Item 8 - TC Support for Food Plan Implementation — original pdf

Backup

Memo To: Travis County Commissioners Court From: Austin/Travis County Food Policy Board Date: March 18, 2024 Re: Support for Food Plan Implementation/Recommendation #: WHEREAS, the Austin City Council passed RESOLUTION NO. 20210610-039 in June 2021, which directed the City Manager to initiate a planning process for an Austin/Travis County Food Plan to support a more resilient, equitable food system for our community, and which directed the City Manager to engage Travis County in this effort; and WHEREAS, the Travis County Commissioners Court approved Travis County’s formal participation in and support for the Food Plan on December 13, 2022, creating the current directive to develop a comprehensive Plan that incorporates both the City of Austin and Travis County, thus expanding the scope and support for an Austin/Travis County Food Plan; and WHEREAS, the Austin/Travis County Food Plan is currently in development through a robust public engagement process including: Comprehensive and collaborative community workgroups across five identified issues areas of, 1) Food Access and Consumption, 2) Food Markets and Retail, 3) Food Production, 4) Post-Consumption and Food Waste, and 5) Food Processing and Distribution; a Community Advisory Committee; Community Food Ambassadors; and a planning team across both City and County offices; and WHEREAS, the Food Plan will outline strategic, measurable, ambitious, realistic, time-bound, inclusive, and equitable objectives, goals, and strategies, of which meaningful progress can be accomplished within a five year time period to support the Food Plan’s vision: a more just, accessible, and culturally diverse food system for Austin and Travis County that supports and sustains thriving communities, healthy ecosystems, and solutions to climate change where all individuals can reach their full potential; and WHEREAS, the final Austin/Travis County Food Plan will be presented to Austin City Council and the Travis County Commissioners Court during summer 2024 for approval; and WHEREAS, it is critical to begin implementation of the Austin/Travis County Food Plan following the approval of the Food Plan by the Austin City Council and Travis County Commissioners Court to satisfy the recommendations of the 5-year plan timeline; WHEREAS, implementation of the Food Plan will be complex, and reducing duplication of efforts will require significant coordination and leadership WHEREAS, dedicated resources from the City of Austin/Travis County are needed to support the implementation of the Food Plan, which represents the work of thousands of community members to begin achieve, and sustain transformative change for our food system. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Austin Travis County Food Policy Board strongly encourages the Travis County Commissioners Court to determine which department(s) within Travis County should work to implement the Austin/Travis County Food Plan, and to allocate funds for appropriate FTE resources to begin in FYs 2025 and/or 2026 to work on the issues of food access, farmland/food production, addressing climate impacts of the food system, and other relevant issues identified in the Food Plan and prioritized by Travis County for implementation. Date of Approval: _____________________________ Record of the vote: Attest: _____________________________________________ (Staff or board member can sign) 2