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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 06092009 - D.1RECOMMENDATION(S): ACCEPT report on the “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” program, connecting local agriculture food growers and products to consumers throughout the County, DECLARE the month of June 2009 as "Buy Fresh, Buy Local Month" in Contra Costa County, and DETERMINE any additional action to be taken. FISCAL IMPACT: No fiscal impact. BACKGROUND: On April 1, 2008, the Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution directing County agencies to work with community-based organizations to: develop a food purchasing policy that maximizes the use of locally grown, fresh foods at County facilities or programs; develop or expand existing distribution systems to deliver local agricultural products to consumers; and, integrate the value of locally grown, fresh foods into educational curricula and develop a teaching program that allows farmers to make connections with children in urban areas. APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 06/09/2009 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Susan A. Bonilla, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: Susan Griggs (925) 646-5250 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: June 9, 2009 David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: Jane Pennington, Deputy cc: D. 1 To:Board of Supervisors From:Supervisors Mary N. Piepho & John Gioia Date:June 9, 2009 Contra Costa County Subject:PRESENTATION on the “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” program, connecting local agriculture food growers and products to consumers throughout the County. (Superv The attached Buy Fresh Buy Local Project Progress Report dated June 2009 provides an update on this project. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT: CLERK'S ADDENDUM Public speakers: Scott Hawkins, Frog Hollow Farm; Jason Train, Bay Cities Produce; Roberto Reyes, Richmond resident; Kathryn Lyddam, Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust; Jim Becker, Richmond Children's Foundation; Shyaam Shabaka, EcoVillage Farm and West County HEAL; Steve Delmasso, Bay Cities Produce. ATTACHMENTS buylocal/buyfresh CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Buy Fresh Buy Local Report June 2009 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Buy Fresh Buy Local Project Progress Report June 2009 Background On April 1, 2008, the County Board of Supervisors signed a resolution directing County Agricultural Commissioner, the Health Services Department, the County Agricultural Advisory Task Force and UC Cooperative Extension to work with community-based organizations to • develop a food purchasing policy that maximizes the use of locally grown, fresh foods at the County hospital and other appropriate facilities or programs • develop or expand existing distribution systems to deliver local agricultural products to consumers throughout the county, and • integrate the value of locally grown, fresh foods into existing education curricula and develop a teaching program that allows farmers to make connections with children in urban areas. On June 3, the Board received a report from the County Agricultural Commissioner about the Buy Fresh Buy Local initiative, and the Board of Supervisors declared June “Buy Fresh Buy Local” Food Month in Contra Costa County. Over the past year, the Board of Supervisors, the Agricultural Commissioner, the Health Services Department, the County Agricultural Advisory Task Force, UC Cooperative Extension, the Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust and other community organizations have made significant progress towards building a Buy Fresh Buy Local food system in Contra Costa County. This report provides the Board of Supervisors with update on the Buy Fresh Buy Local project. Buy Fresh Buy Local in Contra Costa County • Buy Fresh Buy Local Food Month. The County Board of Supervisors and six Contra Costa cities celebrated June as “Buy Fresh Buy Local Food” month. • Events showcasing Contra Costa Buy Fresh Buy Local. Contra Costa farmers were showcased at over 20 Bay Area events. The Commonwealth Club held a panel featuring Contra Costa County as a jurisdiction that has adopted innovative legislation supporting local agriculture. • Agricultural marketing. Contra Costa agriculture was marketed throughout the Bay Area through an advertising campaign that included billboards, print advertising and earned media. • Funding. The Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust obtained grant funding to promote Contra Costa farming and work with County staff on the Buy Fresh Buy Local project. Local Foods Purchasing by County Institutions • Funding. The Green Purchasing Institute obtained grant funding to work with Contra Costa staff to increase local food purchasing, create a matrix of local food purchasing opportunties and draft a local food purchasing policy. • County Medical Center. County Medical Center staff and the County Agricultural Commissioner worked closely with their produce distributor, Bay Cities Produce, the Green Purchasing Institute, and the Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust to increase local food purchasing. The County Medical Center now receives local food purchasing reports from Bay Cities Produce identifying Contra Costa produce purchased by the County Medical Center. Bay Cities Produce is considering creating a “Brentwood summer vegetable mix” for the County Medical Center. • County Juvenile Hall. County Juvenile Hall has met with Green Purchasing Institute to assess opportunities to increase local food purchasing. The Juvenile Hall now receives local food purchasing reports from their produce distributor, Spikes Produce. Spikes Produce has committed to sourcing from Contra Costa farmers. • Distribution from Contra Costa farms. The County Agricultural Commissioner and the Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust have met with Contra Costa farmers and produce distributors to determine eligibility and best practices for selling to County institutions. The Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust has identified opportunities for centralized pick up, ordering, and billing for Brentwood farm products. Link Local Farms to Urban Neighbors • Richmond Farm 2 Table CSA. Supervisor Gioia, Supervisor Piepho, the Richmond Children’s Foundation, the Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust and Eco Village Farm have worked collaboratively to develop a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program that provides Richmond families with a box of fresh Brentwood fruits and veggies twice a month. The program includes subsidized CSA boxes for low-income families. The first boxes were distributed in Richmond April 23, 2009. The project has been funded through a Richmond Children’s Foundation grant and corporate sponsorships. Agricultural Education Programs in Contra Costa County • Mangini Agricultural Museum. UC Cooperative Extension and the Farm Bureau run a hands-on educational program for K-5th graders at the Mangini Agricultural Museum that focuses on agriculture, food, nutrition, and the environment. The County Fair and the Farm Bureau sponsor the program. Cooperative Extension also provides an agriculture-based nutrition education program for 4th graders sponsored by the Food Bank of Contra Costa Solano. Over 1,200 school children attend these programs each year. • Crow Canyon Garden. Crow Canyon Garden in San Ramon is a seven-acre site that grows organic fruits, vegetables and herbs. This San Ramon Parks and Community Services program offers educational opportunities to elementary school children. • Eco Village Farm Learning Center. Eco Village Farm Learning Center in Richmond operates an agricultural education program. In conjunction with the Environmental Educational & Horticultural Institute, they teach at-risk youth sustainable living skills, conduct farm education field trips for K-12 students, and offer multicultural summer day camps for children 8-13 years old. These programs serve about 5,000 children each year. Participants in the 2008/09 Buy Fresh Buy Local Project Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors County Agricultural Commissioner County Health Department/County Medical Center County Juvenile Hall County Agricultural Advisory Task Force UC Cooperative Extension Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust Richmond Children’s Foundation Eco Village Farm (Richmond) Green Purchasing Institute Physicians for Social Responsibility Bay Cities Produce Mapping our Food System in Contra Costa County Agricultural Education UC Cooperative Extension • School gardens • Mangini Agricultural Museum • 4-H Eco-Village Farm (Richmond) Crow Canyon Gardens/Community Gardens (San Ramon) Delta Diablo Farm Bureau “Ag in the Classroom” Mt Diablo School District High School Culinary Program Community College Culinary Program School gardens throughout the County Health and Nutrition County Wellness and Prevention – Healthy and Active Before Five Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties -Farm 2 Kids Wellness City Challenge Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association “Cookin’ the Market” Monument Corridor Community Garden Action Team UC Cooperative Extension Nutrition Education Program educator training Urban Agriculture EcoVillage Farm Urban Tilth/5% Coalition Monument Corridor Community Garden Action Team Bay Point Garden Mangini Agricultural Museum Garden Community gardens throughout the County Local Food Purchasing for County Institutions County Health Services/County Medical Center County Juvenile Hall Green Purchasing Institute Physicians for Social Responsibility/Health Care without Harm UC Cooperative Extension County Farm Advisor Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust Contra Costa Agriculture County Agricultural Commissioner County Agricultural Advisory Task Force Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust Delta Diablo Farm Bureau UC Cooperative Extension County Farm Advisor Harvest Time Contra Costa Buy Fresh Buy Local Contra Costa Buy Fresh Buy Local Advertising 680 Freeway in Martinez south of the Benicia Bridge University Avenue in Berkeley Buy Fresh Buy Local Contra Costa Logo Brentwood Buy Fresh Buy Local Food Awareness Month celebration Buy Fresh Buy Local Tours of Contra Costa Farms Richmond Farm 2 Table CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Project Smith Family Farms, Chef tour, June 2009 Agricultural Leadership Tour, August 2008 Unloading CSA boxes from Eco Village Farm for first delivery on April 23, 2009 Richmond family picks up CSA produce box CSA boxes ready for pick-up at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Richmond Agricultural Education Programs in Contra Costa Children planting seedlings at Eco Village Farm Learning Center Animal husbandry lesson at Eco Village Farm Learning Center School field trip at the Mangini Agricultural Museum Schoolchildren learning about plants at the Mangini Agricultural Museum