Food Policy Council Resources
NJ Food Democracy Collaborative believes strongly in the power of bringing people together with diverse experiences, knowledge, skills, concerns, and resources to collaboratively problem-solve food system challenges of their communities through civic engagement.
The NJFDC is a food policy council (FPC) and an advocacy coalition.
FPCs are multi-stakeholder groups at the city, county, or regional level, collaborating to identify and advance policy goals to address food system challenges.
No two policy councils are exactly alike. What most have in common is shared beliefs, participation from multiple different sectors of the food system, and a focus on policy and systems change to improve the food and farming systems of the communities where they are organized.
A FPC can go by many names, and may not even include the words “policy” or “councils” in their names!
FPCs can be created by government or be entirely grassroots, or somewhere in between. No matter what, to be successful in changing the food environment, or building community food systems, the group/coalition/council must include and value participation from those with on-the-ground knowledge and first-hand experience of the issues and include participation from people in decision-making positions.
FPCs must build trust across member organizations and individuals within the group.
Use the menu on this page and the links below to learn more about FPCs.
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A few good resources:
Johns Hopkins University’s Food Policy Networks keeps an online directory of FPCs in the U.S.
Evaluation of California’s Food Policy Councils ( <— this report has fantastic Evaluation of California’s Food Policy Councils insightful information about what makes FPCs effective.)
Check out NJ’s Food Policy Councils in:
Paterson
New Brunswick
Visit our Resources page for a list of other active food system collaboratives in NJ
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Some common practices of Food Policy Councils are:
Conducting Community Food Assessments
Hosting Food Summits or other convenings around a topic or concern
Creating a policy agenda
Using the Advocacy Coalition Framework (learn more here)
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We highly recommend starting with these two documents:
“From civic group to advocacy coalition: Using a food policy audit as a tool for change” by Jill K. Clark It is an article published in the Journal Agriculture, Food Systems and Community Development (2018)
Want more information? Use the form below, on this page, to get in touch with NJFDC about starting or find a FPC in NJ.