Food Policy Resources

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.

The toolkit is designed to aid individuals and groups, including local food advocates and nonprofit organizations such as local food policy councils, working to change their local food system. This toolkit was created to provide a starting place for these individuals and groups to understand basic legal concepts surrounding local food systems, develop a base of knowledge about the main policy areas, and be inspired by innovative policy solutions from other cities and states.

The updates to the toolkit since 2012 reflect the ways that the field of food policy has changed since first version of the toolkit was published in 2012. FPLC researchers added two new sections to the toolkit on food procurement and efforts to reduce the waste of food, as well as new examples of policy innovations and initiatives from communities across the United States. Other topics covered in the toolkit include the general legal setting surrounding food policy, local food infrastructure, land use planning and regulation, urban agriculture, consumer access and demand, and school food and nutrition.

Created by: Emma Clippinger, Ona Balkus, Christina Rice, Annika Nielsen, and Emily Broad Leib.

An increasing number of cities around the world are now adopting collaborative cross-sector approaches that use food as a primary vehicle for delivering positive social, economic and environmental outcomes. Despite the multiplicity of city-scale food initiatives taking place, a key challenge remains around measuring the impact such complex systems-based approaches can have in achieving desired outcomes. At a time of persistent austerity in public finances, such an evidence base is vital if local policy makers and commissioning bodies are to have the confidence to invest increasingly scarce resources in such new approaches. This document - which is presented in the form of a toolbox for action – has two main purposes. The first is to provide local authorities and policy makers with a clear, robust and comprehensive collation of relevant evidence and indicators of success of a place-based approach to food. The second is to help both existing and interested ‘practitioners’ to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate the impact of their Sustainable Food Places programmes.

Created by Ana Moragues-Faus, Alizee Marceau, and Tom Andrews

"In 2015, the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems (CRFS) and the International City-County Management Association (ICMA) conducted a second national survey of local government leaders on their policies, programs, plans, and partnerships that support local food systems. More than 2,200 communities responded.

The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future welcomed CRFS and ICMA for an in-depth discussion of the study's findings. Learn about how and why city and county governments across the country are (or are not) supporting local food and farm efforts and then hear from public leaders about what you can do to effectively engage local government in these efforts.

Presented by: Jelani Newton, Laura Goddeeris, Ed Barrett, Holly Freishtat, and Kathleen Holian.

This toolkit was developed in response to the growing state and local interest in adopting policies to reduce the amount of food that goes to waste. This toolkit surveys eight different policy areas that state and local governments can examine as methods to reduce food waste and increase food recovery. It also provides information about the relevant federal laws, because they often serve as a legal floor, on which states can layer additional protections or opportunities. The suggestions and highlighted best practices are intended to provide context and resources for state and local actors as they seek to improve their local food recovery landscape.

Created by Emily Broad Leib, Christina Rice, Ona Balkus and Jill Mahoney

Drawing on a national survey, this article explores broad trends in how and why local governments and planners across the United States are engaging in urban agriculture. It includes case examples from two cities - Buffalo, New York, and Madison, Wisconsin - where community-led interest in urban agriculture has laid the groundwork for city government policy reform. The article concludes with a discussion of what challenges might be encountered in creating city policies that sustain urban agriculture, and outlines potential ideas for the future.