evaluating Partnership, Goals, and Accomplishments o Chapter 7 - Lessons Learned Special thanks to lead author, Michael Burgan and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention for their support with publication.

17 Function as: food system planning venues Bring together members from: government, academia, farmers and gardeners, food banks, restaurants, retailers, and faith communities Focus on: health, planning, economic development, education, agriculture, and social services Address: regulations, budgeting, legislations, programs and administration

18 Projects Partners Policies Food and farm projects, businesses, and services Partnerships to improve networking, coordination, and collaboration Engage local and state policies

19 Created by: State statute (Connecticut) Local ordinance (Portland, OR) Executive order (Michigan) Also, FPCs can be organized: Independently (New Mexico and Cleveland, OH) and as non-profits (Iowa).

20 Use Food System Assessments to: Inform the work and focus of a FPC Engage the wider community Develop your community s food profile Educate everyone about needs, gaps, resources and features of food system Remember: Don t over do it! Keep the FPC focused!

21 FUNDING Federal funding: o USDA Community Food Projects Community funding: o Foundations o State, county, local governments o In-kind support STAFF Most staff members are half-time Number of staff: ranges from 0 to 2

22 Start with low-hanging fruit. Pay attention to communication. o Maintain a website and high visibility. o Communicate regularly with policymakers. Small policy wins lay the groundwork for big policy wins. Keep agendas fresh and interesting o TIP: Invite outside speakers. Bring food!

23 Facilitated school nutrition rules for competitive foods; Expanded farm-to-school funding; Expanded funding for NMSU Extension support for tribal nations; Working on a new economic development initiative to address rural food deserts

24 Cleveland/Cuyahoga County FPC: Secured zoning changes to protect community gardens, urban farms, and raising of chickens and bees; Expanded urban agriculture with city economic development funds, and promoted use of public purchasing for locally grown food Created the Healthy Cleveland Initiative Reviewed by The Center TRT: =overview

25 Community Food Agriculture of Missoula County (Montana) Directing development away from prime farm and ranchland; Modified or rejected over 25 subdivision proposals; Supported chicken and bee regulations; Mapped prime agricultural soils

26 Boulder County FPC Developing sustainable agriculture use plan for 25,000 publicly-owned acres of farmland; Rejected proposal to plant genetically engineered (GE) sugar beet seeds

27 Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tribal Food & Fitness Policy Council First Native American FPC established through the Tribal Resolution (passed 9/25/10) FFPC promotes farming, gardening, hunting, traditional foods, food sovereignty, and healthy eating

28 City of Hartford Food Policy Commission Increased WIC caseload from 6,000 to 10,000 Initiated public transportation study that created new bus route to connect lowincome residents to supermarkets

29 Connecticut FPC Conducted public education campaign for state s farmland and helped secure $30 million per year for farmland preservation, farm-to-school and farm viability grant programs; Improved delivery of nutrition education services previously operated by five separate state agencies; Brought EBT to farmers markets; Currently addressing lack of livestock slaughter and processing facilities

30 Relationships count-cultivate them. Be inclusive of a wide range of interests. On conflict: Work for consensus. Foster a climate of healthy debate. Educate yourselves, the general public, and policy makers constantly. Community food assessment is an on-going enterprise, not a one-time act. Look for synergy between and be aware of relationships between all levels of government. Cultivate good leadership and champions.

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