Food Policy Councils bring together stakeholders from diverse food-related sectors to examine how the food system is operating and to develop recommendations on how to improve it. These councils take different forms: often a grassroots effort, but sometimes commissioned by a state or local government. Food policy councils are successful at educating officials and the public, shaping public policy, improving coordination between existing programs, and starting new programs. The first Food Policy Council started 20 years ago in the city of Knoxville. During the last five years, Food Policy Councils have gained momentum and today there are almost 50 councils nationwide.
Learn more about these councils by visiting the Food Policy Council Program of the Community Food Security Coalition. The Program is designed to support free of charge the development and operation of current and emerging Food Policy Councils. The Program provides information about food policy councils in the U.S. and how to go about organizing a council in your locale. They also arrange conference calls on topics of interest to food policy council organizers, such as conducting food assessments, organizing policy campaigns, and raising funds
