Food policy councils are not-for-profit organizations composed of representatives from different and diverse sectors of the food system. They collaborate to find practical solutions to the challenges relating to managing food systems at the local and even national levels.
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The goals and actions of food policy councils are strongly related to a number of themes that are relevant to healthy public policies, notably bringing together actors from different sectors to “advise or partner on policy formulation and implementation,” (Food Policy Councils, p. 3) often with an explicit link to “healthy, just and sustainable food systems.” (Ibid., p. 4). While often associated with urban issues, there is a clear link to the rural sector as well and to the broader notion of building sustainable systems for the production, transportation, marketing, and consumption of food.
The Centre presents this briefing note by Wendy Mendes of the School of Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia in order to familiarize the public health sector with some challenges and issues relating to the food system as well as with how food policy councils can help in the development of healthy public policies.
Food Policy Councils
6 pages
