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7 <br /> 1 <br /> 2 VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 3 <br /> 4 <br /> 5 d. Orange County Food Council <br /> 6 The Board received an update on the status of the formation of the Orange County <br /> 7 Food Council and consider a request that one member of the Board be appointed to the Council <br /> 8 representing Orange County. <br /> 9 Mike Ortosky, Orange County Agriculture Economic Developer, reviewed the following <br /> 10 information: <br /> 11 <br /> 12 PURPOSE: To receive an update on the status of the formation of the Orange County Food <br /> 13 Council and consider a request that one member of the Board be appointed to the Council <br /> 14 representing Orange County. <br /> 15 <br /> 16 BACKGROUND: In response to changing demand for local food systems, healthier eating <br /> 17 habits, need for viable farming options, and food access issues, Food Councils are increasingly <br /> 18 becoming an instrument for input from local residents and for guiding businesses and policy <br /> 19 makers. A grassroots Task Force was formed and has been meeting regularly for over a year <br /> 20 to develop a local food council. The Orange County Economic Development Office funded the <br /> 21 facilitation of the initial formative meetings. Two public meetings have also been conducted and <br /> 22 a preliminary food assessment has been completed to further inform the process. <br /> 23 <br /> 24 The Task Force has proposed 15 positions (from specific professional and community-related <br /> 25 positions to include elected officials) and plans for the first Council to meet within the next 60 <br /> 26 days. Applications have been received from many sources and the Task Force is considering <br /> 27 those as it also asks for elected officials from Orange County, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and <br /> 28 Carrboro to be Council members. <br /> 29 Cyril Murphy, Orange County Food Council Task Force Member and Food Service <br /> 30 Director at Camp Chestnut Ridge, presented the following PowerPoint slides: <br /> 31 <br /> 32 Orange County Food Council <br /> 33 <br /> 34 Common Purpose <br /> 35 The Orange County Food Council is building a local food system that ensures health, <br /> 36 sustainable agriculture and access for all. <br /> 37 <br /> 38 Food Councils <br /> 39 • Non-profit organizations <br /> 40 • Advisory boards to city or county government <br /> 41 • Facilitate connections — across departmental silos and within the community <br /> 42 • Provide focus —through assessing, learning, and identifying priorities <br /> 43 • Policy and programming recommendations that drive action <br /> 44 <br /> 45 What Food Councils can do: <br /> 46 • Advocate for a policy to require that 10% of all food served at county catered events and <br /> 47 small department-sponsored meeting be sourced locally. <br /> 48 • Improve access to food processing resources and kitchen equipment/facilities for local <br /> 49 food entrepreneurs. <br /> 50 • Assist in writing/support policy to allow community gardens on city-owned property. <br />