Food Policy Leadership and Strategy
The Food Policy and Planning Division is led by the Food Policy Director and staffed by a Food Access, a Food Resilience, and a Food Systems Planner. This division oversees the Baltimore Food Policy Initiative (BFPI), which has three pillars - interagency collaboration, the Food Policy Action Coalition (Food PAC), and Resident Food Equity Advisors (RFEA). Together, these efforts seek to build an equitable and resilient urban food system by addressing health, economic and environmental disparities in areas that have high food insecurity.
FOOD SYSTEMS APPROACH:
Use policy to create a more equitable food system: By integrating food across government, and engaging in equitable research, strategic planning, and policy co-creation with residents.
Increase resilience at household, community, and food system levels: By addressing acute food insecurity, building long-term food resilience, and righting power imbalances in the food system.
Strengthen and amplify the local food economy: By implementing “Good Food Procurement” standards, supporting local food-based businesses, and promoting food recovery.
Create ag land-use policies that encourage urban farms and local food production: By identifying City-owned land suitable for farming; developing land tenure and pathways to ownership; promoting safe, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible production; and supporting growers to create financially viable urban agriculture.
For additional context, please see the Food Systems & Urban Agriculture - The Sustainability Plan.