History

History

Food Policy Councils provide forums in which individuals, organizations, government agencies and other key stakeholders are brought together to examine the operation of the local food system and provide ideas and recommendations for improvement through increased collaboration, systems and public policy change.

In August 2011, a public brainstorming meeting was convened by Three Square Food Bank in order to gauge community interest in food policy issues and to lay the ground work for a potential food policy council in Southern Nevada. Issues which emerged at that brainstorming session included:

  • Fund raising/grant writing collaboration

  • Mobile markets

  • Rezoning vacant land for, and creating new jobs via, Community Gardens

  • Increased public education on nutrition, maximizing food resources, availability of healthier options or assistance

  • Online Community Food Security (CFS) site

  • Marketing of gleaning program through HOAs

  • Farm to School/School Gardens

  • SNAP at Farmer's Markets

  • Community Gardens Access to Farmers' Markets

Those who attended the brainstorming meeting were invited to attend the first meeting of the Community Food Security Council in October of 2011. Subsequent monthly meetings were open to the public and provided opportunities to share information and ask questions. In May 2012, council members worked together to put on the Farms and Family Festival at the Springs Preserve with the goal of increasing awareness about local foods and the food system in Southern Nevada.


How would Las Vegas benefit from a sanctioned Food Policy Council?

Las Vegas has experienced unprecedented population growth and accompanying urban sprawl resulting in a metropolitan area consisting of 3 different cities and townships encompassed by a county jurisdiction - all with different governmental oversight. Its population is socioeconomically, racially and ethnically diverse and almost always ranks nationally either near the bottom for healthy behaviors or at the top for health risk factors. Fortunately, there have been a few efforts to improve access to healthy foods involving public and private partnerships, for example:

  • The SNHD and the Las Vegas Farmers' Market partnered to accept EBT/SNAP benefits at all of their farmers' markets which helped move other vendors and markets to become authorized.

  • Three Square Food Bank has partnered with many agencies and organizations in Las Vegas as part of their SNAP outreach efforts which enable needy families to apply for SNAP benefits in their own neighborhood, and provides them with assistance filling out the application.

  • Together We Can opened Vegas Roots Community Garden, the city's first and only urban farm, using vacant property near downtown Las Vegas in March 2010. TWC operates the garden, bringing together diverse community partners to engage together in the process.

  • The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension in Las Vegas developed a Producer to Chef Program which introduced small farms within 120 miles of Las Vegas to high-end Las Vegas restaurants increasing demand for fresh, locally grown agricultural products.

Many of those efforts have been possible because of grant funding. But grant funding is limited, and when the funding is gone it is important to find other avenues to continue the good work, maintain momentum and sustain efforts. A sanctioned food policy council could provide Las Vegas with an avenue to continue to bring public and private stakeholders together to educate those affected by food system issues and develop and advocate for specific policy recommendations and alternatives.

An example of a food policy council is the Pima County Food System Alliance (PCFSA) in Tucson, Arizona, which was established in 2011 as a coalition open to the public. It aims to achieve an integrated, regional food system that promotes community-based strategies to increase access to healthful foods. One of their successes was a result of their ability to work with the County health department along with other prominent community members to overturn prior "approved source" interpretation of the food code. As a consequence, schools, restaurants, etc. are allowed to serve food from gardens and small farms. The PCFSA has several work groups to focus on particular issues, including:

  • Small scale production

  • Healthy food access

  • Urban/community agriculture

  • Market Development

  • Farm to Institution

According to the Community Food Security Coalition website, there are nearly 200 food policy councils (FPC) in the United States. Nevada now has two food councils, the Washoe County Food Policy Council and the (Southern Nevada) Vegas Valley Community Food Council (VVCFC). The VVCFC can help drive change to improve the food environment in a coordinated manner, or help maximize precious resources and human capital. It can help fill the gap as there truly is no "department of food" or governmental planning department solely devoted to food system issues. It also has the potential to impact the environmental, economic, social and nutritional health of the Las Vegas community through planning, coordination and research. The time has come to move forward to make Las Vegas a beautiful place not only for our visitors, but for our families and ourselves.