Relationships between Food Policy Councils and Government in the United States

Abstract

Food-related programmes and policies are present across municipal government departments and agencies, but many local government officials do not recognize food systems as a public good. Food policy councils (FPCs) are stepping in to work collaboratively with multi-sector stakeholders, including community members and governments in municipalities across the United States, to address complex food systems issues facing their communities. In their efforts to transform the food system, FPCs maintain some type of relationship with their local governments, be it informal or adversarial. The shape and strength of these relationships are varied and are driven by a combination of factors unique to each jurisdiction. This chapter examines the co-governance arrangements between FPCs and government in urban areas of the United States, drawing on data from a census of FPCs conducted by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, published literature on FPCs, and the authors’ experience working with FPCs. In particular, we examine the formal ties between FPCs and governments, including government representatives as members of FPCs, and both their impact on community engagement in an FPC and the policy advocacy work of an FPC.