Policy and Advocacy

FOOD JUSTICE POLICY PLATFORM

ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 2017 | AMENDED JULY 2019

The Food Justice Platform was created to be a platform for our community to take the lead on voicing solutions that are best suited for our needs. In May 2017, the Northside Fresh Policy Action Team was created to increase our community’s capacity to elevate personal power and voice and to learn about the process of policy making. Over the summer, the team connected with the community via events, store tabling, surveys, etc. to identify what we as a community need in order to continue building a thriving food system.

This Food Justice Platform identifies a number of policies that Northside Fresh recommends those running for office to implement once elected; it is intended to hold our elected officials accountable to the demands of our community! We recognize that these are just a few of the many policy changes that are necessary.

The Platform focuses only on the City Council and Minneapolis Parks & Recreation Board candidates. From parks to grocery stores, these governing bodies have a large hand in shaping the way we grow, access, and sell food.

This Platform is the first of many projects to come. Each project will seek to unite the Northside and bring in more residents, business owners, organizations, and agencies to positively impact our Northside food system.

 

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

JOIN THE POLICY ACTION TEAM // DARRYL@AFCMN.ORG

 

SO, WHAT IS “FOOD JUSTICE”?

Food justice is communities claiming their right to ownership of their food system‒ the right to grow, sell, access, and eat food that is fresh, nutritious, affordable, culturally-appropriate, and grown with integrity for the well-being of the land, workers, and animals. Food justice leads to a strong, local food system; a sustainable environment; and community healing.

 

MINNEAPOLIS PARKS & RECREATION POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

SUSTAINABILITY

  • Plant/promote/fund pollinator gardens
  • Eliminate use of pesticides in all parks
  • Add solar panels to new park buildings

Urban Agriculture

  • Plant fruit trees and berries in parks
  • Establish urban gardens/farms in parks VICTORY!
  • Hire a full time staff member to manage and promote urban agriculture VICTORY!

 

WHO REPRESENTS US?

District 2

  • Kale Severson / kseverson@minneapolisparks.org

At Large

 

CITY COUNCIL POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

ZONING

  • Decrease zoning barriers to increase access to food (i.e. farmers markets, fruit vendors, small food retailers, food trucks, etc.)

FOOD RETAILERS

  • Subsidize refrigeration for local food retailers
  • Promote small, minority-owned food retailers
  • Allow Mobile Markets (and/or other retailers) to park on city streets VICTORY!
  • Reduce licensing fees for Mobile Markets and other healthy food retailers (currently $800 per year) Improve enforcement of food inspection laws for restaurants, food retailers, and large scale grocers in food desert areas
  • Prioritize women/minority-owned food businesses for city hosted events
  • Utilize the Good Food Purchasing Program assessment to determine gaps in city procurement processes

URBAN AGRICULTURE

  • Fund new urban agriculture businesses
  • Hire a full time staff member to manage and promote urban agriculture VICTORY!
  • Allow more vacant lots to be rented AND allow for purchase after lease term expires

 

WHO REPRESENTS US?

WARD 4

  • Phillipe Cunningham / 612-673-2204 cunningham@minneapolismn.gov

WARD 5

  • Jeremiah Ellison / 612673-2205 ellison@minneapolismn.gov

Get Involved

contact Tasha Powell at tasha@afcmn.org