Houston Food Policy Workgroup

Transcription

1 Houston Food Policy Workgroup Our History as of January 13, 2010 Jay Blazek Crossley, Houston Tomorrow

2 Pre-history Urban Harvest, Food Bank, HCC attempt Global local food movement growth Texas AgriLife Extension Service / Texas Sea Grant H-GAC Economic Development efforts Truck farming and shrimpers and pears

3 Food & Sustainable Prosperity Conference

4 Food, Farm, and Land Policy Houston Region Goals: 1. Preserve agricultural assets 2. Increase commercial value of agricultural production 3. Improve food production and distribution to eradicate food insecurity and health concerns How to achieve these goals through policies? Pests Relationship of pesticides/bugs/birds Decline in po&inators How organic farm manages pests How to encourage a& farms to be organic Livestock Policies to encourage healthy food (e.g. vaccinations of livestock) National Animal Identification proposal- what is the status? o Would it adversely affect sma& farms? o Is any organization working on this? o Potential burden of regulations vs. incentives Pressure on farmlands *om development Industrialization of Farming Issue of soil nutrient depletion (10-15 years land is fa&ow) Organic farming as a method to re-use CO2 Reverse industrialization/large agribusiness Federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) 2008 Farm Bi& reduced the number or acres in the program

5 Food, Farm, and Land Policy Wild lands Wild lands also face development pressures Tax cap & trade system to reinvest in agriculture, so total acreage never decreases Local Analysis of food needs and opportunities Analysis of productive capacity (i.e. serve what level of population?) Local economic development education re: value of agribusiness Putting market value on agricultural land & products Tax values- commit land to agricultural use for tax benefits Sma& Farms Who wi& be advocate for sma& farms in Houston, in Texas? Is there an organization? How can I participate? Possible role for Food Policy Council to mobilize and lobby for interests? Impact of Grand Parkway development project on local farms/agric. Land Food Safety Research/transparency/accountability for food safety and subsidies FDA relies on companies' self-interest to assure safe products Not a clear matrix of responsibilities among agencies responsible Nutrition labels- they lie! (i.e. rounding etc. misrepresents) Barriers to using WIC and other subsidy programs in local food programs Need trade schools/vocational education in agriculture Economic incentives may attract people to farming Publicize the growing demand and income potential Reduce distribution costs by being close to customers (i.e. local farms)

6 Food, Farm, and Land Policy Increase visibility by being educator/attractor o Sat. morning radio program highlighting local produce, opportunities, etc o Would need a repository for information (who?) Could run an inventory of local commodity prices (this could be a + or -) Tax incentives for growing organica&y; then market pricing may be ok. Local Food Production Accelerate process of benefits by removing barriers There's a need for a certified kitchen for production of value added products (e.g.jams) Loan assistance to farmers to encourage them to live and grow close to urban area Ways to control price of land for agricultural purposes Incentives for stores that se& a certain % of local food What would it take for our area to be an agricultural center? Local organic restaurant capital of the world? Research how to get more local food used by community organizations Outreach to sma& scale farms and markets- obtain a critical mass Prior to the Conference, the steering committee offered the fo&owing su-estions: 1. Amend the Farm Bi& and/or IRS tax code to include incentives for businesses that se& certain percentages of local food; 2. Provide training do&ars to educate the next generation of farmers (with an emphasis on organic, sma&er scale farms); 3. Dra. legislation that wi& provide incentives or credits for corporations who place available land into agricultural production to support farmers markets, community co-ops, food banks, etc. an example of this would be utility companies a&owing right of ways to be placed into local ag production (especia&y in urban and suburban areas);

7 Food, Farm, and Land Policy Prior to the Conference, the steering committee offered the fo&owing su-estions: 1. Amend the Farm Bi& and/or IRS tax code to include incentives for businesses that se& certain percentages of local food; 2. Provide training do&ars to educate the next generation of farmers (with an emphasis on organic, sma&er scale farms); 3. Dra. legislation that wi& provide incentives or credits for corporations who place available land into agricultural production to support farmers markets, community co-ops, food banks, etc. an example of this would be utility companies a&owing right of ways to be placed into local ag production (especia&y in urban and suburban areas); 4. Fund research into in*astructure and distribution networks that would a&ow schools, hospitals, meals on wheels, and community and faith-based organizations to obtain more food products *om local sources; 5. Add a rider to the Farm Bi& requiring CSREES ( the federal part of the extension system) to devote more of the budget to extension and outreach for sma& scale local farmers and markets--i.e., put Extension to work for the local sma& producers!

8 Positive Aspects Great purchasing power in Houston; cost of living is good 12 month growing season in Houston Fruit trees easy to grow in Houston (very labor efficient lots of food produced with little work) Lots of people becoming interested in growing their own food because of the downturn of the economy (e.g., herbs and arugula) Tremendous spirit of innovation in Houston (openness of new ideas) Potential use of super neighborhoods with food policy council development Increasing interest in farmers markets in outlying areas of Houston More local growers/local markets in Houston More farmers who want to start growing food for people loca&y Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (TOFGA) Austin County has tremendous opportunities to grow things there (a high percentage of retired people and minority groups who garden; need to know how to get what is grown to market entrepreneurial opportunities) Very productive local food economy that was lost over the years (in the 70 s) (it happened before and it can happen again; need to rebuild our support system and increase our ability to be competitive) Increasing interest in canning foods because of Hurricane Ike (many people had to throw things away because of lack of re*igeration) Increasing interest in home grown and homemade products People eat out a lot so tremendous potential to work with restaurants (to supply them with local, seasonal food) trickle down effect to home habits Green-building restaurant under development (chef Randy Evans) Hospitals getting on board with offering nutritious, attractive food (e.g., MD Anderson, Methodist) Increasing awareness of how food contributes to health (e.g., MD Anderson) teaching people to cook *esh food

9 Positive Aspects Increasing awareness of how food contributes to health (e.g., MD Anderson) teaching people to cook *esh food Interest in starting farmers markets at hospitals and clinics Land availability empty lots that can be transformed for growing food More organizations working together in a coordinated fashion (.e.g, Brent Moon and his urban agriculture work with the city of Houston and Recipe for Success) Main growing season is during the school year so there is an opportunity to make connections with parents and other family members Urban Harvest classes to introduce people to good food including tastings and gardening classes Coop-Central City Coop and Certified Organic Kitchen (close to Montrose; go a& the way out to Katy; also working in Sugar Land) Multiple organizations working on local food issues (e.g., Urban Harvest, Recipe for Success, Bayou City Farmers Market, Last Organic Outpost) Resources in poor communities (build on community organizing, community psychology work) RESULTS working on food stamp issue (contact person: Caroline Heinz); lots of support *om DC office with what is going on in Congress Emphasis on breast feeding for food stamps (good initiation rates but maintenance rates are not good) Many organizations working on transportation and land use issues Many organizations working on wildlife, food and land use issues (although not in a coordinated fashion)

10 Mark Winne SWOT Food System Weaknesses Not seeing comm. certified kitchens to partner with comm. gardens Po&ution in Region (perceived or actual), food safety? Food consumption rates high fossil fuel dependence high food system may co&apse with economy WIC & food stamps at farmer s markets Homeowner s associations (aesthetics of food in *ont yard) Social justice issue need connection between healthy food & healthy society & economy Limited access to politicians (need to talk to/educate) Length of time it took Central City Co-op to become sustainable Protein selection (meats & dairies) oorganic, local, unpasteurized (Randy Evans) Lack of coalitions & nonprofit connectivity (land for wildlife, land for food) Lack of minority & young representation Price gap is growing Lack of partnership between existing food organizations Food incompetency Limited in*astructure & coalition Food security for children less than 1 year old (breast feeding) More farmers more markets Dependent on re*igeration Would like to see comprehensive plan (continued on next slide)

11 Mark Winne SWOT Food System Weaknesses Grand Parkway going through rural land Cost of master gardener (certification?) Lack of organization getting food to markets Look at subsidies for low-income to get *esh, local, organic foods Do not have walkable neighborhood food sources Low-cost compost not available in a& areas Land availability (denser development, less agricultural land) Poor access to low cost whole foods Volunteers/people power to work gardens Sti& need more farmers New farmers need assistance (marketing, land, etc.) Knowledge base lacking (markets, commodities, economy, delivery)

12 Mark Winne SWOT Food Policy Mark Winne s ideas/thoughts Look at land use Health disparity areas in need (markets, transport) Examine economics of food in area Dig deeper gather data ouse students osurvey farms owho is feeding this area? Pick out policy points *om strengths & weaknesses Inventory current policies & programs **Recirculate APA Food Policy document include agriculture & food in comprehensive plan data is way to educate citizens & planners & city officials bring food into the discussion otransportation, land use, economic development, economy impact on climate change & sustainability Look at food economy as a whole osupermarkets, restaurants, farms Urban agriculture even sma& scale is economic development Food Policy Council can bridge gaps and bring together various land use groups (wildlife, agriculture, development, transportation)

13 Pet Projects List urban food co-operatives food accessible and affordable to a& more school gardens and more support for them in every school good food for children, especia&y in schools education for growers about sustainability and market opportunities local policies that support better food for Houstonians City of Houston to share resources: compost, land education of farmers address food safety issues decentralization of food system; local markets farm-to-school, local farmers se&ing to schools WIC and food stamps at farmers markets urban farm program: training, resources, distribution co&ecting data (mapping) food distribution te&ing story of food distribution want policy, action, mutual support fi&ing gaps for growers (e.g. meat growers need grain)

14 Meeting with COH Jay and Laurel met with Karl, Sarah, & Brent- 4/8/09 Main point - wait for the next Mayor. its too late to start. City has a lot of land and would be amenable to giving it to a responsible partner, especia&y flood plain land. Ask for a Mayor s Task Force in new administration City would be eager to partner in education

15 Overview of North American Food Policy Councils

16 Local Food Assessment 1.0 / Local Food Guide Built large excel list of known local food entities, efforts The 100mileharvest.com problem or solution? Meghan proposed a plan of action for a real assessment Brent Batchelor & Thomas Winebarger wanna pick it up

17 Projects / short term wins The Powerpoint committee Food stamps at farmer s markets Ag exemptions for sma&er operations Local food guide / Local food assessment Public *uit trees Agricultural Urbanism education (Andres Duany)