Chances are, many of your residents resolved to eat better in the New Year.

While there are certainly a lot of factors influencing the success of such resolutions, a major issue for many communities is that of access. And there are a number of ways municipalities and counties can support their residents’ access to fresh and often locally produced food, returning individual and collective benefits to health and economic security.

Here are just a few ideas for inspiration. Consider adopting one or more as a new year’s resolution for your community!

• Expand accessibility at your farmers market. Responding to our 2012 national survey, 75% of communities reported the presence of a farmers market. According to the US Department of Agriculture, however, only about 2,500 of the more than 8,100 markets nationally are authorized to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service and the Farmers Market Coalition offer guidance on making your farmers market more accessible to recipients of SNAP and other food assistance benefits.
• Maybe you’ve heard from residents, “we need a grocery store [here].” Filling that “grocery gap” with a major retailer doesn’t happen overnight, but opportunities also exist to improve the availability of fresh, healthy foods via corner stores and other small-scale retailers. Local governments can provide financial support for the necessary infrastructure—delivery trucks, coolers, etc.—and enable innovative food retail through zoning policy. Connect to case studies, key strategies and a comprehensive body of resources through the Healthy Food Access Portal.
• Promote opportunities for residents to produce food for themselves and neighbors. In addition to making land, water or other resources available for community gardening, you might consider reviewing and revising zoning regulations to accommodate interest in other agricultural activities, including the keeping of animals, the direct sale of produce or even light agricultural processing. ChangeLab Solutions provides a free toolkit on related policy opportunities.
• Capitalize on interest in eating better, buying locally and placemaking as an economic development opportunity. Eating better makes sense for our own health, but increasing access to fresh, local food can be a prescription for strengthening regional economies as well. Learn about why and how to support clusters of farm and food-related enterprises in your community or region in Food Innovation Districts: An Economic Gardening Tool.
• Finally, to promote the viability of producers in your region or state, make a pledge to source locally (however you choose to define it) as part of your government’s food purchases for community facilities or events. We’re told that setting achievable goals is key to keeping our resolutions, so perhaps follow the lead of the North Carolina 10% Campaign and start by making a modest commitment. In that example, cities and counties are among the statewide network of individuals and businesses reporting a total of more than $40 million in local food purchases in the campaign’s first three years.

Here at the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, one of our New Year’s resolutions is to continue collaborating with ICMA on food system opportunities for local governments. One of our primary goals is to explore new ways of engaging you in this conversation, so that we can learn from each other’s successes and challenges. Stay tuned in 2014 for new Knowledge Network content, opportunities to ask questions, case studies, and more! In the meantime, if you’re interested in this topic and have ideas for the year ahead, please be in touch—leave a comment here or contact me (Laura Goddeeris) directly at laurag@msu.edu.