The Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

During the 1985 and 1990 Farm Bill debates, a movement emerged that sought to incorporate the goals of sustainable agriculture into legislation. As a consequence of this coalition-building process, important new policy initiatives were introduced. Recent efforts have also been made to link urban food concerns with sustainable agriculture agendas under the broader framework of food security advocacy. In relation to that effort, this paper lays out the framework and specific policy components of a food security approach, including the design of a "Community Food Security Empowerment Act" which identifies the connections between the sustainable agriculture and urban food agendas.