Strategic Plan 2021-2023
The Food Policy Council approved an updated version of their 2021-2023 Strategic Plan on April 17, 2023.
Vision
The Johnson County Food Policy Council envisions a resilient, equitable, community-based food system rooted in the nourishment and celebration of all people and the Earth.
Definitions
Food system: includes the processes and infrastructure involved in feeding a population: growing, harvesting, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, consumption, and disposal of food and food-related items.
Foodshed: a geographic region in which there is a flow of food from where it is grown to a place where it is consumed.
Sustainable agriculture: defined by U.S. Code Title 7, Section 310 as “an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that over the long-term will: satisfy human food and fiber needs, enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agriculture economy depends, make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls, sustain the economic viability, and enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.”
Values
Community-based
A community-based food system celebrates cultures and place and is strengthened by dialogue and collective decision making.
Equitable
An equitable food system centers peoples’ dignity, provides fair compensation for labor, and meets the social and physical needs of all people addressing historic and institutional barriers informed by race, class, disability, gender and other identities.
Resilient
A resilient food system actively supports a thriving, sustainable environment, facilitates diverse systems, and adapts to meet emerging needs.
Goal 1: Support community connections in the food system
Objective 1.1: Build relationships between the council and food system stakeholders to understand community needs
Strategy: Build relationships across Johnson County
Tactic - Identify and reach out to community stakeholders in rural areas, villages, and cities
Strategy: Provide opportunities for stakeholders (growers, processors, business owners) to provide input and connect and collaborate with the council and each other
Tactic - Host annual public forum with space for community discussion
Tactic - Host annual event centered on food justice with space for networking
Tactic - Explore creation of awards honoring community member contributions to the food system
Strategy: Build relationships with food system and farm workers
Tactic - Recruit a food system service worker and/or farm laborer to the council
Objective 1.2: Strengthen relationships between members of the council as well as the staff liaisons, board liaison, and Board of Supervisors
Strategy: Support active working groups
Tactic - Ask every member to participate in a working group
Tactic - Present working group updates at council meetings
Tactic - Appoint working group chairs
Strategy: Facilitate opportunities for members to connect
Tactic - Icebreakers during introductions
Tactic - Opportunities to connect one on one or in small groups
Strategy: Support projects of the Local Foods Coordinator
Tactic - Provide recommendations or feedback
Tactic - Bring ideas for engagement and relevant conversations
Strategy: Communicate regularly with the Johnson County Board of Supervisors
Tactic - Present updates at a work session
Tactic - Staff liaisons meet monthly with Board liaison
Goal 2: Create and share transformational narratives to shape the food system
Objective 2.1: Increase community awareness of the Johnson County Food Policy Council vision, goals, and activities
Strategy: Create and share out media about the council
Tactic - Share out 1 post via social media Johnson County each month
Tactic - Annual report on council activities
Tactic - Share out at least one guest column in county newspapers each year
Tactic - Share an introduction about the council & members
Strategy: Make monthly meetings more accessible to the public
Tactic - Hold two meetings a year outside of Iowa City
Strategy: Represent Food Policy Council at public events
Tactic - Update tabling materials each year
Tactic - Represent the FPC at 3 public outreach events each year
Objective 2.2: Pursue educational opportunities to stay informed as council members representing the Johnson County community
Strategy: Build education into internal meetings and communications
Tactic - Host guest speakers that represent geographic and demographic diversity
Tactic - Share educational resources among council members
Strategy: Stay informed on relevant local, state, and federal policy happenings
Tactic - Receive notice of potential changes to the JC Unified Development Ordinance, JC Comprehensive Plan, and other policies through updates from BOS liaison
Tactic - Designate liaisons for regional and statewide food system coalitions and policy groups
Tactic - Liaisons provide regional, state, and federal policy updates at council meetings
Objective 2.3: Increase intersectional understanding of racial and social equity in food systems
Strategy: Utilize the FPC Racial and Social Equity Tool to inform the development of policies and programs, event planning, and the improvement of processes
Strategy: Host at the least one Food Justice centered community conversation
Strategy: Build relationships with groups leading intersectional work including racial equity centered work (i.e. hunger relief, affordable housing, living wage, and accessible transportation advocates and stakeholders)
Strategy: Understand impacts of disabilities on food system participation
Tactic - Connect with JC Historic Poor Farm Disability Advisory Committee
Strategy: Investigate opportunities for building relationships and partnerships with Native American/American Indian communities
Tactic - Learn about local work and identify community organizations and leaders who support Native American/American Indian communities
Objective 2.4: Use research and community data collection to guide the council's work and provide evidence-based recommendations
Strategy: Integrate data collection into decision making
Tactic - Establish research scan, focus groups, surveys, interviews as ways to collect quantitative and qualitative data
Tactic - Use data collected from the Community Food and Farm Grant process to improve future grant cycles
Strategy: Develop a set of indicator metrics for community-based food systems
Tactic - Research data available for racial/social justice metrics intersectional with food systems
Tactic - Reach out to community partners such as the University of Iowa departments, JC Public Health, and Common Good Iowa
Strategy: Integrate new ideas from the community into Food Policy Council work
Tactic - Create reports on annual public forums
Tactic - Review FPC Strategic Plan annually for updates
Goal 3: Identify and advocate for inclusive, community-led policy solutions and public investment opportunities
Objective 3.1: Strengthen the infrastructure for our community-based food system
Strategy: Explore opportunities for shared space and collaborative business connections for both growers and processors
Tactic - Assess food storage space for accessibility and size
Tactic - Reassess processing needs with Iowa Kitchen Connect
Tactic - Evaluate community locations for potential shared space
Strategy: Support investment in processing and aggregation infrastructure that will expand local food access
Tactic - Advocate for continued financial investment in food hubs and commercial kitchens as driver for economic and community development
Objective 3.2: Remove barriers and create opportunities for community-based farmers and food system entrepreneurs
Strategy: Support increasing capacity for local, small-scale animal raising and processing
Tactic - Research statewide for creative, safe, sustainable solutions
Tactic - Work with local processors to identify barriers
Tactic - Follow state task force for Butchery Innovation and Revitalization Bill to explore issues related to the lack of meat processing labor force
Strategy: Increase land access for community-based farmers
Tactic - Provide input for the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm
Tactic - Strengthen connections with land owners and land seekers
Tactic - Develop a racial equity lens for land accessibility
Strategy: Design Community Food and Farm Grant to fund opportunities that meet the needs of and strengthen food and farm businesses
Strategy: Support local food procurement among institutions, schools, and food businesses
Tactic - Identify and share out resources, best practices, and funding opportunities for small food businesses
Tactic - Identify examples of procurement policies that could be set by institutions such as purchasing goals/commitments, Requests for Proposals (RFPs), job descriptions
Tactic - Advocate for the adoption of procurement policies to public institutions and nonprofits to purchase more locally grown food for distribution
Objective 3.4: Expand accessibility of starting and expanding value-added food entrepreneurial businesses
Strategy: Support networks and resource sharing for value-added and processed food entrepreneurs and commercial kitchens
Tactic - Explore collaborating with value-added business support organizations to host a networking event or group (i.e. ICAD, Think Iowa City, E5M, Diversity Market)
Tactic - Identify stakeholders in rural areas
Strategy: Explore opportunities to increase access to food license and food safety resources/information with JC Public Health
Tactic - Make recommendations to translate resources into multiple languages
Tactic - Meet with JC DEI Coordinator to explore translation options at the County
Strategy: Work with E5M, CWJ, and JCPH to explore possibilities for multilingual workshops to educate entrepreneurs on food license applications and food safety regulations and procedures
Tactic - Meet with leaders from each organization