Food Policy and Programming
The City of Madison is located at the center of one of the richest agricultural regions in the world. From the United States’ largest producer-only farmers’ market, to the network of over 50 community gardens, to the hundreds of restaurants and grocery stores featuring sustainable, local, and healthy fare, Madison is one of the leaders of this country’s “farm-to-fork” movement.We know, however, that not everyone enjoys the same opportunity to participate in the food economy. The City of Madison is committed to the development of a local and regional food system that supports equitable access to healthy, culturally appropriate food, nutrition education, and economic opportunity for all of its citizens.
The City of Madison supports collaboration, education, community empowerment, planning, policy, and investment that is devoted to a fair, equitable, and just local food system through work of the Mayor and the Madison Food Policy Council. We believe that this work is a critical component in addressing our goals to reduce poverty and racial disparities.
The City currently has a robust portfolio of funding programs that seek to address disparities in the food system, specifically aimed at increasing food affordability and access: