Memo: Food Procurement and Infrastructure
By Chloe Waterman Friends of the Earth, Mackenzie Feldman Data For Progress, and Julian Kraus-Polk
OTHER CONTRIBUTING GROUPS:
Center for Good Food Purchasing, Food Chain Workers Alliance, HEAL Food Alliance, Farm to School Network
Introduction
In the Spring of 2021, President Biden unveiled the American Jobs Plan (AJP) and the American Families Plan (AFP) his infrastructure proposals aimed at Building Back Better. The AJP, which is foundational to the administration’s climate change strategy, focuses on putting millions of Americans to work in good-paying jobs and rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure. The AFP focuses on our children, our families, and our caretakers.,
The AJP and AFP recognize the power of procurement of vehicles, energy, and materials in creating good-paying jobs and meeting our ambitious climate goals. However, Biden’s plans neglect to consider the massive impact that leveraging the government’s food procurement could have in “building back better” when it comes to our food system. Building infrastructure that supports sustainable food and agricultural systems represents an important opportunity to improve public health, strengthen food security and resilience, support family farms, revitalize rural communities, redress systemic injustice and mitigate climate change. The aim of this memo is to highlight opportunities already included in the AFP and AJP and suggest policies for Congress to add to these proposals in order to leverage federal food procurement to Build Back Better.
