Food Policy Board Recommendations

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

2024

• Recommendation to fund City of Austin staff to help implement the Austin/Travis County food plan (March 18)
• Recommendation to fund Travis County staff to help implement the Austin/Travis County food plan (March 18)
• Recommendation in support of sustainable purchasing (March 18)
• Recommendation to Austin City Council to approve the proposed Austin/Travis County Food Plan (June 10)
• Recommendation to the Travis County Commissioners Court to approve the proposed Austin/Travis County Food Plan (June 10)

2023

• Recommendation and statement on the proposed FY24 COA Budget that the Offices of Sustainability and Resilience maintain their autonomy and placements within Management Services, reporting to an Assistant City Manager, led by a Chief Sustainability Officer and a Chief Resilience Officer at the executive level. (July 27)
• Recommendation for Travis County to increase funding for food access and basic needs. (July 10)

2022

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

2021

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

   

2010 - 2020 Recommendations

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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