Food and Agriculture Policy Collaborative 2015 Guide

Fair Food Network has been working with the Food Research and Action Center, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, PolicyLink, and regional partners as part of The Food and Agriculture Policy Collaborative (FAPC) with the goal to promote healthy food and healthy economies through the advancement of four policy priorities:

• Protect and improve the structure, eligibility rules and benefit levels in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Increase fruit and vegetable incentive programs for SNAP participants
• Build and improve existing healthy food stores and supply chains through Healthy Food Financing Initiatives (HFFI)
• Strengthen marketing opportunities and the supply chain infrastructure that connects local farmers and ranchers with consumers.

This 2015 guide includes information on United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) policies and programs that help strengthen our food economy and local communities. There are brief descriptions of key Farm Bill provisions, examples of how some of these programs are being used, and links to more in-depth resources.

You can review a previous FAPC report here summarizing the efforts leading up to the 2014 Farm Bill to advance a vibrant, healthy, and economically sustainable food system that supports both consumers and producers.