Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin has introduced the Local Food Action Initiative to promote local and regional food sustainability and security, and advance the City’s interrelated goals of race and social justice, environmental sustainability, economic development, and emergency preparedness.
 
A flier describing the Local Food Action Initiative and the full text of Resolution Number 31019 are available at: www.seattle.gov/council/conlin.
 
The Local Food Action Initiative grew out of the work of the City of Seattle Food System Interdepartmental Team and the Acting Food Policy Council for Seattle and King County. Benefits of the Initiative include:

• Increase support of local and regional agriculture and community gardens and make stronger connections between our rural and urban areas.
• Improve public health through providing increased access to healthy, culturally appropriate, and locally and regionally grown foods, especially for low-income households.
• Reduce climate impacts of our food system.
• Improve the security of our local food supply in the event that a major disaster were to occur.
• Reduce negative environmental effects relating to the food system including minimizing energy use and reducing food waste.
• Create local economic opportunities related to local food production, processing, distribution, and waste management.
• Support strategies to connect major institutions, such as schools, hospitals, and jails, to locally grown food.
• Build community through developing community gardens, promoting farmers markets, involving immigrants, and developing programs that contribute to sustainability.

 
Upcoming Events Related to the Seattle Local Food Action Initiative:
 
April 11, 12:00-1:30 PM
Brown Bag with Seattle City Council & Frances Moore Lappé on Local Food Policy, Seattle City Hall, Council Chambers, 600 4th Ave, Seattle
 
April 11, 5:00-7:00 PM
Civic Engagement & Local Food Policy: A Conversation with Frances Moore Lappé, Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room, 600 4th Ave, Seattle
 
April 16, 5:30 PM
Local Food Action Initiative Resolution Public Comments—Seattle City Council Environment, Emergency Management and Utilities Committee Meeting, Seattle City Hall, Council Chambers, 600 4th Ave. Sign-up sheets for public comment will be available at 5:00 pm. Submit written comments by April 4 to Richard.Conlin@seattle.gov or to Councilmember Richard Conlin, PO Box 34025, Seattle, WA 98124.
 
For more information on the Local Food Action Initiative contact: Phyllis Shulman at 206-684-8805 or phyllis.shulman@seattle.gov.
 
 


------------------------------------------------------ Check the web page at http://www.cascadeharvest.org Check out the calendar of ag events at http://csanr.wsu.edu/calendar/index.asp ------------------------------------------------------