City Food Policy Workshops

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March 1, 2012January 6, 2023By Richard Conlin

My staff and I have been working on issues around local food since we secured approval of the Local Food Action Initiative in 2008.  I am very happy that Mayor McGinn and the entire City Council have given great support to this work, and we have completed a large number of significant accomplishments on this important issue.  For details, see this page of my website.

It is now time to take the Local Food Action Initiative to the next level of salience and organizational momentum.  The City has hired a Food Policy Coordinator, who will be based in the Office of Sustainability & Environment, and we are now seeking public input on the elements and priorities for city food policy for the next few years.

Those who are interested in this effort are invited to participate in Our City, Our Food, Our Future:  listening sessions on food in our community.  These sessions will focus on how we can implement a just, sustainable, and resilient food system where:

  • All Seattleites have enough to eat and have access to affordable, local, healthy, culturally appropriate food. 
  • It is easy to sell local and healthy food in Seattle. 
  • It is easy to grow food in Seattle, whether for personal use or for business purposes.
  • The City provides sustainable ways to prevent and deal with food waste.
  • Our community is educated about eating local and healthy food.

The Office of Sustainability & Environment is hosting three public meetings to talk about what the City should do next to meet these goals.

  • Tuesday March 13, 5:30-8:30 p.m.  Ravenna Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Ave NE)
  • Friday March 16, 1:00-4:00 p.m.  City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room (600 4th Avenue)
  • Monday March 19, 5:30-8:30 p.m.  Southside Commons (3518 S Edmunds Street)

To participate, please RSVP by March 2nd.  Contact Sharon Lerman at foodpolicy@seattle.gov with any questions. If you are unable to attend, there will be an opportunity to add your perspective online at www.seattle.gov/food.

You can get more information on the City’s food work and the listening sessions at  www.seattle.gov/food.  We look forward to hearing from you on where the Local Food Action Initiative should go in the future.