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USDA‑funded food system study: Flagstaff outreach found concerns about affordability, farmland loss and distribution gaps
Summary
City staff and nonprofit partners summarized phase‑two community engagement for a USDA grant to develop a food action plan, reporting 141 participants, themes about affordability and access, and priorities including food hubs, partnerships and support for local growers.
City sustainability staff and grant partners on Feb. 25 briefed the council on phase‑two community engagement for an USDA‑funded project to assess and grow a sustainable community food system and to inform a Food Action Plan.
Why it matters: the multi‑phase project will shape a food action plan designed to address food access, production and distribution in Flagstaff and northern Coconino County; the plan could guide local investments, partnerships and grants.
Project manager Steven Thompson (Sustainability Division) said Phase 1 — a community food system assessment — concluded in July 2024 and Phase 2 gathered community input last summer through October 2024. Thompson turned to Flagstaff Food Link and Pinnacle Prevention to summarize findings from 141 people engaged (94 community members, 47 stakeholders) across public events and stakeholder sessions. Sarah Sprague of Flagstaff Food Link said staff intentionally located meetings to reach diverse audiences, adding sessions at Loop/STAR School and Willow Bend to better include Indigenous perspectives and educators.
Key takeaways from community conversations (Sprague, Adrian Udarbe of Pinnacle Prevention): residents and stakeholders were surprised by the number of local farms and Indigenous growers; participants expressed worry about loss of farmland and about distribution gaps that could weaken the local food shed if supply chains were disrupted. Participants also raised persistent affordability and access issues, including the number and type of grocery outlets that accept nutrition assistance programs (SNAP, WIC) and the cost of local food versus mass‑market grocery prices.
Stakeholders emphasized opportunities to build local distribution and food‑hub capacity, expand direct‑to‑consumer channels for farmers, increase commercial kitchen access, and strengthen partnerships that could improve procurement and food recovery. Food‑waste and recovery drew concern (Arizona is among the highest states for food waste); stakeholders flagged liability questions and logistics around recovery that could be addressed in a future action plan.
Participation and priorities: Thompson said the engagement reached a broad age range and geographic coverage; 85% of participants lived in Flagstaff with the largest concentration in ZIP 86004. Stakeholders prioritized food access and production and recommended piloting food‑hub concepts and incentives for healthy affordability (for example, Double Up Food Bucks expansion is already in use locally). Both partners recommended that the upcoming Food Action Plan include clear, fundable steps for school‑based food programs, urban growing opportunities, and distribution improvements.
What’s next: contract consultants will use Phase‑2 findings to draft the Food Action Plan during Phase 3; Thompson said the draft plan will be presented for council consideration later in 2025 and that partner‑led pilot projects and grant applications are an immediate priority. Staff recommended continued outreach to Indigenous growers and educators to refine goals and funding strategies.
Speakers and partners: presentation led by Steven Thompson (Sustainability Division), Sarah Sprague (Flagstaff Food Link) and Adrienne Udarbe (Pinnacle Prevention).
