After years of work and input from thousands of residents, Austin and Travis County have finally approved their first-ever food plan. This significant step aims to tackle access and production issues that have long plagued the county. With less than 0.1% of food grown locally and over 1 in 10 people struggling to access healthy food, the need for action was clear. The plan comes in response to the widespread food system setbacks and shortages experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and Winter Storm Uri, and it anticipates future climate disruptions.

Empowering Central Texas with a Sustainable Food Future

How the Food Planning Process Began

In 2021, Austin officials launched the food planning process. Recent events exposed the fragility of the supply chain and food access barriers. City food policy manager Edwin Marty emphasized the need to respond to these challenges and the changing climate. "It's going to get hotter, drier, wetter and colder. All of these extremes are going to happen more frequently," he said. Although a regional food policy board had existed since the late 2000s, it never had a public mandate for action until governments, nonprofits and residents came together. Council member Alison Alter praised the process as a model example of inclusive, intentional and meaningful community participation.

Residents, local groups and governments will now pursue dozens of strategies laid out in the "plan of plans" through the 2020s and beyond. These strategies aim to fill the cracks in Central Texas' food system by encouraging more local production, addressing disparities and improving food access for residents.

The Approaches in the Food Plan

The plan's more than 60 approaches have the potential to change where residents can get healthy food, the cost, the products available and who's involved across the food system. Preserving property for food-related uses, encouraging food production features in new developments and creating an urban farming plan are among the dozen concepts tied to land. Some strategies are also aimed at breaking down barriers for farmers and improving conditions for food workers earning below a living wage.

For example, by preserving land for food production, we can ensure a more stable food supply. Encouraging food production in new developments will not only increase local food availability but also enhance the overall quality of life in the community. And an urban farming plan can bring fresh produce closer to residents, reducing the carbon footprint associated with transporting food.

Local Food Access and Resilience

Those involved in the food planning process agree that local food access and resilience can be improved if more food eaten here also comes from around Austin. According to the Department of Agriculture, only 0.06% of food consumed in Travis County was grown here. Transported food is less fresh and leaves a much higher overall carbon footprint than local production and distribution. It also puts the area at risk of supply chain disruptions and access issues, as seen during recent emergencies.

While Travis County still has hundreds of square miles of farmland, federal reporting shows that much of it isn't used for food consumption. Food policy stakeholders also note that the area's urban gardens and larger agricultural facilities are dwindling. Marty predicts that these trends will likely continue due to economic factors and escalating development across the region, with more farmland being replaced by commercial space and housing. From 2017-22 alone, Travis County lost more than 200 farms and nearly 40 square miles of agricultural space.

Food Access and Security in Central Texas

Hundreds of thousands of Central Texans regularly face issues with food access and security. According to the national food system network Feeding America, at least 14% of Travis County's population is food insecure. Tracy Ayrhart, vice president of strategic insights with the Central Texas Food Bank, believes that this number may now be even higher as food insecurity increases nationally. The new food plan will address this need at a broad level, but the area remains at the mercy of larger factors.

Lisa Barden, executive director of Keep Austin Fed, noted that many Austinites felt the pinch during recent winter storms. "That's why the average Joe should care. We're just one natural disaster away from suddenly not having food access because we don't have any local food connection," she said. Council member Vanessa Fuentes called the new community initiatives a "significant step" toward addressing insecurity, especially in areas across the east side.

Going Forward and Future Plans

Many strategies in the plan are likely to take longer than the five-year window to complete. Challenges such as a lack of money for high-cost land preservation lie ahead. However, officials are exploring funding for a new local food network to help implement the plan. Marty said on November 18 that Austin is building a climate-centered bond package that could cover some of the costs if approved in 2025 or 2026. Council also plans to budget funding for the plan.

Nitza Cuevas, program director for food business collaborative Good Work Austin, said the process has set up those seeking to strengthen the food system. Organizations involved are discussing new ways to collaborate. Barden noted that the strategies were designed to build off each other and may not be noticed right away. For example, setting up a "food hub" for smaller farmers to pool and distribute harvests could have wider-ranging effects on operations and local consumption over time.

If we take these strategies one at a time, we may not necessarily recognize the impact they'll have. But together, they have the potential to transform Central Texas' food system and ensure a more sustainable future for all.