Food Policy Council (FPC) Meeting on Mon, June 18, 2018 - 6:30 PM

1. Action Item: Administrative Items
   1. Determine quorum of members, agenda approval
   2. Approval of May meeting minutes
   3. 2018 Membership changes – Open agricultural producer spot
   4. Staff bylaw update: Proxy membership
   5. Leave of Absence Request – Jason Champagne
      1. Following the FPC bylaws, and due to business growth, Jason requests a leave of absence from June – August 2018, to return to the September meeting
   6. Diversity survey
   7. Budget overview
      1. Request (submitted by Helen Schnoes): $250 for 5, $50 stipends for technical review of new forthcoming Common Ground Community Garden Program resource developed as part of National Association of Conservation District grant collaboration. Primary reviewers will be current and past Common Ground managers.
2. Discussion Item: Public Input
3. Discussion Item: Reports from Harvesting Opportunity in Kansas: A Symposium on Building Community Wealth through Food and Farming.  

1. Discussion Item: 2018 Food System Plan, Full Council Policy Priorities 
   1. Review past work and discuss future steps from May meeting

Goal 4, Objective 2 (Expand City- and County-led initiatives to make food more affordable)

4.2.1: Reduce and eliminate the sales tax on groceries

• Discussion of Council leadership and next steps

Goal 1, Objective 3 (Increase local food purchasing)

1.3.1: Invest in signage, shared infrastructure, and coordinated marketing to support Douglas County farmers markets

• Reports from FPC member Lawrence Farmers Market tours
• Presentation from Sustainability Office intern Bryson Risley on national scan of markets that have established permanence

1. Discussion Item: Working Groups  
   1. Structure and membership

1. FPC Member Updates

1. Adjourn

In attendance: William Vesecky, John Pendleton, Tamara Cash, Michele Dillon, Michael Steinle, Camille Eichorn, Olivia Taylor-Puckett, Christine Ebert, Jennifer Kongs, Connie Fitzpatrick, Kim Criner, Elizabeth Burger

Absent: Ashley Jones-Wisner, Aundrea Shafer, Brooke Miller, Inti Hirt, Jason Champagne, TK Peterson, Joshua Falleaf, Lee Broyles, Marlin Bates, Scott Thellman

Staff: Jasmin Moore, Bryson Risley

Public: Tyler Lindquist

1. Action Item: Administrative Items
   1. Determine quorum of members, agenda approval
      1. Steinle, Eichorn—All approved
   2. Approval of May meeting minutes: correct spelling on item 1.a.ii. (apposed to approved). Kongs, Fitzpatrick—All approved
   3. 2018 Membership changes – Open agricultural producer spot
      1. Kim still pursuing new agricultural producer
      2. Upon closer examination of the bylaws, a FPC member can remain on the FPC until a new member is selected. Therefore, Jill Elmers is back in an official capacity until the agricultural producer spot is filled.
   4. Staff bylaw update: Proxy membership
      1. It was determined that Tyler Lindquist can not serve in place of TK. Helen is in communication with TK to determine his intent moving forward. Tyler can continue to attend the FPC meetings as a guest, and be an active participant in the workgroups.
   5. Leave of Absence Request – Jason Champagne
      1. Following the FPC bylaws, and due to business growth, Jason requests a leave of absence from June – August 2018, to return to the September meeting. Motion: Pendleton, Fitzpatrick—All approved
   6. Diversity survey
      1. City of Lawrence surveyed all of their advisory boards. FPC members are encouraged to fill out the online survey or fill out a paper survey by Friday, June 22.  
   7. Budget overview ($4463.35) 
      1. The Douglas County Commission restored $3000 to the FPC budget line to replace funding spent on Harvesting Opportunity. FPC was reminded that the money in the budget should be spent by November and can be used for professional development like conferences.
      2. Request (submitted by Helen Schnoes): $250 for 5, $50 stipends for technical review of new forthcoming Common Ground Community Garden Program resource developed as part of National Association of Conservation District grant collaboration. Primary reviewers will be current and past Common Ground managers. Motion: Kongs, Steinle—All approved.
2. Discussion Item: Public Input
   1. Richard Taylor, Chair of the Lawrence Farmers Market, was in attendance to hear about the Farmers Market Scan.
3. Discussion Item: Reports from Harvesting Opportunity in Kansas: A Symposium on Building Community Wealth through Food and Farming.  Aha moments/ new inspiring
   1. Jennifer: summarized takeaways- press release; summaries of each of the deep dive sessions; videos of the morning presentation; story map; September meeting presentation to economic development professionals across the state.
   2. FPC members shared takeaways from the event including:
      1. It was helpful to have hard data in addition to stories to advance the conversation
      2. There are a lot of financial resources for producers. Banks are really important in this conversation, we should talk to them more about this.
      3. Capacity building. Douglas County has more resources than many other communities when it comes to local food. We have built a lot of capacity already.
      4. How do you get information about what grants are available to the people that could take advantage? Technical challenges of grant writing, which is especially challenging for those without any grant experience or access to those with grant experience.
      5. There are different types of community wealth/capital beyond dollars, including social, health, and quality of life.
      6. Great energy. Everyone left feeling uplifted. Standing room only.
      7. KU catering used local food and it was delicious!
      8. Branding was AWESOME!!
   3. How can this learning impact Council’s future work?
      1. Investment model was very helpful and adds social wellbeing to financial incentives.
      2. Kansas Rural Center was a sponsor and attended. Formed new and key relationships, which is informing keynote speakers at their event.
      3. There are many different types of stakeholders that may be interested in engaging further here in Douglas County. FPC should work towards bringing more people to the working groups to support the work.

1. Discussion Item: 2018 Food System Plan, Full Council Policy Priorities 
   1. Review past work and discuss future steps from May meeting
      1. Kim discussed 90:90 planning tool and asked for volunteers to move the objectives forward in the next 90 days.
         1. Sales tax: Tamara, Ashley, Elizabeth, Kim
         2. Kim will pose the question to the larger FPC and ask for volunteers
         3. It is important to approach this conversation with equity in mind.
      2. Reports from FPC Lawrence Farmers Market tours
         1. Olivia goes to every farm who is a vendor at the market to verify what they produce
         2. There is a lot of time and energy spent on setting up each week
         3. 76 independent businesses gather each week, with very limited guarantee they will have a spot next year.
         4. LFM is a nonprofit and doesn’t get support from the city, which allows it to choose the rules that govern how it operates.
         5. The Art Center is a nonprofit that occupies a city facility, which establishes a precedence for a partnership between a nonprofit and city facility.
      3. Farmers Market National Scan
         1. Bryson Risley presented on (insert power point presentation)
         2. The full report will be published later this summer.
         3. Intend to engage with the city on the Downtown Master Plan development

Goal 4, Objective 2 (Expand City- and County-led initiatives to make food more affordable)

4.2.1: Reduce and eliminate the sales tax on groceries

• Discussion of Council leadership and next steps

Goal 1, Objective 3 (Increase local food purchasing)

1.3.1: Invest in signage, shared infrastructure, and coordinated marketing to support Douglas County farmers markets

• Reports from FPC member Lawrence Farmers Market tours
• Presentation from Sustainability Office intern Bryson Risley on national scan of markets that have established permanence

1. Discussion Item: Working Groups  
   1. Structure and membership: Consider stakeholders that can help further the work of the working groups. Working Groups will use the rest of this year to experiment with membership of non-FPC members and determine what works best. The intent is to formalize membership structure of working group by early 2019.

1. FPC Member Updates
   1. Pendleton attended a Kansas Rural Center roundtable with Sen. Moran staff. They discussed organic and alt. crop production and how the Farm Bill might impact agriculture in Kansas and value-added producer grants.
   2. Fitzpatrick is making a big presentation to Historic Commission this Friday in the City Commission room regarding the Womxn of Color mural project.

1. Adjourn. Pendleton, Steinle– All approved