The Food Policy Advisory Committee

The Food Policy Advisory Committee is a broad-based committee of area leaders working to improve access to fresh healthy food.  The FPAC was authorized by a May 2007 resolution of the New Orleans City Council.  After eight months of meetings and research, the Committee presented the Council with a list of achievable recommendations in January of 2008, outlined in a report.

The Prevention Research Center is a key member of the "Logistical Core," or support team, for the FPAC.  Our partners on the Logistical Core include:

• Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana
• The City of New Orleans Health Department
• Steps to a Healthier LA/New Orleans
• The Louisiana Public Health Institute
• The Renaissance Project
• The New Orleans Food & Farm Network
• The Food Trust

Committee members are now working with local and state government to implement the recommendations included in the report. Locally, some members of the committee sit on a task force to work through city-focused recommendations that involve regulatory barriers, tax incentives, security and transportation issues, and programs designed to spur economic development and recovery. 

On a state-wide level, the FPAC is working with state legislature to develop a program similar to Pennsylania's Fresh Food Financing Initiative.  Such a program could provide grants and loans to fresh food retailers across the state who want to open or expand offerings in underserved areas.  Senate Resolution 112 established the creation of a Healthy Food Retail Study Group to look at the issue of fresh food retail access across the state. The Committee will be working with this Study Group and expects to have a bill introduced during the '09 Legislative Session based on this group's results.

If you are interested in learning more about the Food Policy Advisory Committee, contact Vanessa Ulmer at 504-988-6841.

To learn more about this issue, please visit our FPAC resource page.