Food Policy Resources

Many federal policies, laws, and regulations guide and structure our food system. However, these laws are fragmented and sometimes inconsistent, hindering food system improvements. To promote a healthy, economically viable, equitable, and resilient food system, the United States needs a coordinated federal approach to food and agricultural law and policy. This report provides a roadmap for the process to develop a national food strategy.

Created by Emily Broad Leib, Laurie J. Beyranevand, and Emma Clippinger

This article, written by a group of experienced organizers, outlines a hard-won set of six principles to address longstanding problems of inequity and injustice in the United States. The principles, drawn from decades of research, organizing, and experience in a wide range of fields, facilitate successful cross-sector collaboration for social change in a way that explicitly lifts up equity and justice for all and creates measurable change.

To kick off the new year and a new federal administration, the FPN project hosted a video conference call with food and farm policy experts talking about how the results of the 2016 Federal and state elections may impact food and farm policy priorities. 

Note: The first 10 minutes of the call are not captured in the recording.

Presented by: Kate Fitzgerald, Ferd Hoefner, and Robert Martin.

This factsheet lays out the different types of tools--policy, contracts, and permits--that state and local governments can use to adopt food service guidelines and ensure healthier foods to their facilities. Food service guidelines provide standards for nutrition, facility efficiency, environmental support, community development, food safety, and behavioral design for use in food service concession and vending operations.

It has been over six years since the unanimous passage of Detroit's Food Security Policy and the establishment of Detroit Food Policy Council. A food secure Detroit ensures that residents have the energy and vitality to pursue their lives and contribute to their community. This document is the first step in taking a look back to see how far we have come, assessing how the food security policy reflects the priorities of residents, and charting a collaborative path forward. To accomplish this, DFPC's Research and Policy Committee and staff assembled a team to connect with the community to assess their thoughts, concerns, and reactions to Detroit's Food Security Policy. This process was an opportunity to connect with longtime advocates and new faces while learning about the progress, barriers and priorities around food security in the city of Detroit.

Created by Stephen Arellano and Amy Kuras

In response to changing trends and needs in the food system, the Montgomery (Maryland) County Council passed and the County Executive signed Bill 19-16, which requires the County Executive to develop a plan to address food security and update it annually. This is not only a first for the County, but it is also one of the few initiatives of its type in the country. Combined with the ongoing work of the Montgomery County Food Council to develop a holistic Food Action Plan for the County, this Plan is part of a comprehensive approach to continuously improving the County’s food system.

This publication focuses on regional food systems as a means for enhancing economic opportunity. It explores new insights into the potential for regional food systems to promote economic growth for both rural and urban communities through the creation of new or the enhancement of existing jobs and businesses. It also highlights how appropriately targeted policies and support can harness regional food system investments to advance the economic and financial security of low- and moderate-income households and communities.

Created by Andrew Dumont, Daniel Davis, Jacob Wascalus, Teresa Cheeks Wilson, James Barham, and Debra Tropp

Due to the diversity and growth of the FPC movement, implications of these differences in governance structure are not well understood. While some studies cite important benefits of formal government support, others have found that independence from government agencies allows FPCs greater ideological freedom. This study analyzes 24 case studies, which combines 2015 survey data with analysis of the missions, visions, goals, activities, and membership/partner information as found on FPC websites. Bivariate analyses using the same survey data, but with a larger sample of 173 FPCs, complement and provide context for the case studies.

Created by Laura DiGiulio

This resource identifies regulatory and other legal issues that affect season extension activities (SEAs) and discusses local policy options to support their use in Kansas. Recognizing that each community will need to evaluate how best to support SEAs based on the unique local and legal context of their community, the information provided in this resource is meant as a general guide. Community members and policymakers should evaluate the policy areas discussed below and determine what is appropriate for their specific local context. 

The Food Access Planning Guide provides tools, resources, proven policy strategies, and recommended planning and zoning language for comprehensive plans, so planners and healthy food advocates can collaborate to design communities that promote access to healthy, safe, affordable food.

Created by Eric Weiss and Nadja Berneche

This guide is meant to help community members work with local governments to advance plans and policies to support agriculture and food production, and provide access to healthy food to all community members. It incorporates lessons learned from three years of community food system research and practice by a diverse team who worked on Growing Food Connections, a five-year integrated project to enhance community food security while fostering sustainable agriculture and food production. It shares principles and practices, and provides the most comprehensive collection of local policies available to help farmers and other community members work with public and private partners to advance food system planning, policy, and public investment.

Created by Julia Freedgood, Jessica Fydenkevez

This toolkit provides assistance for those seeking to ensure that healthier food and beverage options are offered in public buildings and locations through their vending machines, cafeterias, concession stands, and snack or coffee shops, as well as in a feeding programs run by those entities, such as juvenile justice facilities or senior centers. The toolkit provides resources for advocates to build a campaign; recruit other advocates; and engage, communicate to, and mobilize diverse audiences. It includes resources on lobbying; media training; example flyers; posters and other advertisements; meeting with legislators; and success stories. 

This toolkit provides information for those seeking to ensure that all kids and families have access to healthy, affordable drink options instead of sugary drinks with appealing marketing and lack of nutrition. It includes information on taxing by sugar content. The toolkit provides resources for advocates to build a campaign; recruit other advocates; and engage, communicate to, and mobilize diverse audiences. It includes resources on lobbying; media training; example flyers; posters and other advertisements; meeting with legislators; and success stories. 

Families are eating out more than ever these days, given our busy schedules and the growing affordability of restaurant meals. Eating out, which used to be a rare treat, has become a daily necessity. In fact, Americans are now spending more of their food budgets on foods prepared outside the home than for foods at home. That means children consume about a quarter of their calories from eating out, and about 42% of children ages two to nine eat fast food on a given day. Given their growing role in families’ diets, restaurants should do their part to support families and help make sure all of us—especially children—have healthy options. The information throughout this site will help you talk to restaurant owners, community leaders, and decision makers in your town to make sure we take the right steps to serve kids better.™

The City of Madison, Wisconsin is now accepting applications for edible landscape plantings on city-owned land. It is now possible to plant fruit and nut trees and other edible, perennial species in parks and on other City-owned land. Citizens are invited to create and care for these edible landscapes for the good of the whole community. 

Making sense of the federal appropriations process can be confusing with the Presidential budget, appropriations bills, continuing resolutions, House and Senate committees on appropriations, and more. This timely conversation about the federal appropriations process took place as Congress prepared to approve an annual appropriations bill by the end of September 2017. Learn about why the federal budget is of importance to community food systems work, how you can engage in the process and what to expect with the upcoming appropriations bill.

Presented by: Robert Martin.

This interactive story map uses photos, text, maps, and other media to show examples of food policy in Maryland. Each tab features a story for one of Maryland's food councils and highlights policy hurdles and triumphs across food systems sectors.

The increasing prevalence and severity of environmental, political, and humanitarian emergencies are prompting governments and communities to think more about where their food will come from in such situations, and how their local food systems may contribute to (or lessen the impact of) them. Food policy councils can play an important role in assisting with these efforts. Participants discussed how 1) to think about short-term and long-term strategies at different levels of government for ensuring resilient food systems, 2) food systems may fit into disaster resilience and climate change mitigation and adaptation planning, and 3) community food organizations and practitioners are addressing food systems resilience. 

Presented by: Becca (Klein) Bartholomew, Erin Biehl, Natalie Jayroe, Wendy Peters Moschetti,  and Kim Zeuli.

This conversation focused on building a network of local food councils.  Learn from Maine, Michigan and Ohio about how these state networks are convening local food councils and the value of bringing people together from across the state.  Hear about how these networks use grants, gatherings (both virtual and in-person), and network analysis to learn about and support local councils. Presenters include Ken Morse (Maine Network of Community Food Councils), Liz Gensler (Michigan Local Food Council Network), Megan Masson-Minock (Michigan Local Food Council Network), Jill Clark (Ohio Food Policy Network), and Meredith Krueger (Ohio Food Policy Network).

2018 is expected to be a big year for national food and farm policy with the reauthorization of the farm bill. This single bill wields a lot of influence over the operation of state agricultural programs and local food policies. While the impact of this national legislation may not be directly or immediately apparent at the local level, food policy councils have a stake in shaping the update of the farm bill. This webinar, hosted by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future Food Policy Networks project, features a conversation with authors Parke Wilde and Alan Hunt about what matters most in the bill to community food systems and the mechanisms by which to shape the contents of the farm bill. Parke Wilde is author of the book Food Policy in the United States: An Introduction. Alan Hunt is author of the book Civic Engagement in Food System Governance: A Comparative Perspective on American and English Local Food Movements.

Presented by: Parke Wilde and Alan Hunt.