MOCAN Food Systems Work GroupApril 27, 2011

Cultivating Common Ground between Sustainable Agriculture and Public Health

Sustainable Ag & Public Health

What is sustainable agriculture?• Agriculture (and food system) that promotes

profitability, stewardship of the land, air and water, and quality of life for farmers, ranchers and their communities. (www.sare.org)– Fresh, local– Food security– Equity

LocalFood SecureOrganic Fair

Trade

Building on Success

• Surgeon General’s Report linking diet and health• Nutrition Labeling Laws• Passage of soda/junk food ban in California-across US• Major fast food chains eliminated lard for frying and added some

healthy menu options

Nutrition

• Growth of organic sector• Community response to organic standards• Preservation of farmland through land trusts• Expansion of farm-to-school/farmers markets/& urban gardens

Sustainable Agriculture

Provide fresh food in health care institutions

Goal• Freeman Health System will contribute to improving

the health of Southwest Missouri residents by increasing and promoting the availability of nutritious food and beverages served to patients, employees, and the public– Increase the amount of fresh, locally and regionally

grown healthy foods, especially produce, in Freeman Health System meals by 20%.

Getting the Supply:• List of local farmers to supply fresh

produce• Working with US Foods Purchasing• Farm to Institution Workshop-provided

connections

Immediate Actions• Healthcare Without Harm

Healthy Food in Healthcare Pledge

• Grass fed MO beef• Increasing produce on salad

bar• Eliminated fried food• Fruit cups selling more than

other desserts• Patient food satisfaction

highest ever

• Build six new citizen-managed food producing garden hubs. .

• Build 15 small, intensive food gardens at child daycare centers.

• Increase knowledge of advanced urban food production• Encourage hubs to be centers for advocacy and policy

change around food and land use issues. • Vacant land used for urban food production regarded

as appropriate land use.

Ensure Fresh Food in Every Neighborhood

The Story of Old North St. Louis

Creating a Food Supply: Urban Farming

Creating a Food Supply: Community Gardening

Distribution: Farmers Market

Increasing Distribution

Community asset

Addressing the Food Desert

Community Demand

Promote agricultural subsidies forfresh food

• Number of acres devoted to fruit & vegetable production in US is about 2.5% of total cropland

• Successful policies: – Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program that provides WIC and Senior

coupons for use at market– Waiver for states to certify Farmers’ Markets or Farmer Cooperatives

as WIC vendors – but can be important for other programs as well• Policy propositions for 2012 Farm Bill

– Safety net for fruit and vegetable producers both in natural disaster situations and for risk management tools

– Removal of prohibition of planting fruits/vegetables on program crop land

Eliminating Use of Sub-Therapeutic Antibiotics

• Support producers that prohibit or place meaningful limits on the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture: – Hospitals can source products that have : USDA Organic, American

Grassfed, Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Humane Raised & Handled, Food Alliance Certified, Raised Without Antibiotics or No Antibiotics Added.

– Example: Many Missouri farmers selling through producer networks like U.S. Wellness Beef, Niman Ranch, Patchwork Pork and others do not allow the use of antibiotics – except for sick animals which tend to be culled from the marketing channel. Many farmers producing for farmers’ markets follow protocols similar to those required by the labels above, BUT ASK if you’re not sure.