Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Food Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Food Policy Forum urges statewide food-security strategy, stronger farm-to-school and infrastructure supports
Summary
The Food Policy Forum told the committee its consensus recommendations include a statewide food security strategy, expanded local-food procurement for schools and food banks, increased funding for regional food-system infrastructure, and investments in farmland protection and commercial access for small producers.
The committee heard the Food Policy Forum's 2025 report from Danny Madrone of the State Conservation Commission, Chris Elder of King County's farmland preservation program and John Devaney of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association.
Presenters said agriculture and food systems across Washington face conversion pressures, market access challenges and climate-related disruptions such as floods and lower snowpack. The forum recommended developing a comprehensive statewide food security strategy, expanding local foods for schools and farm-to-food-bank programs, and increasing funding for farmland protection and regional food-system infrastructure.
Chris Elder highlighted challenges on the West Side, including land conversion and market access, while John Devaney described similar concerns in Central Washington where growers face drought and low snowpack. The forum recommended investing in kitchen capacity, centralized procurement tools for schools, and technical-assistance funding to help small retailers and farmers use federal programs such as SNAP and WIC.
Danny Madrone said the forum's recommendations are consensus-based: "Anything you see coming before you means that nobody said no," and emphasized an equity lens that asks which voices are not at the table. Presenters flagged proposed reductions to some WSDA technical-assistance funding and urged stable funding for farm-to-school and farm-to-food-bank programs.
Committee members thanked the forum and noted planned subcommittee and committee-level consideration of pieces of the forum's agenda across other committees this session.
