Week 11: Reflection

This week’s readings specifically discussed the importance of public policy and the role food councils played in addressing food security concerns. I became curious and decided to do a web search to learn if any food policy councils existed in Fort Lauderdale, Tallahassee and Atlanta, and if so, what were their impacts. These are cities that I’ve previously, currently or will live in and I wanted to know how actively engaged they were in developing and implementing food security policies. 

A food policy council currently doesn’t exist in Fort Lauderdale, but it is not from a lack of trying. Michael Madfis, a Boston native and owner of Fort Lauderdale Vegetables, has been advocating for a food policy council since 2013 (Sentenac, 2013). Fort Lauderdale Vegetables LLC is a network of sustainable urban farms within the city of Fort Lauderdale (Fort Lauderdale Vegetables LLC, N.D.). Madfis advocates for the necessary leadership through a food policy council to decentralize farming and foster a thriving local economy by creating jobs through a local food system. Growing up in Fort Lauderdale, food is viewed as something that is abundant because of the access to global and exotic foods as a result of having a large multicultural population. However, I don’t recall any discussions on the importance of a sustainable food system and the need for local urban farmers. I commend Madfis and his efforts to change the perspective of the residents of Fort Lauderdale and I really hope through his growing network that a food policy council will come to fruition. 

Tallahassee has the Tallahassee Food Network, “whose mission is to grow community-based good food systems that will provide healthy, affordable food for all” (Tallahassee Food Network, N.D.). Since its inception this regional coalition has been proactive in its partnership with the City of Tallahassee in empowering citizens to work with their neighbors to build, cultivate, and maintain public gardens (Tallahassee Food Network, N.D.). In partnership with the South City Revitalization Council, Whole Child Leon and the City of Tallahassee, the South City iGrow Farm was launched in 2015, which is an extension of the thriving Frenchtown iGrow. This group has also been essential in connecting food movement players, so they can learn from and collaborate with another. There are so many projects that are in the pipeline, such as the food hub, and others that have come into existence as a result of partnering with local organizations and communities that would like to create a more food secure Tallahassee.

Atlanta has two food policy councils: Georgia Food Policy Council and the Atlanta Local Food Initiative. The Georgia Food Policy Council is a part of the Georgia Health Policy Center at Georgia State University, who focuses on statewide initiatives (Georgia Health Policy Center, N.D.). Their goal is to “establish a statewide food system plan encompassing strategic priorities, best practices, communications and marketing, and sustainability” (Georgia Health Policy Center, N.D.). They receive funding support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Georgia Health Policy Center, N.D.) The Atlanta Local Food Initiative is a network that joins individuals, corporations, nonprofits, universities, and governmental agencies that focuses on transforming the Atlanta food system in which every Atlantan has access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food produced by a thriving network of sustainable farms and gardens (Atlanta Local Food Initiative, 2013).

In each of these cities they have activism occurring in various stages, advocating for a more food secure and sustainable city or state. Although my web search scratched the surface in understanding the full extent of their role, it really made me want me to be more proactive in what’s going in my current city. I’m reading and learning on how to foster changes, but I’m actually doing very little to implement them. Do any of you feel this way? What are you doing about it?

Atlanta Local Food Initiative (2013). Retrieved from http://www.atlantalocalfood.org/about-us/

Fort Lauderdale Vegetables LLC (N.D.) Retrieved from http://www.fortlauderdalevegetables.com/

Georgia Health Policy Center (N.D.). Georgia Food Policy Council. Retrieved from http://ghpc.gsu.edu/georgia-food-policy-council/

Sentenac, H. (2013). Fort Lauderdale Vegetables’ Michael Madfis: We need a Food Council. Broward Palm Beach New Times. Retrieved from http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/restaurants/fort-lauderdale-vegetables-michael-madfis-we-need-a-food-policy-council-6891698

Tallahassee Food Network (N.D.) Retrieved from http://www.tallahasseefoodnetwork.org/