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The” Little P” and” Big P” Policy: Two Ways to Enhance Our Food System

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Where Do You Begin?

” Tiny p” plans

” Large P” plans

Stories of Policy Change

It’s a Complex System – Where Do You Begin? It can feel intimidating to think about where to begin to affect policy changes that make tangible improvements in such a large and complex system.

Policies and laws have a wide range of effects on our local and regional food systems, from state regulations for environmental health and design to position regulations for local municipal and city ordinances governing yard chickens, to your local patient’s healthy vending device regulations to your local university campus ’ local food procurement policies. The whole meal string is shaped by these laws, laws, guidelines, and regulations that govern how food is grown, processed, packaged, sold, donated, bought, consumed, and disposed of.

Policy vs. Policy vs. Breaking Down

Comparing ”little p” and ”big P” policies as different amounts of legislation is aid meal councils and advocates in understanding where they can influence scheme across a wide range of agricultural and food plan. Finding the ”little p” from the ”big p” can help you pinpoint the best place to spend your time and resources in promoting the improvement of the winning foods method.

” Small p” laws

” Much p” procedures are typically at an institution, department or agency level and generally influence organizational practices. The Board of Directors for a hospital can make a decision to only stock vending machines with healthy food and beverage choices. One example of a ”little p” policy is a healthy vending machine requirement. These types of policy changes can actually create quick wins and can sometimes lead to larger changes that typically are not as labor-intensive as ”big P” Policy changes. This policy could have an immediate impact on what kinds of foods hospital visitors are consuming.

Various”little p” laws are some example:

The organization adopts a healthy snack policy for all meetings and events; for example, the local restaurant association establishes a living wage policy for its members; Preschool chooses to purchase 10 % of its food from local producers; Food pantry chooses to offer 15 % fresh foods to its clients; North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI ) memo on GAPs certification that requires individual county school boards to carry their own separate liability insurance policies if they wish to purchase non-GAPs certified foods.

” Major P” procedures

” Great P” procedures like state or federal law, city ordinances and comprehensive plans, typically need elected officials’ approval and are generally more difficult to influence than ”little p” policies. We typically hear about these policy changes more often because they receive lots of media attention or take a long time to pass. The farm bill is the strongest example of a ”big P” policy in the fields of agriculture and food security. Although it takes significant time and investment, when ‘big P’ policies are improved, the implications for change can be far reaching – affecting a much larger population rather than just one organization or department. The number of stakeholders and gatekeepers involved in the farm bill reflects why ‘big P’ policy change can be much more time consuming and difficult to move forward. The farm bill can take years to form its many components and goes through a complex federal legislative process that is marked by high amounts of competitive lobbying from the agricultural, food and biotech industries, as well as national groups working to support farmers, food assistance, and conservation interests.

Other ”big P” policies are some examples:

In order to promote healthy food access in food deserts, the city passed a tax incentive for grocery stores that are located in food deserts. State funds for conservation easements in their state budget.

Interpretation and application

Even with the examples provided above, paknoukri.com you might notice that a policy’s implementation or interpretation may vary depending on the county or state in which it is being implemented. The interpretation of ”permanent structures” on urban farms is one instance of a problem that many urban farmers face. The ability of a farmer or gardener to install these structures may depend on how well the zoning official interprets the ordinance or how much public interest your structure is garnering from neighbors or city officials. The way the USDA managed loans and programs with African American farmers between 1981 and 1996 is an example of how policy is put into action. Although the official USDA policy regarding the eligibility and enrollment in these programs was not overtly racist, the way the loans and programs were implemented locally disenfranchised African-American farmers and communities, and it ultimately required a multi-million dollar lawsuit to put an end to those practices. High tunnel structures frequently fall into a grey area despite the fact that most cities do not permit permanent structures on urban farm sites.

Stories of Policy Change

We at Community Food Strategies are collaborating with local food councils in North Carolina to share their experiences with ”little p” and ”big P” policy change. We will assist your council in developing and improving your story so that it can be shared with the world. Councils are encouraged to submit their own stories.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council’s history and the work they have done to influence both ”little p” and ”big P” policy changes in Mecklenburg County are revealed in Strengthening the Food and Farm Community in Char-Meck.

Cabarrus County’s efforts to establish an ”big P” fund, A Funding Mechanism to Spark the Local Food Economy, are the subject of a new book, Cabarrus County’s A Funding Mechanism, which explains the county’s efforts to fund local food and agriculture.

Build relationships, and be strategic

It is possible to change the food system’s policy, especially when you realize that policies are just a set of guidelines for our organizations, institutions, and laws.

Start by comprehending the problems and identifying areas where you, or your food council or organization, are able to influence the implementation of policies, regulations, guidelines, or laws in order to promote healthy food and farming practices. To learn more about planning for and engaging in thoughtful advocacy and relationship building with policy makers, visit our Strategic Advocacy Toolkit. It is important to establish relationships and a rapport with food system decision makers as well as to be thoughtful and strategic in both your networking and your advocacy. Regardless of the level of policy change you are trying to influence. Little p” changes are a great place to start, and they give you the chance to build your network of people who are interested and affected.”

Additional Reading:

Should the Food Movement Support Soda Taxes?- Mark Winne’s blog.

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