Food Policy Council (FPC) Meeting on Mon, January 22, 2018 - 6:30 PM

6:00pm pre-meeting discussion with host—learn about local sourcing at J. Wilson’s!

1. Action Item: Administrative Items
   1. Determine quorum of members, agenda approval
   2. Approval of December meeting minutes
   3. Election of 2018 Officers
   4. 2018 Membership changes – introductions; VOTE to recommend to Commission
   5. January 31 @ 4pm: Annual Report to County Commission
   6. Budget overview ($6800)
2. Discussion Item: Public Input
3. Discussion Item: 2018 FPC Priorities, Subcommittees and Communications
   1. Subcommittee check-ins 
   2. What communications do you need to best advance work / engage? (Print handouts, electronic documents, social media content, non-traditional print pieces, talking points, etc.)
      1. Review of Assessment Executive Summary for data, talking points to support work

1. Discussion Item: 2018 Food System Plan, Full Council Policy Priorities

Goal 4, Objective 2 (Expand City- and County-led initiatives to make food more affordable)

4.2.1: Reduce and eliminate the sales tax on groceries

Goal 1, Objective 3 (Increase local food purchasing)

1.3.1: Invest in signage, shared infrastructure, and coordinated marketing to support Douglas County farmers markets

1. Discussion Item: Subcommittee Updates
   1. Aggies: Goals 1 & 2
      1. Harvesting Opportunities food system investment – 2018 workshop/events
   2. Health Equity: Goals 3 & 4
      1. Partnership with Transit for local on-bus communications
   3. FoRWARD: Goal 5
      1. Regional trainings, data sharing to support waste analysis, best practices

1. FPC Member Updates

1. Adjourn

**Next Meeting: Monday, February 19 @ 6:30pm @ TBD location

In attendance: Marlin Bates, Michael Steinle, Aundrea Shafer, Jennifer Kongs, Kim Criner, Ashley Jones-Wisner, Christine Ebert, Joshua Falleaf, Michele Dillon, Connie Fitzpatrick, William Vesecky, Scotty Thellman

Absent: Tamara Cash, Brooke Miller, John Pendleton, Lee Broyles, Olivia Taylor-Puckett, Elizabeth Burger, TK Peterson, Jason Champagne, Inti Hurt

Staff: Helen Schnoes

Public: Patty Metzler (Lawrence Memorial Hospital), Camille Eichorn (Lawrence Community Shelter), Kincaid Dennet (KS Appleseed—Hunger Action Advocate; Lawrence Food Not Bombs)

1. Action Item: Administrative Items
   1. Determine quorum of members, agenda approval (6:41pm—Meeting called to order) Criner, Shafer—all approved
   2. Approval of December meeting minutes: Steinle, Shafer—All approved
   3. Election of 2018 Officers
      1. A motion was made to elect Kim Criner as Council Chair for 2018, and Jennifer Kongs as Council Vice-Chair for 2018: Vesecky, Thellman—All approved
   4. 2018 Membership changes – introductions; VOTE to recommend to Commission
      1. Camille Eichorn introduced herself and shared her background in culinary arts and food service. She currently works as Chef at Lawrence Community Shelter. Camille wants to work with local producers to raise awareness of Lawrence Community Shelter.
         1. A motion was made to recommend to County Commission for appointment as Institutional Purchasing representative: Bates, Jones-Wisner—All approved.
      2. Agricultural Producer: Group discussed ideas to replace Jill Elmers as an agricultural representative. Helen shared that all agricultural sectors required in the group’s by-laws are currently met, so new member could come from any agricultural sector.
         1. Camille will send some producers who donate to the Shelter
         2. Scott Thellman will reach out to some community growers
         3. Other ideas: Veteran Farmer, Beekeeper
   5. January 31 @ 4pm: Annual Report to County Commission, 1100 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence, KS – All members invited.
   6. Budget overview ($6800)
      1. Full budget available to support Council work this year.
2. Discussion Item: Public Input
   1. KS Appleseed will be hosting a series of Food Justice forums in spring
   2. Food Not Bombs is a direct action organization that recovers food that would go to waste and turns it into a healthy meal that is served outside of the Lawrence Public Library. Chapter began 3 years ago. Food Not Bombs, under a different chapter, was also part of story collecting to create the Food System Plan.
3. Discussion Item: 2018 FPC Priorities, Subcommittees and Communications
   1. Subcommittees met to discuss the policy statements in their respective Goals and Objectives of the Food System Plan (see last page) to determine if they were still the top priorities, and discuss opportunities and challenges to progress in 2018. Groups also discussed what communications they need to best advance work / engage? (Print handouts, electronic documents, social media content, non-traditional print pieces, talking points, etc.) They reviewed the Food System Assessment Executive Summary for data, talking points to support work.
   2. Wrap-up / debrief
      1. Aggies – Need to figure out a better time to meet, how long—struggle with participation; group wondered about ways to advance work without meeting face-to-face. General feeling they have good things to work on.
      2. Health Equity – Recognized the priorities they selected are big. To keep focus on both goals, group will have two Chairs: Aundrea for Goal 3 and Connie for Goal 4. Members expressed interest in information on food policy council as a whole.
      3. FoRWard – Excited about amount of data collecting from solid waste group and other community partners. Objectives are long-term. Need to keep gathering data to drive actionable steps—nothing will happen overnight. Need to research best practices to determine how to move forward. Need to target success data to show progress—show that participating does work. Group saw opportunity to use a Sustainability framework to talk about Economy, Equity, and Environment—issue can be shown as important to everyone.
      4. Overall
         1. Group discussed a need to dedicate more time to subcommittee work, and agreed to do this going forward at end of full council meeting in last half hour to 45 minutes.  
         2. Next month the group will hopefully have communications pieces to review

1. Discussion Item: 2018 Food System Plan, Full Council Policy Priorities

Goal 4, Objective 2 (Expand City- and County-led initiatives to make food more affordable)

4.2.1: Reduce and eliminate the sales tax on groceries

• Council leadership and staff me with the KU Institute for Policy and Social Research in December about possible research questions. One outcome was an idea  to apply for grant funding to support local research to inform how Council moves forward with this policy priority, given important concerns with local government revenue commitments. Council sees value in having a third party do research that can inform Council work, recommendations, how to advance as a public conversation.
• KC Healthy Kids is also looking to fund similar research across state. Council agreed it would be important to not be duplicative.
• A motion was made to draft a grant application for $10,000 to recruit researchers/graduate students to investigate Council priorities, including local sales tax on food and options to considers: Bates, Steinle–All approved

Goal 1, Objective 3 (Increase local food purchasing)

1.3.1: Invest in signage, shared infrastructure, and coordinated marketing to support Douglas County farmers markets

• Helen reported that Sustainability Intern Bryson Risley is conducting research in other communities about investments in farmers’ market infrastructure. Some initial findings were shared with the Lawrence Farmers Market Board of Directors and its Long-term Planning Community. Will provide a fuller update to Council in months to come.  

1. Discussion Item: Subcommittee Updates
   1. Aggies: Goals 1 & 2
      1. Group representatives are working with USDA Agricultural Market Service and Americal Farmland Trust to organize a workshop about local food economic impact and the publication Harvesting Opportunities, about regional food system investment. This will likely be in late-spring/early-summer 2018.
   2. Health Equity: Goals 3 & 4
      1. Partnership with Transit in development for local on-bus communications.
   3. FoRWARD: Goal 5
      1. Learned about upcoming regional trainings on food waste and current data collection to support waste analysis, best practices.
      2. Interest to come back to J. Wilson’s and learn more about their waste diversion efforts.

1. FPC Member Updates
   1. Ashley Jones-Wisner: Senator Holland has a hearing next week (February 1 at 9am) on state sales tax. Testimony will be given by a diverse mix of stakeholders, including a pediatrician, economist, and rural grocery store.  Ashely asked individuals to contact local officials + written testimony—she has a template.
      1. A motion was made that FPC sign letter to local legislators in support of SCR1604 before the end of the week: Bates, Shafer—all approved.
   2. Michael Steinle: Michael’s family participates in digs with the KU Natural History Museum and is currently leading a fundraiser for the Museum called Stand Up for Science—Friday, April 13 at Abe & Jakes. 6:30pm. He invited members to spread the word and attend.
   3. Helen Schnoes: KU Biological Survey has received funding from the Douglas County Heritage and Natural Resource Conservation Grant program and will be hosting 4 public forums in February and March to gather community input about historic and natural areas to prioritize in conservation, including resources for private land owners and agricultural producers for options on their land. Helen will send flier.

1. Adjourn:  Kongs, Fitzpatrick—All approved.

**Next Meeting: Monday, February 19 @ 6:30pm @ TBD location