Food Policy Resources

This report presents the findings from the 2021 census of Food Policy Councils (FPCs) across the United States. Methods to collect survey responses are summarized first, followed by a discussion and visualization of the answers provided by respondents regarding their council’s organizational structure, policy and advocacy activities, and their response to COVID-19.

The Food Policy Networks project at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future hosted this webinar for attendees to learn more about the relationship between climate change and the food system, how three FPCs are working to address climate change, and other strategies that you could employ with your FPC or organization.

Presented by: Karen Bassarab, Brent Kim, Becky Ramsing, Dell DeChant, Kristin King, Jenny Zaso‑Hitchcock, and Madie Shera.

This report provides a brief overview of the connection between the food system and the climate crisis and offers strategies for FPCs to integrate climate change into their work. Following each strategy, we provide examples of how FPCs and other groups have applied such strategies in their work. The last section includes additional resources to guide councils in developing and implementing strategies that address climate change. 

Created by: Allie Wainer, Karen Bassarab, Jessica Fink, and Anne Palmer. 

This manual provides guidance for local governments to develop their own Racial Equity Action Plans after a period of research and information gathering. This manual also provides guidance and tools to conduct this research. GARE created a Racial Equity Action Plan template after a national scan of promising practices from cities and counties that have developed plans for racial equity and the structures that supported successful planning processes. We are also appreciative of the Results Based Accountability framework as a disciplined way of thinking and taking action that communities and government can use to achieve meaningful improvements, eliminate racial inequities and lift up outcomes for all.

Created by: Ryan Curren, Julie Nelson, Dwayne S. Marsh, Simran Noor, and Nora Liu.

Drawing on information from the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future's FPC census and insights from a community of practice with 11 regional FPCs, this project aims to learn about the approaches of regional FPCs to inform future practice and policy. The report includes 1. notable findings regarding the characteristics of regional FPCs and how they compare to councils of other geographic scales, 2. case studies of three regional FPCs providing insights into diverse governance models and approaches, 3. key observations and trends, and 4. recommendations for further research and support for regional FPCs.  

Created by: Aiden Irish, Jill K. Clark, Karen Bassarab, and Darriel Harris.

In 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021, the Center for Regional Food Systems and the Wallace Center at Winrock International conducted the National Food Hub Survey to identify economic growth trends for food hubs across the nation and monitor changes in services offered and the variety of customers served. These surveys help shape national understanding of food hubs and inform policy and program initiatives; gain greater exposure for food hubs nationally; and inform new potential relationships between food hubs and investors, grant makers and other food hubs looking to find success.

Since 2013, the California Food Policy Council, Roots of Change, and now the California Food and Farming Network have produced an annual report summarizing relevant state food and farm bills and the status of those bills at the end of the state legislative session, and analyzing the performance of California state legislators and the governor related to food and agriculture policies.

County Health Rankings & Roadmaps brings actionable data, evidence, guidance and stories to support community-led efforts to grow community power and improve health equity. Works to improve health outcomes for all and close health gaps between those with the most and fewest opportunities for good health. The project includes resources and tools that support community-led efforts to accurately diagnose core problems, understand and account for historical context and implement evidence-informed solutions.

The Healthy Food Access Portal brings together the rapidly growing body of research, best practices, resources, and policy information for community members, practitioners, advocates, entrepreneurs, and others who are committed to ensuring that all communities have equitable access to healthy, quality, affordable food. The Portal provides a one-stop shop for a wide range of research and technical support tools, successful stories and examples of policy and practice in action, and up-to-date information on the development of federal, state, and local food access policies.

Various public and private institutions purchase, serve, and sell food to specific populations. Such institutions include schools, universities, healthcare facilities, shelters, correctional facilities, and agencies that provide free meals to people with low-incomes. These entities are a consistent source of food for millions of people in the United States. They hold significant purchasing power that could be better leveraged to support healthy eating. Implementing healthy food service guidelines is an evidence-based strategy to improve the food environment in these settings. The toolkit provides resources to support the improvement of food and beverage options served and sold through vending machines, cafeterias, concession stands, meetings, and events.

This guide provides an in-depth look at dozens of federal programs and policies most important to sustainable agriculture, and details how they can be accessed by farmers, ranchers, and grassroots organizations nationwide. This guide is organized into ten chapters, along with a quick-reference overview chart, glossary, and additional resources page.

A self-evaluation tool for leaders to measure the participation, decision-making, cohesiveness, productivity, and general organization of their meeting procedures.

A chart to guide strategic plan development.

The Healthy Food Policy Project identifies and elevates local laws that seek to promote access to healthy food while also contributing to strong local economies, an improved environment, and health equity, with a focus on socially disadvantaged and marginalized groups. The site contains a curated, searchable database of local food policies organized by food system category and type of law, and case studies that showcase healthy food policy initiatives around the country.

This scoring sheet helps FPCs plan their policy intervention priorities based on a feasibility ranking.

Created by: Mark Winne.

This annotated bibliography provides current research on structural racism in the U.S. food system for practitioners, researchers, and educators. Structural racism in the United States has been defined as the “normalization and legitimization of an array of dynamics—historical, cultural, institutional, and interpersonal—that routinely advantage whites while producing cumulative and chronic outcomes for people of color.” This resources crowdsources references in an ever-growing listing of literature that links the social construction of whiteness and its intentional or consequential impact on structural racism within the United States’ food movement. A 9th edition of the bibliography was published in 2022 featuring more than 500 citations.

Created by Rachel Kelly, Rich Pirog, Kimberly Carr, Anel Guel, Jane Henderson, Kyeesha Wilcox, Taylor Wimberg, Vanessa García Polanco, Daniel Babayode, Kelsey Watson, and Emettra Nelson

In 2011, the New York City Council established reporting requirements for a variety of City agency initiatives related to food through Local Law 52 of 2011. The Food Metrics Report provides a snapshot of data from those programs as well as trends over time. The report has expanded every year to include the broad range of programs and initiatives that the City is doing to address food insecurity; improve City food procurement and food service, increase healthy food access and awareness, and support a more sustainable and just food system.  

The Food Policy Council Consultant List is a roster of consultants engaged in food systems work that have a particular interest in working with food policy councils. The list contains information provided by each consultant about their policy areas of expertise, organizational development experience, technical skills, and geographic areas of previous work.

If you are a consultant who would like to be added to the Consultant List, please complete the questionnaire here.

Policy is often touted as the great equalizer, creating opportunities for all, regardless of their race. Yet evaluating a policy's capacity to address racial equity is not easy. The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future hosted a webinar on July 13, 2022, to discuss two examples of how to assess and evaluate policy to promote racial equity. Dr. Keshia Porter Pollack, Chair for Department of Health, Policy and Management at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shared her experience working with a group of students to assess the Maryland Farms and Families Fund. Moriah Bell, Willow Cozzens, and Hallie Nelson from the Jefferson County (CO) Food Policy Council shared a tool that their council created to evaluate policies for racial equity. 

Presented by: Dr. Keshia Porter Pollack, Moriah Bell, Willow Cozzens, and Hallie Nelson.

States have the primary authority to create laws that affect the public health and safety of their residents and to control commerce within state lines. This report is intended to serve as a guide for home cooks, policymakers, and advocates, to provide an at-a-glance guide to cottage food and home kitchen laws throughout the country.  As of 2021, all 50 states have expanded upon this exemption in their state laws in various ways to allow for the limited sale of certain foods produced at home.

Prepared by Regina Paparo and Patrick Montgomery.