How Did It Begin?
In partnership with the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, KC Healthy Kids hosted the first-of-its-kind 2007 Healthy Food Policy Forum on February 22, 2007. The purpose of the initial forum to was to bring a diverse set of Kansas City community stakeholders together to discuss aligning the nation’s food policies more closely with our national health and nutrition goals, while supporting sustainable food systems.
Why a forum? The 2007 Farm Bill provides an unparalleled opportunity to brainstorm solutions for restoring balance between business and health, and policy and practice. One recalls the public service announcement that conveyed the message, “You are what you eat.” Frankly, what we have been eating has left our health in flux and it is time for change. Purposeful and positive adjustments in policy can drive that change.
The forum's objectives included:
- Engaging in a local dialogue on a prominent national issue;
- Learning about the connections among health, the food system, and pressure points in federal farm policy;
- Understanding the impact of federal farm policy on local food, farm, and health issues;
- Providing an opportunity for our legislators to obtain feedback on recommendations for federal farm policy from local leaders;
- Addressing federal farm policy issues through Kansas City based initiatives; and
- Establishing a Food Policy Coalition for Kansas City comprised of a diverse cross-section of community stakeholders.
Continuing the Dialogue
As a result of the interest generated by the February Healthy Food Policy Forum, it was determined there should be an organized coalition to continue the dialogue, thus the KC Healthy Food Policy Initiative was formed and meets on a regular basis. The Initiative allows for ongoing learning, discussion and community planning. The Initiative also remains committed to the initial forum objectives while working to establish a formal Food Policy and Nutrition Council for the KC Metro Area.
Forum Materials
Below are links to materials and handouts presented at the forum. Please note that some of these files are large.
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