Building sustainable local food systems that reflect the priorities of residents is critical as our region continues to develop. Cities can achieve this when they work with their communities to ensure access to nutritious food, preserve green spaces, and create opportunities to gather, learn, and grow together.
Formerly known as a “City Agriculture Plan,” a Local Food System Plan is a set of policy and program recommendations for a city to strengthen their local food system over the next 3-5 years. A Plan is developed through a collaborative process that builds community around local food and agriculture, formalizes a local government's commitment to prioritizing health and sustainability, and brings innovative ideas and valuable resources to cities.
Below are examples from past Plan recommendations that are focused around the program's five focus areas:
Use the links to learn more about each focus area and explore examples of how strategies have been implemented in cities who have successful, active Local Food System Plans in our region.
Expand Access to Fresh Local Food
Local Food System Plans are equipped to provide increased access to food grown and/or processed within a community to residents and community members in and around a city. Examples from past plans include:
Farmers market support (Alpharetta Local Food System Plan, Recommendation A-2, Expand Farmers Market Partnership and Offer Doubled SNAP/EBT)
Mobile market program (Jonesboro Local Food System Plan, Recommendation B-4 Support a fleet of mobile markets)
Local food procurement partnerships with small businesses (East Point Local Food System Plan, Recommendation A-4, Develop a Healthy Corner Store Incentive Program)
Support Local Growers
Critically planning for your city's local food system can provide both social and physical infrastructure that builds capacity among growers of all experience levels. In some cities, this has looked like:
Community gardens expansion (East Point Local Food System Plan, Recommendation C-3, Leverage Public Land, Schools, Utility Easements, and Appropriate Private Sites for Growing Space)
Home growers network development (Austell Local Food System Plan, Recommendation D-2, Establish a Home Growers Network)
Workshops and trainings (Alpharetta Local Food System Plan, Recommendation A-5, Provide Workshops, Trainings, and Education)
Encourage a Supportive City Policy Environment
The process provides an opportunity for local governments to co-create a vision alongside the community that both shapes and reviews current policies and ordinances to identify opportunities for clearer food system support. Explore below to see how this has been done in past Plans:
Local Food & Agriculture Committee (Austell Local Food System Plan, Recommendation A-1, Create a committee of growers, residents, and city officials to align the City Agriculture Plan with a City Growth Plan)
Economic development incentives (Alpharetta Local Food System Plan, Recommendation D-4, Incentivize Food Businesses and Startups)
Zoning review to increase growing space (East Point Local Food System Plan, Recommendation C-2, Conduct a Zoning Code Audit to Identify Potential Barriers to Urban Agriculture)
Promote Sustainable Practices
A thriving local food system encompasses all aspects of food production, including waste management and sustainability & resiliency initiatives. Plans can identify strategies for a more resilient and sustainable local food system. This can include:
Community composting pilot (Austell Local Food System Plan, Recommendation B-3 Pilot a community composting program at local garden space)
Pollinator habitat support (Alpharetta Local Food System Plan, Recommendation C-2, Support Pollinators and Pollinator Habitats)
Water reclamation (Setting up a Rain Barrel Workshop)
Increase Community Connection
Food is a powerful tool for bringing the community together. Local Food System Plans can promote connection within the city by focusing on food production, education, purchasing, and sharing. Past cities have implemented recommendations such as:
Educational partnerships (Alpharetta Local Food System Plan, Recommendation D-1, Strengthen Educational Partnerships)
Local food and cultural events (Austell Local Food System Plan, Recommendation D-3, Pilot a community-wide festival at the Terrell Garden to educate residents about local food systems)
