STRATEGIC POLICY ADVOCACY WORKSHOP
APPALACHIAN DIABETES COALITIONS
PRESENTED BY THE HARVARD FOOD LAW AND POLICY CLINIC
JULY 8TH, 2014
LEWIS COUNTY, KENTUCKY
ALLI CONDRA, HFLPC SENIOR FELLOW
AUSTIN BRYNIARSKI, HFLPC SUMMER INTERN
KATE GIESSEL, HFLPC SUMMER INTERN
ROADMAPMorning
Policy Advocacy Agriculture & Local Food Systems Policy Advocacy Strategies for Enhancing Production Policy Advocacy Strategies for Enhancing Consumption of Local
Agricultural Products
Lunch (12pm – 1pm)
Afternoon
Developing a Strategic Policy Advocacy Action Plan Choosing a Policy Goal Identifying Possible Partners Assigning Advocacy Strategies Creating an Action Plan
WHAT IS POLICY?
Policies govern our environment and behavior by outlining specific conduct, who should do it, how and when it should be done, and for what purpose. Example: Food Policies are the set of laws and
regulations that inform how, when and why food is produced, transported, distributed, and consumed, and by whom.
THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF POLICYThe U.S. food system is governed by a combination of laws
and regulations spanning various decision-makers
Federal Limited Authority Example: The Farm Bill
State
Broad Authority Example: Marketing Initiatives for Local Agricultural Products
Local Authority Dependent upon the State Example: Zoning Ordinances for Farmers Markets
POLICIES & PROGRAMS
POLICIES Are Farsighted in
Scope
Provide Systemic Solutions
Have Long-lasting Impact
Have Staying Power
PROGRAMSAre More Short-
sighted in Scope
Provide Temporary Relief
Have Variable Impacts
More Easily Dismantled
POLICY ADVOCACY: IDENTIFY, EDUCATE, ADVOCATE
Identify…Policies, Stakeholders, & Opportunities for
Change
Educate…Coalition Members and Communities
Advocate…For the Adoption and Implementation of
Policy Goals
Census at a Glance:
77,064 farms; average size is 169 acres
Number of farms is decreasing, size of farms is increasing
Average net cash income is $11,453
90% of Farmers are men; Less than 2% are non-white
Average age of KY Farmers is 57.6
About 6% of KY Farmers are under age 35
Agricultural Products:
Hay, Corn, Soybeans, Wheat
#1 in Horses, #2 in other animal products
Poultry, Eggs, Cattle
Only 2.8% of farms produce vegetables
Only 1.2% of farms have land in orchards
LOCAL AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE IN KENTUCKY
ENHANCING RURAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
Enhancing rural agricultural production encourages more consumption of locally grown, healthy foods.
Policy Advocacy OptionsIncrease FundingIncrease the Availability of Training
ProgramsImprove & Increase the Use of Land-
Linking Programs
ENHANCING RURAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
Increase FundingGrants & Loans
Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative Massachusetts Matching Enterprise Grants for
Agriculture program
Tax Incentives Nebraska Tax Credits for Young or Beginning Farmers Woodbury County, Iowa Tax Rebates for Organic
Farming Conversion
ENHANCING RURAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
Increase the Availability of Training Programs
Georgia Organics Mentor Program for Young and Beginning Farmers
The University of Kentucky MarketReady Training Program
Maryland Future Harvest Year-long Program University of California Apprenticeship
Program
ENHANCING RURAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
Improve & Increase the Use of Land-Linking Programs
National Center for Rural Affairs Land-Linking Service
Maryland FarmLink Online Property Exchange Listing
Connecticut Statute authorizing Department of Agriculture to establish a Database
ENHANCING CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
Enhancing the consumption of locally grown, healthy foods bolsters rural agricultural production.
Policy Advocacy OptionsIncrease Contract PurchasingImprove Aggregation & DistributionIncrease Direct-to-Consumer Access
ENHANCING CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
Increase Contract Purchasing Institutions
Memphis, Tennessee Five Percent Discount to Local Business Purchases over $10,000
Washington Funding for Low-Income Schools to Purchase Local, Fresh Food
Retailers New York City Healthy Bodegas Initiative Virginia Online Grocery Store Purchase Agreement
ENHANCING CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTSImprove Aggregation & Distribution Food Hubs
Tracy City, South Carolina South Cumberland Food Hub
Dane County, Wisconsin Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative
Food Processors Washington Island Grown Farmers Cooperative Mobile
Slaughtering Unit
New Mexico The Food Center and Commercial Kitchen
ENHANCING CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTSIncrease Direct-to-Consumer Access Farmers Markets
California Wireless EBT Devices Oregon Farmers Market Advertising Campaign
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) College Grove, Tennessee Devlin Farms CSA Organic
Produce
New York City Chelsea CSA Income-Based Payment Scale
DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC POLICY ADVOCACY ACTION PLANChoosing A Policy Option
Policy Goals must be Attainable and Impactful
Identifying Possible Partners Partners must be Supportive and Influential
Assigning Advocacy Strategies Strategies must be Feasible and Impactful
Challenges and Successes Challenges must be Anticipated; Success must be Defined
ASSESSMENT SCHEMATIC: CHOOSING A POLICY OPTION
HIGH IMPACT VERY ATTAINABLELESS ATTAINABLE LOW IMPACT
ASSESSMENT SCHEMATIC: IDENTIFYING POSSIBLE PARTNERS
HIGH SUPPORT VERY INFLUENTIALLESS INFLUENTIAL LOW SUPPORT
ASSESSMENT SCHEMATIC: ASSIGNING ADVOCACY STRATEGIES
HIGH IMPACT VERY FEASIBLELESS FEASIBLE LOW IMPACT
LUNCH BREAK
DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC POLICY ADVOCACY ACTION PLAN: CHOOSING A POLICY OPTION
Questions to Consider:
How attainable is the policy?
What sort of impact would this policy have?
How long will it take to achieve this policy change?
DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC POLICY ADVOCACY ACTION PLAN: IDENTIFYING POSSIBLE PARTNERS
Questions to Consider:
What support will this individual or group lend to the initiative?
What kind of influence does this individual or group have?
Does this individual or group have contacts on the Coalition, and is he or she easily accessible?
Whose guidance, help, or voice could the Coalition incorporate to best advocate for this policy change?
Who are some partners that could have a stake in this policy that are not so obvious?
DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC POLICY ADVOCACY ACTION PLAN: ASSIGNING ADVOCACY STRATEGIES
Questions to Consider:
What kind of impact would the strategy have?
With what ease can the strategy be completed?
How much time would it take to implement the strategy?
What partners could be involved in executing the strategy?
Which Coalition member will carry out the strategy?
DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC POLICY ADVOCACY ACTION PLAN: CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES
Questions to Consider:
What Challenges do you anticipate?
What does Success look like?
FINAL THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS?