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It's National Food Day! New State of the Food System Report for Austin released.
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New State of the Food System Report released

In 2015, the Office of Sustainability released the first State of the Food System Report that provided a baseline understanding of Austin’s dynamic food system.  A food system is an interconnected network that includes everything that happens with food – where and how it is grown, distributed and sold, consumed, and ideally recovered. A sustainable food system is locally based and benefits everyone.
 
Since 2015, efforts to strengthen Austin’s food system have been focused on expanding local food production, increasing demand for locally grown food, improving access to nutritious food, and reducing food waste. In honor of National Food Day, which is today, we are pleased to release the 2018 State of the Food System Report, which provides an update on the progress that has been made toward achieving a healthy and just local food system.
READ THE FULL REPORT HERE
Photo of water in a drain with text that reads "Cut back on water use to avoid water shortage"
Austin still under emergency water use restrictions and boil water notice

As the City enters its third day of a city-wide boil water notice, the Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center remains activated and continues to work with staff from Austin Water, the Lower Colorado River Authority, the National Weather Service and the State of Texas to monitor water conditions and the situation at the Highland Lakes.

The most important thing for the community to do is to conserve water and to boil water for drinking and cooking. Please avoid water usage that is not completely necessary. When boiling water, it should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil for three minutes. In lieu of boiling water, residents may use bottled water.

You can find the most up-to-date information at austintexas.gov/boilH2O, or by following @austintexasgov on Twitter.
Graphic: Affordable housing + Affordable transportation + Access to healthy food = Less food insecurity and better quality of life
Supporting the alignment of affordable housing, public transit, and healthy food availability can improve access to nutritious food, as well as the quality of life, for the most vulnerable populations in Austin-Travis County. Addressing all three of these factors can successfully move the needle on food insecurity and community health.
People shopping at a mobile market.
Getting involved and providing input on food policy in Austin
Food is a human right, and growing food is vital to ensuring the availability and accessibility of food for all Austin residents. The Austin Travis County Food Policy Board recommends policies and practices to construct a healthy, equitable, and vibrant food system.

In 2016, the Austin City Council approved the Austin Healthy Food Access Initiative, six important recommendations for improving the local food system. These recommendations are now being realized through collaborations of government, higher education, nonprofits, businesses, and the agriculture community. By working together, we can make healthy food a reality for everyone.

You can get involved in these initiatives and provide input on healthy food access.
LEARN MORE ABOUT FOOD WORKING GROUPS
Photo of Edwin Marty with colorful tree mural in background. Text overlay reads "The food system provides the foundation for life and significantly shapes our culture."
What's next for Austin's Food System?
Prioritizing the local food system gives Austin control over the hidden costs of food to our community. These costs include negative environmental impacts from unsustainable production and long-distance distribution, poor health outcomes associated with eating low quality food, and low wages for food workers that increase poverty rates and exacerbate affordability challenges. Austin has an unparalleled food community — from local urban farms and community gardens to world-class restaurants and grocery stores.

However, current data indicate that not everyone has equitable access to all this bounty. Our office is committed to collaborating with the community to ensure a more sustainable local food system, prioritizing assistance to vulnerable populations in favor of greater health, prosperity, and equity. Much of the work described in the new State of the Food System Report is a strong start to strengthening Austin’s food system. We will continue the work of ensuring that Austin’s food environment supports healthy and sustainable food choices for everyone.

Edwin Marty, City of Austin Food Policy Manager

EVERYONE CAN RELATE TO FOOD...

"Everyone can relate to food in one way or another we all enjoy eating good, healthy food prepared with care. But the environmental, social, and economic 'footprint' of the food we eat each day has many far-reaching and often invisible implications that we may be unaware of."

Lucia Athens, Austin's Chief Sustainability Officer

NET-ZERO HERO ANNELIESE TANNER

Our latest Net-Zero Hero is doing amazing things around food at Austin ISD! If you missed this feature story in our October newsletter, you need to check it out.
READ MORE
Photo of four red apples from food report.

USEFUL LINKS

Logo: City of Austin Office of Sustainability
Copyright © 2018 City of Austin Office of Sustainability, All rights reserved.


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City of Austin Office of Sustainability · PO Box 1088 · Austin, TX 78767 · USA

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