Agenda

Douglas County Food Policy Council Meeting

Monday, August 17, 2026 @ 6:30 PM

Various Locations

The Douglas County Food Policy Council (FPC) works to identify the benefits, challenges, and opportunities for building a successful, sustainable local food system. Its purpose is to advise elected officials on food-system-related policy issues and to serve as a community forum for local food system development. Meeting details, minutes, and materials can be found at: Food Policy Council (FPC) Mon, Aug 17 2026 6:30 PM | Douglas County KS

1. Approval of agenda.
2. Approval of minutes.
3. Membership: Shelby Ostrom has stepped down from the Council. Douglas County Public Health will be sending a new liaison soon.

ACTION: Consider approval of the agenda and the previous meeting minutes.

Regular agenda items

1. 2027 Legislative Recommendations
   1. The Council working groups will provide their legislative recommendations at the September 21, 2026, full Council meeting with the final Council vote scheduled for the October 19, 2026 full Council meeting.

ACTION: Consider approval to move the final vote on legislative recommendations to the October 19, 2026 full Council meeting.

1. Working Group Updates

The Council will share updates on current working group efforts and collaborate as a full Council to support progress on these initiatives:

1. Indigenous Foodways Working Group: Indigenous Food Systems Study and Action Plan (IFSSAP)
   1. July 21, 2026 World Cafe:
      1. A World Cafe was held on July 21, 2026, at Stidham Hall at Haskell Indian Nations University. A meal was provided by The Native Chef, Jason Champagne. Christina Haswood provided an overview of the IFSSAP, and Alex Kimball provided instructions for the World Cafe discussions.
      2. Mackie Moore coordinated space reservation and additional set-up and take-down support by HINU students. Council members also assisted with event preparations.
      3. Mackie Moore, Christina Haswood, Alex Kimball, and Connie Fitzpatrick facilitated the table discussions, while Council members Tyler Lindquist, Quinlan Carttar, Hazlett Henderson, and Shelby Ostrom supported the discussions through note taking.
   2. IFSSAP Upcoming Events
      1. World Café at Haskell Indian Nations University
         1. September 15, 2026 at Stidham Hall, located at Haskell Indian Nations University 155 Indian Ave, Lawrence, KS 66044. Join a rotating small group conversations to share your experiences, ideas, and hopes for Indigenous food systems.
      2. Tabling at Events:
         1. August 17–18, 2026, Kansas Tribal Health Summit
         2. September 16, 2026, Food Sovereignty Summit at KU
         3. September 18 - 19, 2026, Haskell Heritage Homecoming & Memorial Arch Celebration
      3. IFSSAP Survey
         1. The Native American Community Food Systems Survey is designed to understand the availability of healthy, traditional, and culturally important foods within our community. The survey will close on September 28, 2026.
   3. Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Communications:
      1. The Working Group and County staff will send a memo to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Council providing updates on the IFSSAP and ongoing collaborations with Food Sovereignty Director, Melinda Williamson.
2. Forward Working Group: Eliminating food waste through reduction, recovery, and diversion
   1. As a follow-up from the June full Council meeting, working group members along with Council leadership met with Douglas County Sustainability Manager Kim Criner for an informational discussion regarding the City of Lawrence and Douglas and Jefferson County waste management plans.
   2. On July 31, 2026 Council Co-Chairs Ben Sikes and Quinlan Carttar signed the DCFPC letter of recommendations regarding the waste management plans.
   3. On Monday, August 10, 2026, the DCFPC letter of recommendations was distributed to County Administration and the Board of County Commissioners for consideration in connection with Agenda item 1.1.3 for the August 12, 2026 meeting: "Considering approving public hearing date for Douglas and Jefferson County, Kansas 2026 Solid Waste Management Plan".
3. Economic Development Working Group: Building an equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem.
   1. Food Truck Hubs organized for the duration of the world cup at Central Bank of the Midwest and the Lawrence Central Station.
4. Food Policy Council Systems Thinking & Network Health Survey
5. The DCFPC members have been invited by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future to participate in the Food Policy Council Systems Thinking & Network Health Survey as part of the Food Policy Networks project. The survey is due September 14, 2026.
6. "The survey is examining how food policy councils (FPCs) build strong networks and translate that strength into meaningful food policy and systems change."

Adjournment

Meeting adjournment.