The Toronto Food Policy Council (TFPC) is a citizen body of food activists and experts responsible for generating food policy for the

City of Toronto government The municipal government of Toronto ( incorporated as the City of Toronto) is the local government responsible for administering the city of Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a rec ...

. Formed in 1991, the 30-member TFPC supports scores of programs with the shared goal of ensuring equitable access to food, nutrition, community development and environmental health, acting as professional

lobbyist In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying, which ...

for the people on food and related issues. The TFPC is free to make its own decisions on food policy issues. Staff working with the TFPC are employed by, and responsible to, The Toronto Department of Public Health. This arrangement has gained interest from public health, community,

food security Food security speaks to the availability of food in a country (or geography) and the ability of individuals within that country (geography) to access, afford, and source adequate foodstuffs. According to the United Nations' Committee on World F ...

and

sustainable agriculture Sustainable agriculture is farming in sustainable ways meeting society's present food and textile needs, without compromising the ability for current or future generations to meet their needs. It can be based on an understanding of ecosystem ser ...

organizations around the world. The TFPC is under the leadership of Lauren Baker. Previous TFPC staff include Rod MacRae, Wayne Roberts and Yusuf Alam. In April, 2009, the TFPC received the Bob Hunter Environmental Achievement Award, given to a City of Toronto agency with a record of outstanding leadership, for its efforts to make food an action item on the environmental agenda. The TFPC also won an honorary mention for a major award from the

Community Food Security Coalition The Community Food Security Coalition was a North American non-profit made up of 325 member organizations who focus on social and economic justice, the environment, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, community development, labor, anti-poverty, an ...

for its work promoting

food sovereignty Food sovereignty is a food system in which the people who produce, distribute, and consume food also control the mechanisms and policies of food production and distribution. This stands in contrast to the present corporate food regime, in which ...

in October, 2009. Working to ensure all significant decisions and expenditures are viewed through a “food lens,” the Council, under the leadership of Co-chair Janice Etter, succeeded in having food issues highlighted in the city of Toronto's official plan, adopted by city council in 2002 and updated in 2007. Some of the Council’s work has included: * Helping community organisations obtain $3.5 million for projects increasing access to affordable nourishing food in the early 1990s. * Successfully lobbying the federal government to refuse to license

Bovine Growth Hormone Bovine somatotropin or bovine somatotrophin (abbreviated bST and BST), or bovine growth hormone (BGH), is a peptide hormone produced by cows' pituitary glands. Like other hormones, it is produced in small quantities and is used in regulating m ...

, a biotechnology product, for use in Canadian dairy operations. * Working with the Student Nutrition Coalition to expand school food programs in Toronto from 53 to 350. * Founding the Rooftop Garden Resource Group to research and promote a green roof industry in Canada. * Producing a ground-breaking series of discussion papers on a food systems approach to public health policy, and giving hundreds of presentations to university classes, and environmental and community groups. * Championing the Toronto Food Charter, a declaration of citizen rights and government responsibilities that sets the food security standard for municipalities. * Publishing two email services on food system issues, one dealing with local food and one with global.

References

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External links

* curren
Toronto Food Policy Council website

at the Internet Archive Organizations based in Toronto Organizations established in 1991 1991 establishments in Ontario

See also

References

External links