Food System Plan – Verde Valley

“I hope someday we will be able to proclaim that we have banished hunger in the United States, and that we’ve been able to bring nutrition and health to the whole world.” – George McGovern

 

What is food insecurity and what does it look like in America?

Food insecurity refers to USDA’s measure of lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods. Food-insecure households are not necessarily food insecure all the time. Food insecurity may reflect a household’s need to make trade-offs between important basic needs, such as housing or medical bills, and purchasing nutritionally adequate foods.

 

 

Creating a Food Plan for Our County and Communities

ENHANCE ECONOMIC INVESTMENT IN HEALTHY PEOPLE AND HEALTHY FOOD

 

A Food Plan creates a framework for establishing local influence and greater control over our county’s food system to mobilize community investment in achieving better health for its residents through an improved food system that enhances our economy. A Food Plan strives to achieve county wide food security and reduce hunger. Food security ensures that all residents have access to healthy food at all times. This initiative develops local resources that make healthy food available to food-insecure residents living in poverty and/or food deserts, and all other residents. Assurance of food security requires development of local sustainable agriculture.

Questions and answers

How much do we want to depend on the federal government and mega-corporations that now control our food supply? How can we best work with our county health department in assuring food safety? How can we improve nutrition in food served in childcare, schools, hospitals, jails, assisted living facilities, and food banks? How can we boost our economy by developing sustainable agriculture? Our stakeholders will discuss and arrive at answers to these questions.

A grant from United Way of Yavapai County provides initial funding for the creation of the first food plan in Arizona. Cornucopia is now organizing a  food plan team composed of key stakeholders in our county’s food system to produce a food plan within two years.

OUR VALUES DEFINE OUR ECONOMY

  • Healthy food keeps us healthy.
  • Local jobs boost our economy.
  • Local control over food quality becomes increasingly necessary.
  • We value our farmers and ranchers who work in essential and honorable careers.
  • Food service workers need a living wage to allow them to sustain themselves.
  • Achieving local food security prevents food shortages.
  • Hunger relief can best be accomplished through sustainable economic development.
  • Boosting our local food economy keeps $73 of $100 business dollars in our community.