A Comprehensive Evaluation of Food and Agricultural Policies in California General Plans

Keywords: food; systems; planning; policy; general; plan; California; justice; agriculture; nutrition; water; equity
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Agriculture and urban land-uses often face off with intense competition for land and water. Recent reviews of food justice policies across the US provide a basis for considering strong and innovative planning efforts. This research offers the first comprehensive assessment of how many of such food policies, equity focused or not, are in play across cities in California, the nation’s leading agricultural producer. We find that water policies are stronger and more numerous than food and nutrition policies. Few cities include implementation actions that would assign staff and time, identify funding sources, or commit to timelines. Further, though agriculture and nutrition are related, cities tend to either have one or the other policy, indicating a rift between the interests of food producers and food consumers. More rural cities focused on agriculture. We find that food policies focus primarily on public health, nutrition policies focus primarily on educational facilities, and agriculture policies focus primarily on land use regulation and zoning. Our research concludes there is a lack of focus on food justice within existing agriculture, food, and nutrition policies in California General Plans, and a lack of overall food systems planning in California.