The Spokane Food Policy Council, established in 2013, is comprised of local stakeholders including representation from Spokane Regional Health District, Second Harvest, Catholic Charities, Washington State University Extension, SNAP-Ed, farmers, ranchers, regenerative agriculturists, academia, local business owners and food service workers. Members volunteer and bring expertise from various areas of the regional food system and collaborate to improve our local food system for all. The Food Policy Council is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Spokane Food Policy Council serves all people by focusing our work on growing equity through our regional food system. We strive to recruit council members who represent diverse populations and have lived experience with food insecurity or are subject-matter experts in their respective field. Importantly, we also partner with organizations who serve disproportionately impacted people, and the Spokane Food Policy Council serves as a conduit to elevate their voices and solve the problems we know people are experiencing now, as well as plan for predictable future crises, and ensure decision-makers are made aware of policy-change solutions The Spokane Food Policy Council advocates for policies and strategic investments in the local food system that will result in greater prosperity and better public health outcomes throughout our community.
Spokane Food Policy Council Role
- Advise Spokane County government and regional cities on food-related policy issues
- Focus on researching, developing, and promoting policy
- The SFPC forms relationships with other regional entities involved in the local food system
Focus
- Updates on legislative activities
- Updates to governmental comprehensive plans
- Farmland preservation
- School lunch shaming
- Local food processing in or near urban areas
- Reducing food waste
- Institutional purchasing policies
- Incentives for grocery stores, farmers markets, food carts, vending machines, and other mobile vendors to locate in underserved communities
Download a one-page document detailing the mission and work of the Spokane Food Policy Council.
Timeline
2013
- The Spokane Food Policy Council (SFPC) was convened by then Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart, and first met in October 2013
2014-2015
- SFPC was engaged in council organizational/program development, research, and outreach
2016
- Finished The Spokane Regional Food System Inventory (FSI), a broad assessment of the regional food system evaluating our local food system
2017
- Worked with city planning staff to add food language to the City of Spokane’s Comprehensive Plan:
- Met with the Director of Nutrition Services from Spokane School District 81 to discuss “food shaming” and the benevolence meal fund being developed to pay meals for children who do not have money in their accounts to payCurrent Work
Goals:
- Develop a shared collaborative framework to advance Spokane County’s food security work
- Develop a Food Security Action Plan to ensure equitable access to healthy foodsSuccesses
Ordinances: