STRATEGIC POLICY ADVOCACY WORKSHOP

APPALACHIAN DIABETES COALITIONS

PRESENTED BY THE HARVARD FOOD LAW AND POLICY CLINIC

JULY 9TH, 2014

GRUNDY & MCMINN COUNTIES, TENNESSEE

ALLI CONDRA, HFLPC SENIOR FELLOW

AUSTIN BRYNIARSKI, HFLPC SUMMER INTERN

KATE GIESSEL, HFLPC SUMMER INTERN

ROADMAPMorning

Policy Advocacy Agriculture & Local Food Systems Policy Advocacy Strategies for Enhancing Production Policy Advocacy Strategies for Enhancing Consumption of Local

Agricultural Products

Lunch (12pm – 1pm)

Afternoon

Developing a Strategic Policy Advocacy Action Plan Choosing a Policy Goal Identifying Possible Partners Assigning Advocacy Strategies Creating an Action Plan

WHAT IS POLICY?

Policies govern our environment and behavior by outlining specific conduct, who should do it, how and when it should be done, and for what purpose. Example: Food Policies are the set of laws and

regulations that inform how, when and why food is produced, transported, distributed, and consumed, and by whom.

THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF POLICYThe U.S. food system is governed by a combination of laws

and regulations spanning various decision-makers

Federal Limited Authority Example: The Farm Bill

State

Broad Authority Example: Marketing Initiatives for Local Agricultural Products

Local Authority Dependent upon the State Example: Zoning Ordinances for Farmers Markets

POLICIES & PROGRAMS

POLICIES Are Farsighted in

Scope

Provide Systemic Solutions

Have Long-lasting Impact

Have Staying Power

PROGRAMSAre More Short-

sighted in Scope

Provide Temporary Relief

Have Variable Impacts

More Easily Dismantled

POLICY ADVOCACY: IDENTIFY, EDUCATE, ADVOCATE

Identify…Policies, Stakeholders, & Opportunities for

Change

Educate…Coalition Members and Communities

Advocate…For the Adoption and Implementation of

Policy Goals

2012 Ag Census at a Glance:

68,050 farms; average size is 160 acres

Number of farms is decreasing, size of farms is increasing

Average net cash income is $10,233

90% of Farmers are men; Less than 4% are non-white

Average age of KY Farmers is 59.2

About 4% of KY Farmers are under age 35

Agricultural Products:

Hay, Soybeans, Corn, and Cotton

Poultry and Eggs

Cattle and Calves

Only 1,284 (1.9%) of farms produce vegetables

Only 719 (1%) of farms have land in orchards

LOCAL AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE IN TENNESSEE

ENHANCING RURAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

Enhancing rural agricultural production encourages more consumption of locally grown, healthy foods.

Policy Advocacy OptionsIncrease FundingIncrease the Availability of Training

ProgramsImprove & Increase the Use of Land-

Linking Programs

ENHANCING RURAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

Increase FundingGrants & Loans

Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative Wisconsin Grow Wisconsin Dairy Processor Grant

Program

Tax Incentives Nebraska Tax Credits for Young or Beginning Farmers Woodbury County, Iowa Tax Rebates for Organic

Farming Conversion

ENHANCING RURAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

Increase the Availability of Training Programs

The University of Kentucky MarketReady Training Program

Maryland Future Harvest Year-long Program University of California Apprenticeship

Program

ENHANCING RURAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

Improve & Increase the Use of Land-Linking Programs

National Center for Rural Affairs Land-Linking Service

Maryland FarmLink Online Property Exchange Listing

Connecticut Statute authorizing Department of Agriculture to establish a Database

ENHANCING CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

Enhancing the consumption of locally grown, healthy foods bolsters rural agricultural production.

Policy Advocacy OptionsIncrease Contract PurchasingImprove Aggregation & DistributionIncrease Direct-to-Consumer Access

ENHANCING CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

Increase Contract Purchasing Institutions

Memphis, Tennessee Five Percent Discount to Local Business Purchases over $10,000

Washington Funding for Low-Income Schools to Purchase Local, Fresh Food; Piloted “Farmer to Food Bank”

Retailers New York City Healthy Bodegas Initiative Virginia Online Grocery Store Purchase Agreement

ENHANCING CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTSImprove Aggregation & Distribution Food Hubs

Tracy City, South Carolina South Cumberland Food Hub

Dane County, Wisconsin Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative

Food Processors Washington Island Grown Farmers Cooperative Mobile

Slaughtering Unit

New Mexico The Food Center and Commercial Kitchen

ENHANCING CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTSIncrease Direct-to-Consumer Access Farmers Markets

California Wireless EBT Devices Oregon Farmers Market Advertising Campaign

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) College Grove, Tennessee Devlin Farms CSA Organic

Produce

New York City Chelsea CSA Income-Based Payment Scale

DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC POLICY ADVOCACY ACTION PLANChoosing A Policy Option

Policy Goals must be Attainable and Impactful

Challenges and Successes Challenges must be Anticipated; Success must be Defined

Identifying Possible Partners Partners must be Supportive and Influential

Assigning Advocacy Strategies Strategies must be Feasible and Impactful

ASSESSMENT SCHEMATIC: CHOOSING A POLICY OPTION

HIGH IMPACT VERY ATTAINABLELESS ATTAINABLE LOW IMPACT

DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC POLICY ADVOCACY ACTION PLAN: CHOOSING A POLICY OPTION

Questions to Consider:

How attainable is the policy?

What sort of impact would this policy have?

How long will it take to achieve this policy change?

DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC POLICY ADVOCACY ACTION PLAN: CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES

Questions to Consider:

What Challenges do you anticipate?

What does Success look like?

ASSESSMENT SCHEMATIC: IDENTIFYING POSSIBLE PARTNERS

HIGH SUPPORT VERY INFLUENTIALLESS INFLUENTIAL LOW SUPPORT

DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC POLICY ADVOCACY ACTION PLAN: IDENTIFYING POSSIBLE PARTNERS

Questions to Consider:

What support will this individual or group lend to the initiative?

What kind of influence does this individual or group have?

Does this individual or group have contacts on the Coalition, and is he or she easily accessible?

Whose guidance, help, or voice could the Coalition incorporate to best advocate for this policy change?

Who are some partners that could have a stake in this policy that are not so obvious?

ASSESSMENT SCHEMATIC: ASSIGNING ADVOCACY STRATEGIES

HIGH IMPACT VERY FEASIBLELESS FEASIBLE LOW IMPACT

DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC POLICY ADVOCACY ACTION PLAN: ASSIGNING ADVOCACY STRATEGIES

Questions to Consider:

What kind of impact would the strategy have?

With what ease can the strategy be completed?

How much time would it take to implement the strategy?

What partners could be involved in executing the strategy?

Which Coalition member will carry out the strategy?

FINAL THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS?