Title
Accepting the recommendations of the Saint Paul-Ramsey County Food and Nutrition Commission to create a robust, healthy, local food system.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul is committed to policies that promote the health and well-being of our community and environment; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul has proven this commitment in the establishment of the Mayor's first Sustainability Director, GreenCorps Member, and the Saint Paul - Ramsey County Food and Nutrition Commission; and
WHEREAS, Saint Paul had a Food and Nutrition Commission in the 1980s and 1990s; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul is an economic hub for regional and urban agriculture and distribution; and
WHEREAS, The Food Trust Food "For Every Child" Food Access Maps show significant gaps in healthy, affordable and safe food access based on geographic location and financial status; and
WHEREAS, lack of access to healthy food contributes to disparities in diet-related chronic disease and obesity rates; and
WHEREAS, twenty-five percent (25%) of Minnesotans are obese with disproportionate rates in communities of color; and
WHEREAS, the Food and Nutrition Commission has the vision to offer a wide variety of affordable, healthy food available everywhere that contributes to the physical, cultural, and economic wellbeing of residents and their families; and
WHEREAS, the Food and Nutrition Commission developed a set of recommendations to address these issues; and
WHEREAS, the Food and Nutrition Commission recommends conducting ongoing assessments of the food access needs and food environment of the City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County by expanding the Saint Paul Neighborhood Study and conducting feasibility testing of new incentives programs; and
WHEREAS, the Food and Nutrition Commission recommends enhancing food equity through equitable spatial distribution of community gardens and food markets, increasing access through public food assistance and community programs, and advancing food literacy through education programs and promotions; and
WHEREAS, the Food and Nutrition Commission recommends expanding and supporting economic and infrastructure development opportunities for urban agriculture and the local food system through updating city zoning codes and regulations, enhancing local food system infrastructure, supporting and encouraging existing and emerging green business entrepreneurs, providing relevant green job training programs and enforcing current labor standards, and to create a resource, information and services hub for local entrepreneurs; and
WHEREAS, the Food and Nutrition Commission recommends integrating the value of a healthy and local food system into government policies and practices by coordinating with local, metro-area, and state-wide government community groups, creating an interdisciplinary local foods planning team, and enhancing city internal policies to support a healthy food system;
WHEREAS, the Food and Nutrition Commission will promote and track the recommendations and report on progress annually to the Saint Paul City Council;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Saint Paul accepts the Food and Nutrition Commission's 2012 Food Policy and Food System Report Recommendations and will explore options to build a more robust, healthy, local food system.