INC-URSC Minutes 3-27-2019

Daniels Fund Building

People present: Blake Angelo (former manager of Food Systems Development for County and City of Denver), Jasmin Barco (Eco cycle), Laine Cidlowski (Denver Food System Administrator), Scott Clobes (Highland Urban Gardens), Ernie Diedrich (Chair), Loretta Koehler (INC VP), Sarah Shaffer (intern at Denver’s Sustainable Neighborhood Program), Jim Slotta, Oliveann Slotta.

After a short description of what INC and the INC-URSC is, the chair recognized Laine Cidlowski. She then asked Blake Angelo to give an historical account of Food Policy Development. Blake was CSU’s first Urban Agriculture Agent and then the city tasked him to generate a vision of urban food production. He reviewed the process he undertook and asked broad questions.  What does a great city look like and how does food fit into the idea of a great city.  Blake and his colleagues collected lots of stories and described the circular urban food system described in the report his committee produced. They also examined how tax policy shapes the way food production is shaped and looked at the role consumers play in shaping what gets produced. Food’s role in Colorado’s economy (2017 data) is substantial with well over 2,200 food related businesses, over 56,000 food related employees, over $312,000 in tax revenue.  In short, Denver’s food system creates over $7 billion in economic activity.

The process was deemed very successful by participating neighborhoods largely because Blake and others approached the neighborhoods and listened.  The new Denveright food plan uses the organizational structure developed for the food plan and represents a concerted plan with continuity.

2030 plan came into being in 2018.  Will this end food insecurity in Denver? Like homelessness, it is complex and will take a substantial amount of time to fix this.  For example, a grocery store isn’t the only solution…it requires a complex of strategies.  Can’t just do one thing (e.g., cooking classes, pantries, etc.). The plan won’t end hunger by 2030, but it can reduce it substantially.

Grants and the food policy?  A variety of non-profits got OEO funds (ca $5 Million through the office of Economic Development) and the Dept of Env Health also was able to contribute. Other City institutions and efforts have helped steward and support gardening efforts.  Say DUG wanted to develop gardens (ca. 180 gardens now) in Schools…city helped fund them and offers schools aid in low income areas.

Laine Cidlowski

Laine is Denver’s Food Systems Administrator and she connects with a variety of Denver initiatives and Departments.  Her interest connects with community desires for healthy food, etc. With grants, they have a team of 5-6 to deal with Blake’s categories of food systems.  One project, involves working on Food and Community project to put food pilot projects in place….e’g, nutrition education? Access to gardens? Access to food sources? Once a community’s needs are identified, a plan is established so that it can be rolled out in a comprehensive/holistic way to address a variety of problems.  They are looking for partners and see RNOs as good ways to connect.  This is slated for this coming summer.

Another project involves reducing food waste (NRDC grant) and encouraging food waste reduction/composting. Working with Charlotte Pitt to encourage composting food waste.  Working with neighborhoods to do this…e.g., reduce food waste in Highland…program then is slated to expand to the rest of Denver (city pays to do composting by restaurant).  Also working on a pay-as-you-throw policy.  Mayor appears to support this and this will see more citizen education to promote the policy in coming months.  Goal is to have city purchase at least 25% of local food production/processed food and this would include School Systems as well as other institutions…how do we develop the infrastructure to make sure more local food is available?

The Sustainable Food Policy Council, gives the Mayor advice on developing food infrastructure (e.g., mobile food markets, etc.). SNAP, food stamps, is also administered with an aim to provide local food.  Denveright has had food council suggestions included in the planning documents recently adopted.

Blake added that citizen input is heard more carefully by politicians so voters need to speak up and let them know what they think is important.

Loretta (INC VP) noted that so many people don’t know how to cook…so it’s important that the City teaches people how to cook (using raw foods and producing healthy foods).  For example, there are lost capabilities as culture changes.  Some food pantries have also had programs to help folks cook.

There is a chocolate curriculum so that someone needs to develop a pumpkin curriculum to help people understand the history and place that foods such as pumpkins  have in communities.

The remainder of the meeting involved individual introductions and announcements of events.  Particularly, the chair made a plea for sample ordinances affecting food policies so that INC can adopt and spread policies that RNOs can mull over.

The meeting adjourned at 8:05.

Respectfully submitted,

Ernie Diedrich

Chair/INC-URSC

Some helpful sites

Denver Food Vision 2030: https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/771/documents/CH/Final FoodVision 120717.pdf

Denver Food Action Plan: https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/771/documents/CH/Food%20Plan/DenverFood Action Plan.pdf