A new handbook aims to help communities build stronger local food systems by bringing residents, farmers, businesses, policymakers, workers and community organizations together around shared priorities. Food Policy Councils: Building Civic Engagement and Community Well-Being, written by Rhode Island Food Policy Council leader Nessa Richman, offers practical guidance for communities interested in launching or strengthening a food policy council.
As Civil Eats reports, roughly 300 food policy councils operate across the United States, working on interconnected issues including food access, local agriculture, land use, school food, procurement, food waste and public health. The article highlights examples from Rhode Island where cross-sector collaboration has helped connect local fishers with food-insecure families, support small food businesses, and advance policies benefiting small and urban farmers.