The Washington State Food Policy Forum (Forum) was created through a Legislative budget proviso in 2016 and charged with making meaningful recommendations for improving the food system in Washington.
To accomplish this, the Washington State Conservation Commission (SCC), the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), and The Office of Farmland Preservation (OFP) convened a cross-sector group of food system stakeholders to consider and develop recommendations that have broad support from the Forum’s diverse members. Final report and recommendations in the Resources page.
The 2019 legislature again directed through a proviso that SCC, WSDA and OFP coordinate implementation of the Forum and to develop and report on preferred implementation approaches for the recommendations.
More information can be found in the Food Policy Forum Charter here.
Find a current Food Policy Forum Member Roster here.
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.
Send contact information to Alicia McClendon.
Updated September 2019