The Food Policy Advisory Council (FPAC) is made up of 34 Appointed Members from across the food system who advise the Mayor and local government to create a more just food system. We at FPAC envision a food system where all people in Philadelphia have the power and resources to access and control our food, land, and labor.
Today, that is not the reality. White supremacy, anti-Black racism, and interlocking forms of oppression form barriers to our vision. These barriers impede the movement of food from land and sea to the people.
FPAC’s work is to use policy to address these barriers and shift power. We center the wisdom and build the political influence of Philadelphians most impacted by exploitation and injustice–Black, Brown, Indigenous, poor, and marginalized people. FPAC aims to be led by and work with these communities to identify and remove the barriers in our food system and to empower the people of Philadelphia to control our food, land, and labor.
Get Involved
The Philadelphia Food Policy Advisory Council has been closed to the public since the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020 and aims to re-emerge into the public in June 2023. With multiple ways to engage with FPAC, learn more on how to join us today!
Join FPAC’s General Session
The full body of FPAC meets six times per year at General Meetings to coordinate and affect transformative structural change that gets to the roots of people not having the power and resources to access and control our food, land and labor. The next FPAC General Meeting is open to public. Register below to join us:
Date: June 25th, 2024
Time: 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Location: Registration Link
Become an FPAC Member
FPAC has multiple ways to join! We are seeking members who share our vision for a more just food system and aim to build coalition with food-connected organizations throughout the region to participate. We are not currently accepting appointed member nominations, but you can nominate yourself, or someone you know, for future FPAC consideration using our form below:
Stay Updated on FPAC News
Stay updated on FPAC by following us on social media and signing up for FPAC’s mailing list! We will be launching Working Groups centered around food justice to advance our work, and we want you to join! Sign up now to learn more about how to get involved and stay connected with FPAC’s work:
FPAC presents Fiscal Year 2023 Food Policy Recommendations to Kenney Administration
After listening to more than 500 Philadelphians who either lead hunger relief work in their communities or attended the two public meetings hosted by the Urban Agriculture Plan, FPAC created its Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Food Policy Recommendations. These recommendations were chosen based on the impact they will have in FY23 and how well they:
- Are led by people who have dealt with food injustice
- Meet the coexisting needs of people who grow food, work in restaurants, experience hunger, and provide food for communities
- Address racism and transfer power and resources to historically disinvested communities
- Align with the priorities of local food justice and sovereignty movements
On November 30, 2021, appointed members Dimka Braswell, Shayla Felton-Dorsey, Amy Goldstein, and Isel Otero-Vera presented FPAC’s Fiscal Year 2023 Policy Recommendations to leaders from Mayor Kenney’s administration.
City Departments in attendance: Mayor’s Office, 311, Department of Commerce, Department of Prisons, Health and Human Services, Land Bank, Office of Children and Families, Office of Homeless Services, Office of Labor Relations, Office of Sustainability, Procurement Department
What is a Conservation District?
Conservation Districts are local units of government established under state law to carry out natural resource management programs. County conservation districts work to help people and communities nurture the natural resources in their area including soil, water, wildlife, trees and other plants. Conservation Districts work with landowners and local governments to help them manage and protect land and water resources on private and public lands.
View and share our explainer on Conservation Districts and what one can do for Philadelphians.
Growing from the Root – Public Meeting 2 is closed for comments; website remains live!
With this virtual meeting, translated in English and Spanish, residents were asked to comment on different policy areas that impact the viability of urban farming in Philadelphia. The official window for public comment closed on June 1, 2021, but the Public Meeting #2 website remains live! There are 10 ‘stations’ or opportunities for learning. Each station focuses on a key topic identified by growers at the start of the engagement process. The virtual format offered residents the opportunity to learn about various aspects of farming in Philadelphia before asking for their input. Topics included:
- History
- Access to land
- Resources for community gardens
- Animal keeping
- Farming careers and business development
- Education and inter-generational learning
- Cultural practices in growing and gathering
- Food systems and policy
Residents can spend between 15 and 30 minutes engaging with each ‘station’. The virtual meeting website remained open for eight weeks to engage with residents and growers across the City. The call and response format built into this interactive website will ensure urban farming policy is rooted in the knowledge and needs of local growers.
FPAC Releases Guide to Fair Labor for Good Food Businesses
The Workforce & Economic Development subcommittee is pleased to announce the publication of the Guide to Fair Labor for Good Food Businesses, a manual the subcommittee created to help employers contribute to building a stronger regional economy and a just food system. The guide contains information about free and low-cost resources that support fair wages and scheduling, improved health and safety, better employee benefits, fostering an open workplace culture, and selecting fair suppliers and subcontractors. We see these measures as a first step toward changing the culture of the food industry and helping more Philadelphians realize their career potential in the food sector. Check it out here!
Hosting an event? The 2018 Good Food Caterer Guide and 2021 Interactive Website has got you covered!
In August, the Good Food Procurement subcommittee released the 2018 Good Food Caterer Guide and was further expanded in 2021 where 16 more caterers were added to the list! Visit our Good Food Catering Guide Interactive website to see if your favorite caterer made the cut and to nominate your business for the next edition!
Whether its for a working lunch or community event, use the guide to find some ‘good food’ for your guests! Want to help promote the guide? Share the printable booklet with your friends and officemates.
The Good Food Procurement Subcommittee developed the guide to help consumers find businesses offering food that meets at least two of the four ‘good food’ values: healthy, fair, sustainably-sourced, and locally-owned. The businesses in this guide nominated themselves to be included, and their responses about how they incorporate health and sustainability in their menus, or fairness and equity in their business practices have been verified by the subcommittee.
Reach out to fpac@phila.gov to learn more about adding businesses to this list.
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