Food Policy Board Recommendations

The Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board is composed of City Council and County Commissioner-appointed community representatives that serve as advisors on food-related issues and policy. The following are the recommendations that have achieved majority approval by the Food Policy Board:

2022

• Recommendation supporting values-based procurement. (May 9)

2021

• Recommendation to support and fund a community-supported Food System Action Plan. (April 5)

2020

• Recommendation to support the Austin Climate Equity Plan (Oct. 12)
• Recommendations to address COVID-19 emergency response and racial equity in our food system (June 12)
• Recommendation to invest in a community-supported regional food system plan (May 11)

2019

• Recommendation on Food Systems and the Land Development Code Rewrite (Nov. 25)
• Recommendation for Consideration of Agricultural Production on County/City Land (May 13)
• Recommendation for a Charitable Feeding Organization Permit (Sept. 9)

2018

• Consideration of Agricultural Production on County/City Land (May 13)
• Letter of support for the Food and Climate Addendum to the Austin Community Climate Plan (Feb. 12)
• Support for Change to Beekeeping Policy (March 12)
• Support for US Conference of Mayor's Recommendations for Farm Bill (March 12)
• Resolution in Recognition of Marla Camp (April 9)
• Recommendation to Update CodeNEXT Definition of Community Agriculture (May 14)
• Recommendation to Adopt a Legislative Agenda Item to Protect and Strengthen SNAP (June 11)

2017

• Recommendation to create a school food access fund, study food access, increase food pantry capacity, and address food waste (May 5)
• Support for Strategies to improve Austin's food system (May 22)
• Promoting Farmland Preservation through Reasonable Taxation (April 10)
• Support for City of Austin Earned Sick Days Policy (Oct. 9)
• Use of City-owned Land for Urban Agriculture (Oct. 9)

2016

• Creation of a Regional Community-Based Food System Study (Jan. 19)
• Improved Support and Funding for Community Garden Program (June 13)

2015

• Letter of Support, Green Gate Farms - County Commissioners (Nov. 19)
• Letter of Support, Green Gate Farms - Mayor & Council (Nov. 19)
• CodeNEXT Supports Sustainable Food Systems (Oct. 12)
• Support for Strategies for Increasing Access to Healthy Food (June 11)
• Increasing SNAP Enrollment with Outreach (June 8)

2014

• Board Name and Size Change (Nov. 10)
• Creation of Foodshed Preservation and Development Policies (Oct. 13)
• Recommendation to Travis County on the Land Water and Transportation Plan (Oct. 13)
• Recommendation on CodeNEXT (Oct. 13)
• Healthy Food Retail Initiative (Aug. 11)
• Letter of Support to apply for grant funding from the Center for Disease Control (July 14)
• Letter of Support for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Program funding (May 27)
• Improving Farmers Market and Farm Stand Access (May 12)

2013

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Outreach (Aug. 26)
• Farmers Market Ordinance Permits (Aug. 26)
• Land Use Code – Urban Farm Certificate of Occupancy Outreach (July 22)
• Clarification related to the Economic Impact Analysis (May 28)
• Supporting Document to May 28 Recommendation
• Food Policy Board Resolution for Healthy and Local Food Service and Procurement (Jan. 28)
• Food Policy Board Resolution for Urban Farm Definition Update (Jan. 28)
• Letter of Recommendation to Mayor and Council for SNAP Enrollment and Outreach (Jan. 28)

2012

• Letter of Recommendation to Mayor and Council on Food Recovery Resources (Oct. 23)
• Letter of Recommendation to Mayor and Council on Economic Analysis Resources (June 20)
• Letter to Mayor and Council on Food Policy Board Participation in Imagine Austin Planning (April 23)
• Letter of Recommendation to Mayor and Council on Increasing SNAP Enrollment (April 16)
• Letter of Recommendation to the Planning Commission on Imagine Austin (March 28)

2011

• Letter of Recommendation to Mayor and Council on changes to Imagine Austin (Nov. 21)
• Letter of Support for Community Transformation Grant Funding (June 27)
• Letter of Support for the Sustainable Food Center application for USDA Grant Funding (June 27)
• Letter of Recommendation to Mayor and Council on Farmers Market Permitting Fees (Feb. 28)

2010

• Letter of Support to Mayor and Council on Temporary Food Establishment Permits (Oct. 26)
• Letter of Support to Mayor and Council for a Sustainable Urban Agriculture Program Coordinator Position (April 26)
• Letter of Recommendation to City Manager Marc Ott for a Sustainability Officer Position (Feb. 22)

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