Food Policy Council
The Birmingham-Jefferson Food Policy Council (the Council) is a public-private partnership tasked to examine the local food system, educate the community, and recommend solutions to policy makers in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
The Council seeks to:
- Examine the food system and identify opportunities for improvement;
- Address health and socio-economic inequities resulting from food system imperfections;
- Increase availability, access, and demand for healthy food;
- Stimulate the local food economy; and
- Leverage public-private-non-profit collaboration to create positive change in the food system.
The Greater Birmingham Community Food Partners (GBCFP) is the lead agency behind the Council and will house the Council once established. GBCFP was formed in 2004 as the Food Security Coalition, a grassroots organization whose mission is promoting access for all community residents to a safe, culturally acceptable, nutritionally adequate diet through a sustainable food system that maximizes community self-reliance and social justice.
Potential partners of the Council include food security groups, businesses, farmers markets, farmers & CSAs, gardeners, grocers, economic development organizations, restaurants/chefs, healthcare organizations, schools, self-described “foodies”, and anyone engaged or otherwise interested any in any aspect of the food system.