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Ohio Food Policy Advisory Council

The Ohio Food Policy Council was an executive order and no longer exists.  However, there are many active local Food Policy Councils.  contact us for a listing.

In 2007, Governor Ted Strickland created the Ohio Food Policy Advisory Council.  According to the 2009 Annual Report, "the council is charged with maximizing the economic benefit of the food industry by localizing a portion of the food system and increasing the access to fresh and healthy food for all Ohioans."

The Ohio Food Policy Advisory Council is a public-private partnership with a mission to:

  • Collect and analyze information on the production and processing of food in Ohio...
  • Protect Ohio's valuable farmland and water resources...
  • Provide those in need with greater access to fresh and nutritious foods
  • Assist Ohio farmers and businesses in marketing their food products...
  • Develop strategies to link producers and consumers in the local food systems

The Advisory Council also formed 4 task forces:  Agricultural Viability, Food System Assessment, Healthy Food Access, and Market Connections.

Countryside Conservancy is represented on the Advisory Council, as well as the Agricultural Viability and Market Connections task forces.

Agricultural Viability Task Force

This task force works to address the following mission of the Governor's Executive Order:

4b) Protect Ohio's valuable farmland and water resources by encouraging the growth of food products in Ohio.

Goals developed to date by this task force and approved by full council:

  1. Retain and expand local food processing capacity by 15% in the state by 2015.
  2. Expand poultry processing and flash freezing to new and underserved producers by a minimum of one unit on line by 2010.
  3. Develop a minimum of one food business incubator within a region that has the capacity by December, 2010.

Market Connections Task Force

This task force works to address the following missions of the Governor's Executive Order:

4d) Assist Ohio's farmers and business in marketing their food products inside and outside of the State.

4e)  Develop strategies to link producers and consumers in local food systems.

Goals developed by date by this task force and approved by the full council:

  1. Expand the distribution system assessment to include analysis and recommendations for the location of regional distribution centers across the state in 2011.
  2. Identify and build regional food networks across the state starting in May 2009.
  3. Increase the amount of local food in the Ohio distribution system by 10 percent by 2015.

More Information:

If you have thoughts, ideas, or suggestions for the Agricultural Viability Task Force, please contact us.

If you have thoughts, ideas, or suggestions for the Market Connections Task Force, please contact us.

To read the full detailed report visit The Ohio Department of Agriculture.