Salt Lake City Food Policy Task Force

The Food Policy Task Force (FPTF)

was convened by Mayor Ralph Becker in October 2009 to recommend and promote sustainable food policy. The FPTF is comprised of a diverse group of individuals and organizations interested in improving food policy in Salt Lake City. They are working to identify policy and program opportunities which will improve access to more fresh and nutritious food for all Salt Lake residents. The Task Force is also working to identify opportunities to expand urban farming, preserve open space and to empower residents to live more sustainably.

To help with the Salt Lake Community Food Assessment, SLC Residents are encouraged to fill out a survey about their food patterns by clicking HERE.  After completing the survey, participants will be able to access an online tool for SLC residents that determines how many calories individuals’ properties are able to produce.

• Visit the Food Policy Task Force website HERE
• Check out the other food-related initiatives at SLC Green
• Check out The Fact Sheet about the Task Force  (pdf)
• Powerpoint presentation further explaining the Task Force

In 2011, the Task Force is focusing on the following areas:

• A city-wide community food assessment (see below for more information)
• Raising public awareness about food issues
• Education
• Internal city-wide food policy influence

Specific Initiatives

• In the media – The task force is working to write articles and op-eds to raise the profile of food issues in the city. Check out some of the media we have received.
• Local Food – The FPTF works on the Salt Lake Eat Local Challenge subcommittee to raise the profile of local foods.  Click on the logo to the right for more information about the Eat Local Challenge and for local food resources.
• Farm Bill – In Fall of 2011, the FPTF organized a Farm Bill Forum that brought experts together from various farm bill-related issue areas.  The FPTF drafted SL Farm Bill Principles, which were modeled after the Seattle Farm Bill Principles, got suggestions and feedback from SL residents, and got organizational and individual sign-ons before sending the principles to our congressional delegation, the Super Committee, and the chairs of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. The FPTF will continue to work on the Farm Bill in 2012.
• Community Food Assessment (CFA) – In the fall of 2011, the FPTF contracted with Carbaugh & Associates for our CFA.  The primary foci of the food system assessment are:
  
  1. Production – Production includes the growing, raising, & harvesting of any food item.  We aim to outline the demographics and determine what is produced locally and what % is consumed in the city versus what is exported to other markets.
  2. Processing & Distribution – Processing addresses how food is prepared for market.  Distribution addresses how food gets to market.  We aim to determine what is processed in the city & how it is distribute, as well as the local market’s capacity for processing and its limitations.
  3. Consumption – Consumption includes all the ways people access food. We aim to identify all direct (Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Farmers Markets, Fruit Stands), and indirect (grocers, restaurants, charitable and federal assistance programs) consumer food sources, as well as community, institution, and home gardens.
  4. Nutrition & Health – Nutrition and health include how people are eating and preparing meals, and how the food they consume affects their health.  Methods include surveying residents to understand the relationship of people to their food in the city and gathering data on prevalence of diet related diseases.
  5. Nutrition Education – Nutrition Education includes all programs addressing nutrition.  We aim to identify all nutrition programs available within the city and learn how many people are served.
  6. Food Waste – Food waste is any food substance, raw or cooked, which is discarded or intended or required to be discarded.  We aim to identify consumable versus inconsumable waste, total volume donated and discarded.

Food Policy Task Force Members
Michelle Brzuszkiewicz, Salt Lake Valley Health Department
Ed Carr, Nicholas and Co.
Jen Colby, Sustainability Office, University of Utah
Gina Cornia, Utahns Against Hunger, Food Policy Task Force Co-Chair
Mike Evans, Utahns Against Hunger, Food Policy Task Force Co-Chair
Niels Hansen, National Resource Conservation Service
Beverly Hyatt, Salt Lake Valley Health Department
Patrice Isabella, Physical Activity, Nutrition, &  Obesity Program, Utah Dept of Health
Ben Mates, Salt Lake Center for Engaging Community, Food Policy Task Force Co-Chair
Julie Peck-Dabling, Salt Lake County Open Space & Urban Farming Program
Steven Rosenberg, Liberty Heights Fresh
Jude Rubadue, Watson Shelter at Alta, Avenues Fruit Share, Slow Food Utah
James Soares, Squatters
Bridget Stuchly, Salt Lake City Division of Sustainability
Claire Uno, Wasatch Community Gardens