Santa Clara County Food System Workplan (2021)
Project Overview
With seven goals and thirty-nine recommendations, this report provides a roadmap which will guide County actions to create a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable food system.
In 2020, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors requested a plan for the creation of a comprehensive Food, Restaurants, Agriculture, and Health Access Initiative. The resulting food system workplan is the product of research and stakeholder engagement conducted by UC Cooperative Extension in partnership with County agencies.
Workplan Goals
1.
Enhance food system coordination and leadership
2.
Increase community engagement toward greater food sovereignty
3.
Maintain farmland, increase agricultural opportunities, and enhance farm viability
4.
Build a strong regional food economy where communities and individuals prosper
5.
Improve food security and public health through access to nutritious, culturally relevant, and affordable food
6.
Expand food recovery and composting
7.
Build a constituency for a strong regional food system by increasing food and agricultural education
Our Process
Literature Review
Our team reviewed 29 reports on the Santa Clara County Food System. We aggregated food system trends, available data, and previous recommendations to provide background on each sector of the food system and to identify current and successful work.
Stakeholder Engagement
We interviewed 54 food system stakeholders, representing nonprofit and public agencies as well as farms, restaurants, food processors & manufacturers, and grocery stores. We also participated in food system groups’ meetings to gather input on goals and recommendations.
Survey
We received 127 responses to two surveys asking for feedback on a draft list of goals and recommendations for the workplan.
