OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITV OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL
MAYOR
September 6, 2017
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I transmit herewith, at the request ofthe Commissioner of Public Health, a resolution regarding implementation of a good food purchasing policy.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Mayor
Very truly yours,
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The City of Chicago has identified the need to create a local, sustainable, accessible, fair, and healthy food system in order to provide healthy food choices in public buildings and at government-supported meetings and events; and
WHEREAS, Creating such a food system has emerged as a strategy in Healthy Chicago 2.0, a four-year plan launched in 2016 by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the City's Department of Public Health in collaboration with numerous experts, advocates, healthcare providers, community members, and other stakeholders across the City; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning has recommended the creation and promotion of a sustainable local food system; and
WHEREAS, The City of Chicago works to improve the health of all its residents, and to promote safe, healthy and fair work environments for its workforce. The creation of a sustainable local food system supports these efforts and promotes a productive environment and animal welfare; and
WHEREAS, The Good Food Purchasing Program ("GFPP") was developed in 2012 to incentivize public institutions to procure Good Food produced through values-driven purchasing standards; and
WHEREAS, GFPP defines Good Food as food that is healthy, affordable, fair, and sustainable. Good Food is produced, processed, distributed, and recycled locally using the principles of environmental stewardship (in terms of water, soil, and pesticide management); meets the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and is available to purchase for all income levels; and
WHEREAS, Good Food values prioritize nutrition, affordability, locality, and sustainable production practices, including sound environmental practices, fair prices for producers, safe and fair working conditions for employees, and humane conditions for animals; and
WHEREAS, All participants in the GFPP food supply chain receive fair compensation and fair treatment and are free from exploitation; and
WHEREAS, Good Food Purchasing refers to the sourcing and purchasing of foods and beverages, and food and beverage service contracts, procured by City Departments and Agencies; and
WHEREAS, In practicing Good Food Purchasing policies, the City of Chicago will help support a regional food system that is ecologically sound, economically viable and socially responsible, and has an impact on the availability of local, sustainable food; and
WHEREAS, It is recognized that the significant buying power of public institutions across the Country can reform the food system, create opportunities for smaller farmers and low-income entrepreneurs to thrive, provide just compensation and fair treatment for food chain workers, support sustainable farming practices, reward good environmental stewardship, and increase access to fresh and healthy foods; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That the City of Chicago embraces the GFPP as a strategy to help improve our region's food system through the adoption and implementation of Good Food Purchasing Standards, which emphasize values that would:
support small and mid-sized agricultural and food processing operations within the local area or region;
support producers that employ sustainable production systems that reduce or eliminate synthetic pesticides and fertilizers; avoid the use of hormones, antibiotics, and genetic engineering; conserve soil and water; protect and enhance wildlife habitat and biodiversity; and reduce on-farm energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions;
provide safe and healthy working conditions and fair compensation for all food chain workers and producers from production to consumption;
provide healthy and humane care for farm animals; and
promote health and well-being by offering generous portions of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains; reducing salt, added sugars, fats, and oils; and by eliminating artificial additives; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That City Departments and Agencies requiring the procurement or service contracting of foods may adopt Good Food Purchasing Standards, which include options and levels within each of these five value categories, as a framework for guiding values-driven purchasing; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That all relevant City Departments and Agencies, with assistance from the Chicago Department of Public'Health, Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Center for Good Food Purchasing, Chicago Food Policy Action Council, and other relevant stakeholders, may take the following steps in support of the purchasing of Good Food:
Within 12 months of the adoption of this resolution, communicate Good Food Purchasing Standards to appropriate and selected suppliers, including distributors and foodservice companies, and request them to share data that will help the City complete a baseline Good Food Purchasing assessment of food procurement practices; ,
Within 6 months after the baseline assessment has been completed, develop and adopt a multi-year action plan with benchmarks to measure success towards Good Food Purchasing Standards, including accountability systems with appropriate vendors of distributors to verify sourcing commitments and assess current food procurement practices;
To the extent permitted by law, within 6 months after the baseline assessment has been completed, incorporate Good Food Purchasing Standards into new procurement requests and contracts for City Departments and Agencies that
have'previously participated in the baselining process as outlined in Clause 1; and
4. Commit to full and robust analysis and implementation of the Good Food Purchasing Standards;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That participating City Departments and Agencies shall provide progress reports, including compliance data, to the City Council, acting through its Committee on Health and Environmental Protection, upon the request of that Committee.
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