Mark Winne 505-983-3047

win5m@aol.com , www.markwinne.com

• Exec. Dir. of the Hartford Food System – 1979-2003

• Co-founder Community Food Security Coalition, Hartford Food Policy Council, Conn. Food Policy Council, NM Food & Ag PC, and Santa Fe FPC

• Senior Advisor at Johns Hopkins U. Center for a Livable Future

• Food Rebels, Guerrilla Gardeners, and Smart-Cookin’ Mamas and Closing the Food Gap

Today’s Goals• Review “best practices” and state

of the art of Food Policy Councils – successes and challenges, issues, actions, methods

• Develop next steps re: organizational structure & governance, membership, and policy issues

Why Have Food Policy Councils?

“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

Purposes of FPCsThey should:•Influence government food policies that promote health, equity, and sustainability•Coordinate food system stakeholders within a specified geographic area (“joined up food policy”)•Understand the food system and relationships of its parts better than anyoneThey should probably not:•Favor projects over policies (exceptions)•Take on the oligopolistic forces of multi-national agribusiness

The 2012 FPC Census• FPCs in 2010: 111• FPCs in 2012: 193 (est: over 200

today)• 1/3 are government appointed;

balanced independent• 30 are state or tribal; balance local,

county, and/or regional• To view FPC directory go to

www.markwinne.com

FPCs Complement the Work of the Private and Public Sectors

• The “3-Ps” of effective community food system work: Projects, Partners, and Policies

• Private and public sectors develop numerous food and farm project, businesses, and services

• Partnerships improved networking, coordination, and collaboration

• Local and state public policies must be engaged.

• Food Policy: The actions and in-actions of government that influence the supply, quality, price, production, distribution and consumption of food

What Do Food Policies Look Like in Practice?

Mark Winne Associates and Harvard Law School publications:•Good Laws, Good Food: Putting Local Food Policy to Work for Our Communities;•Good Laws, Good Food: Putting State…•Available at: http://www.markwinne.com/resource-materials/

A Food Policy Council Manual• Getting Started: Developing and Operating

More Effective Food Policy Councils• By Mark Winne and Michael Burgan• Table of Contents:

Some Why’s and What’s of Food Policy CouncilsThe Basics of Food Policy ActionDeveloping a FPCPutting the “Policy” in an FPCOperating a Food Policy CouncilEvaluating Partnership, Goals, and AccomplishmentsLessons Learned

• Available at: http://www.markwinne.com/resource-materials/

FPCs: What They Do• There are no “Departments of Food”; FPCs

can be a de facto Dept. of Food• FPCs are food system planning venues• Membership: government, academia,

community members, farmers and gardeners, food banks, restaurants, retailers, and faith communities

• Focus government functions – health, planning, econ. development, education, agriculture, social services – on food system concerns

• FPCs are advisory; address regulations, budgeting, legislations, programs and administration

Getting Started

• Start with a small number and gradually expand your circle – find allies, partners, and champions

• Hold a forum or food summit; prepare a concept paper or white paper; meet with government officials (many cups of coffee)

• Charter?• Vision, mission, strategic planning• Selecting members

Assessing and PlanningUse Food Assessments and Planning to:•Inform the work and focus of a FPC•Engage the wider community•Develop your community’s “food profile”•Educate yourselves, policymakers, and the public about the food system: What is it? How does it work? What are its gaps and needs?•It’s not a “one-off” activity – Knowing your food system is an on-going activity

Assessing Examples

• Mapping• Food Plans and Strategies• Edmonton, Alberta• Colorado FPC “Field Trip”• Publications: New Mexico and

Connecticut’s Guide to a Healthy Food System

Organizational Structure• FPCs can be created by state statute

(Connecticut) or local ordinance (Portland, OR),

• An executive order (Michigan) or resolution (Santa Fe

• Independently organized – government agencies participate but FPC is not a part of government (New Mexico, Cleveland)

• Non-profit (501c3) (Iowa).

Relationships

• Strengths and Weaknesses are inherent in all organizational models, but what counts are:

• Diversity/multi-stakeholder• Leadership• Relationship between members and

particularly with government

Coalitions, Networks, etc.• Life is a partnership – you get out of it what you

put into it• Cooperating: low risk to member; little chance

of systems change; can model best practices, test ideas, convene problem-solving sessions

• Coordinating: low to moderate risk; better chance of systems change; can push organizational boundaries, engage in activities requiring greater mutual reliance

• Collaborating: moderate to high risk; best chance of systems change; has methods to resolve conflict; long-term system creation

Stakeholders and Partners

• Who are they?

• What do you expect from each other?

Funding and Staff• Federal sources of FPC funding are the

Community Food Projects and CDC• Community foundations, local, county,

and state governments are contributing• In-kind support by government agencies,

cooperative extension, universities, and larger non-profits

• Staff: half-time is the norm, but range from 0 to 2; interns, AmeriCorps, Food Corps

Tips to Sustainability• Start with low-hanging fruit• Communicate! maintain a website and high

profile; communicate regularly with policymakers; educate, publicize, and tell stories; give awards (What can I do when I got no money?)

• Small policy “wins” lay the groundwork for big policy “wins.”

• Keep agendas fresh and interesting; invite outside speakers; bring food!

• More tips…

FPC Issues, Actions, Methods• New Mexico Food & Ag. Policy Council: 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.” Funding for farmers’ markets; infrastructure development for irrigation systems on Navajo

• Cleveland/Cuyahoga County FPC: Secured zoning changes to protect community gardens, urban farms, and raising of chickens and bees; expanded urban ag. with city economic development funds, and promoted use of public purchasing for locally grown food; Healthy Cleveland Initiative

FPC Actions• Missoula, Mont. FPC working with county land use

board to direct development away from prime farm and ranchland; modified or rejected over 25 subdivision proposals; chicken and bee regulations; mapped prime agricultural soils

• Boulder County FPC developing sustainable agriculture use plan for 25,000 publicly-owned acres of farmland; rejected proposal to plant GE sugar beet seeds

• Kansas City: Changed urban agriculture zoning; held a food policy candidates night

• Los Angeles: change food procurement guidelines• Seattle: Took position on Farm Bill

What are Your Issues?

FPC Action cont’d…• Hartford FPC restored WIC caseload to 10,000 from

6,000; public transportation study created new bus route to connect low income residents to supermarkets

• Connecticut FPC conducted public education campaign regarding loss of the state’s farmland; resulted in the development of $30 million per year in state fund for farmland preservation, farm to school and farm viability grant programs; improved delivery of nutrition education services previously operated by 5 separate state agencies; State Farm Map, brought EBT to farmers’ markets; addressing lack of livestock slaughter and processing facilities

Michigan Food Policy Council

• Supporting Michigan Food Charter –Michigan’s Charter Goals: By 2020, 20% of food purchased by the state’s public institutions will be locally grown; 80% of Michigan’s residents will have easy access to affordable, healthy, and fresh food (20% will be local); Michigan schools will incorporate food and agriculture into their kindergarten to 12th grade curricula.

Methods• Legislative and administrative advocacy – NM • Food plan – Seattle, NYC, Santa Fe• Testifying – Conn, Michigan• Strong communication and engagement;

many partners and stakeholders – NM• Building connections and relationships –

between members and state agencies Colorado and Conn.

• Public education, publications, reports, and forums – Conn., MI, NM

Lessons Learned• Relationships count; cultivate them• Be inclusive of a wide range of interests• On conflict: work for consensus; foster

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