| Website |
| http://www.RIFoodCouncil.org |
| [email protected] |
| Established |
| 2011 |
The Rhode Island Food Policy Council is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing a robust infrastructure for locally-produced foods. Council members represent agricultural trade groups and organizations, state government departments, social service organizations, organized labor and academic institutions.
The Council was originally formed after the Southside Community Land Trust received grants from the van Beuren Charitable Foundation and the Rhode Island Foundation to study existing food policy and design the organization. The study commenced in November, 2010. The Council's formal creation occurred less that one year later, in October, 2011 at an event at the State House.
The Council's vision includes the creation of a framework that connects multiple sectors, including production (farms and processing), distribution, access by residents, public health and resource recycling.
2014 Rhode Island Food Policy members represent organizations and institutions including:
RI Resource Recovery Corporation
State Office of Energy Resources
RI Department of Environmental Management
Sea Fresh USA
From the Council's Website
MISSION:
The Rhode Island Food Policy Council's work will be coordinated by a statewide collaboration of diverse, committed and engaged stakeholders from all sectors of the food system.
The Rhode Island Food Policy Council will create partnerships, develop policies and advocate for improvements to the local food system to increase and expand its capacity, viability and sustainability.
VISION:
The Rhode Island Food Policy Council envisions a day when Rhode Island’s food system will be a national model because of the strength of its local food system and its success at achieving community food security and optimal public health.
We envision a Rhode Island where safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food is accessible and affordable in every Rhode Island community and in which an increasing proportion of the state’s food supply is raised, caught, and processed locally.
We envision a Rhode Island in which the local food system is a growing component of the state’s economy, a connecting framework for stakeholders across multiple sectors (production, distribution, access, public health and resource recycling) and a creator of new jobs and cottage industries that contribute to the state’s long-term economic viability.
