Montgomery County to join COG local food procurement challenge to boost regional sourcing

Montgomery County will join the Council of Governments (COG) local food procurement challenge, Council member Andrew Friedson announced, a move county officials say is meant to expand the county’s use of locally sourced food and support area farmers.

Friedson, who chairs the COG Farm Policy Committee, said the initiative is intended to strengthen supply-chain resilience and help residents facing rising food costs. “It’s about resiliency in the face of a rapidly changing and uncertain world when it comes to food, when it comes to agriculture,” Friedson said.

County officials described the challenge as a regional effort that encourages local governments to increase the percentage of food they purchase from nearby producers. Friedson also framed the effort as an education opportunity for young people: “We need to teach our kids that food doesn’t come from DoorDash,” he said, saying the program should help children understand how healthy food is produced.

Officials said the challenge’s goals include increasing demand for local producers, improving food-system resilience, and raising awareness about food origins among students. The County did not specify in the transcript which departments will manage implementation, the timeline for changes to procurement practices, or any budgetary commitments.

County officials characterized the move as part of a broader economic strategy to support producers while addressing affordability for residents; the transcript records the announcement and the county’s rationale but does not list an implementation schedule or performance targets.