Presentation Title
Keywords
Non-profit, Food policy, Food access, Community relations
Description
Local and regional food systems are impacted by a wide range of local and state laws and policies that can support or impede community efforts to enhance local and regional food production, food distribution, food retail and grocery store outlets, and other food security issues. This session examines different state and local policy and legal mechanisms that impact the local food system, including the use of state preemption to stifle local policy initiatives, local policy tools available to enhance local food systems, and emerging local advocacy efforts in the Midwest to support sustainable and resilient community food systems.
Preemption occurs when “higher” levels of government limit or eliminate the power of “lower” levels of government to adopt laws that provide stronger protections of public health. Local food system advocates need to be prepared to identify and respond to state preemption efforts that could impede community efforts. At the same time, community food advocates are also well positioned to work with local governments to capitalize on local authority over land use, zoning, and police powers to enhance public health and food access at the local level.
This session provides information about how preemption can be used to limit community voices in pursuing healthy eating policy change and will help advocates be better prepared to deal with preemption efforts, while also examining local policy initiatives advancing urban food system efforts.
The session also explores the role that food system advocates and coalitions can play in working on legislative initiatives to support urban food systems.
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Panel: Stifling Efforts to Build Local Food Systems: How Preemption Can Impact Your Community’s Access to Healthy Food
Local and regional food systems are impacted by a wide range of local and state laws and policies that can support or impede community efforts to enhance local and regional food production, food distribution, food retail and grocery store outlets, and other food security issues. This session examines different state and local policy and legal mechanisms that impact the local food system, including the use of state preemption to stifle local policy initiatives, local policy tools available to enhance local food systems, and emerging local advocacy efforts in the Midwest to support sustainable and resilient community food systems.
Preemption occurs when “higher” levels of government limit or eliminate the power of “lower” levels of government to adopt laws that provide stronger protections of public health. Local food system advocates need to be prepared to identify and respond to state preemption efforts that could impede community efforts. At the same time, community food advocates are also well positioned to work with local governments to capitalize on local authority over land use, zoning, and police powers to enhance public health and food access at the local level.
This session provides information about how preemption can be used to limit community voices in pursuing healthy eating policy change and will help advocates be better prepared to deal with preemption efforts, while also examining local policy initiatives advancing urban food system efforts.
The session also explores the role that food system advocates and coalitions can play in working on legislative initiatives to support urban food systems.
