The Washington State Food Policy Forum (Forum) is a cross-sector group of food system stakeholders with representation from across the state. Forum members include agricultural stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, and state and local government agencies. The Forum was initially created by the Legislature via budget proviso in 2016 and is now established in statute (RCW 89.50).
The Forum is charged with developing recommendations for improving the food system in Washington.
The Forum is co-convened by the Washington State Conservation Commission (SCC), the Office of Farmland Preservation (OFP), and the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). Ross Strategic provides facilitation support.
Eleven conservation districts have been awarded a total of $55,000 in small grants to strengthen the food system statewide. Grants to conservation districts will be made available subject to the requirements described in the announcement.
Emphasizing highly collaborative projects, these grants will actively increase food system connections within underserved communities. Grant-funded activities address vulnerabilities in the food system and were identified in the 2021 FPF Recommendations to Legislature and by conservation districts in last year’s food system grants.
Members of the Forum are jointly appointed by the the director of SCC and the director of WSDA with no appointment made unless each concurs. If you are interested in serving as an appointed member, please send your contact information and a description of your interest to Alicia McClendon.
Please send contact information to Alicia McClendon.
Office of Farmland Preservation Coordinator, Kate Delavan
or
Policy Assistant, Karla Heinitz
