Mayor Gavin Newsom announces a regional sustainable food policy for San Francisco

July 8, 5:49 PMSF Sustainable Food ExaminerJeri Lynn Chandler

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Gavin Newsom at WOW Farm in West Oakland

(Update... Read the full Executive Directive here: www.sfgov.org)

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom today issued the first comprehensive food policy for San Francisco along with a sweeping action plan intended to make improvements to food that is available in the region. The plan, which Mayor Newsom issued through Executive Directive, aims to ensure that all residents have access to healthy food. It is expected to have far reaching impact throughout Northern California by increasing support for area farms.

"The stark reality is that hunger, food insecurity, and poor nutrition are pressing health issues, even in a city as rich and vibrant as San Francisco," said Mayor Newsom in a press release issued by his office. "From the alleviation of hunger, to the need to support local and sustainable agricultural practices, these recommendations form a comprehensive and strategic approach to addressing pressing needs in all sectors of the food system."

Mayor Newsom, made the announcement at the West Oakland Woods urban garden, run by City Slicker Farms. He was joined by California Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura and representatives of the United State Department of Agriculture, as well as others currently attending the Direct Farm Marketing Summit, organized by Roots of Change, a food advocacy group.

The actions called for in the Mayor's plan are to be completed within 180 days. They include a requirement that all city departments conduct an audit of land under their jurisdiction to create an inventory of land suitable for gardening, the introduction of new health and sustainability requirements for food sold by vendors under city permits, a "healthy meetings policy" requiring the purchase of healthy, locally produced foods for city meetings. The directive also calls for the introduction within two months of a new law requiring that food purchased by the city has been grown regionally and through sustainable methods.

The Mayor's initiatives build on work initiated in September of last year when he partnered with Roots of Change to develop a sustainable 'foodshed' plan for San Francisco and the San Francisco Bay region. Today Newsom also released the recommendations of that effort, and many of those recommendations are integrated into the Mayor’s food policy, including creation of a trade mission that connects regional food growers to local San Francisco restaurants and food purchasers and an initiative to channel philanthropic funds to augment the spending power of residents who use food stamps at local farmers markets.