Drafting Locally-Grown Food Laws

San Francisco Mayor Newsome is drafting local food laws, and other municipalities are sure to follow.  Doing these correctly is important. The Public Health Law and Policy (PHLP) team, offers some advice on how to do this well. 

Concerns about buying food from afar – whether it’s about the safety or quality of the food, environmental impact, or local economic loss – are prompting some states and cities to consider laws promoting the purchase of locally grown food. But because of constitutional restrictions on state and local laws that discriminate against products derived out-of-state, “locally grown food laws” should be drafted carefully.

To help advocates and policymakers encourage local purchasing without buying a lawsuit, PHLP staff have written an article explaining the constitutional restrictions, with guidelines for drafting policies that favor locally grown food. The article – available free to nonsubscribers through October 1 – appears in the inaugural issue of the new Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development.

For more than a decade, PHLP has worked with policymakers and advocates on strategies addressing a range of public health issues, including nutrition, physical activity, and tobacco control. Our staff attorneys, urban planners, and policy analysts are available to assist your community as you develop public health policy initiatives. For more information, contact us.

More…

Related posts:

1. Rejoice! State Food Policy Council Established by Washington State Governor
2. Does San Fran Have the Most Progressive Urban Ag Laws?
3. Why a Washington Food Policy Council, and Why Now?

Comments RSS You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.