REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD POLICY BOARD MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2025, 6:00 PM CITY OF AUSTIN PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ROOM 1406 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE AUSTIN, TEXAS Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Amanda Rohlich, 512-974-1364, Amanda.Rohlich@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Andrea Abel Lisa Barden, Vice-Chair Marissa Bell Joi Chevalier, Chair Beth Corbett Nitza Cuevas CALL TO ORDER Board member roll call. Hilda Gutierrez Kacey Hanson Erin McDonald Natalie Poulos Matt Simon Andrew Smith AGENDA PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board Regular Meeting from Monday, September 15, 2025. STAFF BRIEFING 2. 3. 4. Briefing on Austin Emergency Management, Food During Emergencies and Disasters, John “Donny” Cummings, Mass Care Coordinator Travis County Office of Emergency Management, Food During Emergencies and Disasters, Eric Carter Briefing on Austin-Travis County Food Plan Implementation, Edwin Marty, Food Policy Manager at City of Austin and Yaira Robinson, Assistant Director of Environmental Programs at Travis County DISCUSSION ITEMS 5. 6. Follow-up from Strategic Planning Discussion Review Board Member Assignment DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 7. 8. Discuss and take possible action on the recommendation: Support for investing in farmland preservation and access in Austin and Travis County Approve the 2026 Annual Meeting Schedule for the Austin-Travis County Food Policy board FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Discussion and scheduling of future agenda items ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Amanda Rohlich at Office of Climate Action & Resilience, at 512-974-1364, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Austin-Travis County Food Policy …
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board Recommendation Number: xxxxxxx: Support for investing in farmland preservation and access in Austin and Travis County WHEREAS, the 2022 City of Austin State of the Food System Report indicates that less than 0.6% of the food consumed in Travis County is produced locally, and that approximately 16.8 acres of farmland are lost daily to development pressure, underscoring the critical need for agricultural land preservation efforts; and WHEREAS, farmland in Central Texas is continuing to increase in value and decrease in quantity, the opportunity to preserve a meaningful amount of farmland will disappear as development spreads and farmland is permanently converted to other uses; and WHEREAS, it is recognized by the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact and demonstrated by the Carbon Cycle Institute that agricultural land managed according to regenerative principles is vital to local food security, watershed protection, emergency preparedness, and climate resilience; and WHEREAS, farmland preservation supports multiple City priorities, including increasing local food production, improving water quality, wildlife habitat preservation, ecosystem biodiversity, stormwater management, carbon sequestration, and recreation; and WHEREAS, the Austin/Travis County Food Plan, approved by Austin City Council in October 2024, includes strategic, measurable, and time-bound goals and strategies to strengthen food security, promote environmental sustainability, and address climate change; and WHEREAS, Goal 1 of the Austin/Travis County Food Plan prioritizes expanding community food production, preserving agricultural lands, and increasing the amount of farmland dedicated to regenerative food production in Austin and Travis County; and WHEREAS, Strategy 1.1 of the Food Plan calls for the preservation of land for food production in Central Texas through conservation easements, fee-simple purchases, and land-banking, ensuring that farmland remains dedicated to agricultural use; and WHEREAS, Strategy 1.2 of the Food Plan directs the City of Austin to pursue capital funding sources to finance the preservation of land for agricultural use through conservation easements or direct purchases; and WHEREAS, preserving agricultural land also supports the goals of the Austin Climate Equity Plan by promoting sustainable land use and reducing carbon footprints through localized food production; and WHEREAS, Natural Systems Goal 2 of the Austin Climate Equity Plan aims to protect 500,000 acres of farmland across the five-county region through legal conservation or regenerative agriculture programs by 2030; and WHEREAS, the ATCFPB passed Recommendation Number: 20250310-06A: Support for Agricultural Land Acquisition and Preservation in March 2025 encouraging the city to increase staff capacity to work …
