More than 300 regional food partners joined us at the Good Food Connections + Seattle Food Action Plan Summit on the Seattle waterfront. Farmers, fishers, artisans, chefs, buyers, and community members from across Seattle came together this week to help build a stronger local food system!
The City of Seattle teamed up with the Good Business Network of Washington to host more than 300 food partners at the Good Food Connections + Seattle Food Action Plan Summit at Bell Harbor International Conference Center on the Seattle waterfront. The Food Action Plan is Seattle’s roadmap for a more sustainable, fair, and strong local food system.
Our regional food system affects our health, environment, and economy. The summit gave community members a place to share ideas for food policies and programs that support small businesses and help people thrive.
The event featured a welcome from Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, workshops, “matchmaking” sessions, and a robust town hall conversation. And, of course, tasty, locally sourced foods!
“Expanding access to food is one of the cornerstones of my administration’s agenda,” Mayor Wilson said. “The bottom line is that everyone in Seattle deserves access to healthy food in their own neighborhoods.”
OSE Food Policy Advisor Bridget Igoe at the event kickoff.
Town Hall: Hearing from the Food Community
OSE’s acting director, Lylianna Allala, joined Seattle City Council President Joy Hollingsworth, Office of Economic Development Acting Director Beto Yarce, Office of Planning & Community Development Director Rico Quirindongo, and Washington State Department of Agriculture Director of Food Systems Initiatives Katie Rains for a town hall conversation.
Over the hour-long session, nearly a dozen community members stepped up to the mic to ask questions and provide feedback. Attendees raised topics like support for small businesses, climate‑friendly farming, improving grantmaking processes, and planning for food as an essential service.
businesses that have been in Seattle for years.
Lylianna highlighted how we’re strengthening food access in ways that meet community needs while supporting the local food economy. For example, our Fresh Bucks Program provides households on a tight budget with $60 per month to afford fruits and vegetables from local grocers.
“In the last year, we’ve been able to clear the Fresh Bucks waitlist,” OSE Acting Director Lylianna said. “We’re now serving 17,000 households through this program that is supporting the health and well-being of our communities while also investing in small businesses.”
One of our partners, local grocery delivery service Local Yokels, shared that the recent expansion of Fresh Bucks has increased their projected sales by roughly tenfold.
The session was moderated by our amazing partner at the Good Business Network, Mariah DeLeo, the Good Food Economy program director. Our food policy advisor, Bridget Igoe, helped coordinate the day as the City’s Food Action Plan lead.
Speed Dating: Matchmaking Seattle’s Food Producers and Buyers
In speed dating rounds, we helped food producers and buyers from across the region find a match!
Our food policy advisor, Chris Iberle, modeled the session after our Buying With Purpose initiative, which helps City food programs and partners buy healthy and sustainable foods from more than 145 local farms and food businesses. The guide also works to direct more public dollars to supporting the regional food economy, especially small-scale farmers and businesses.
One of the buyers in the matchmaking session, Byrd Barr Place’s food bank, said they buy with purpose by spending 75% of their small budget on food suppliers, producers, and farmers within 50 miles of the food bank.
Our Next Steps Towards a Healthier Food System
Food is one of our biggest opportunities to advance Seattle’s climate, social justice, and affordability goals at once. The ideas and conversations from the summit don’t stop when the event ends. They help shape what comes next with Seattle’s Food Action Plan and Climate Action Plan Update.
For the next phase of our food systems work, the City is focused on expanding grocery access in underserved neighborhoods. We’re working with our partners to explore ways to support community-driven retail models, strengthen local supply chains, and partner with food businesses and organizations to ensure every community member can find affordable, healthy, and culturally relevant food close to home.
The Climate Action Plan will offer smart solutions to reduce pollution, advance environmental justice, and strengthen our regional food system. Food policies can also help us reduce climate pollution created by the foods we buy, prevent waste, prepare communities for climate change, and create more local, well-paying green jobs.
Stay tuned for future updates and opportunities to get involved with the Climate Action Plan by subscribing to OSE’s newsletter!
We are so grateful to everyone who joined us and to work alongside incredible food leaders. A special shoutout to more of our community partners who supported the event: Puget Sound Food Hub, Farmstand Local Foods, Cascadia Produce, IRC New Roots, and Cultivate South Park.
Check out our recently released progress report and new interactive Food Action Plan map! Learn more about our Food programs on our website, and apply for affordability resources on the City of Seattle’s Assistance and Discounts page.