Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Michael Conard, Urban Design Lab, the Earth Institute at Columbia University
1 INTRODUCTION
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION 13
PROCESSING 31
DISTRIBUTION 39
CONSUMPTION 47
POST- CONSUMPTION 65
73 NEXT STEPS
FoodWorks
A Vision to Improve NYC’s Food System
E
ach morning before Dagele Brothers has provided choices about using fertilizers
sunrise, a truck leaves them with over 40,000 pounds and pesticides. Restaurants
Dagele Brothers Farm of produce—everything from make choices about where to
in Orange County, peppers to celery.) After buy ingredients and how to
New York, and travels 60 miles these employees finish turning dispose of their food scraps
south to the Hunts Point Mar- fresh produce into salads, the and cooking grease. City gov-
ket in the Bronx. There, the new products are then trucked ernment makes choices every
driver makes his first drop of to a network of more than day about what type of food it
the day at a warehouse operat- 350 delis and grocery stores buys and from where. It makes
ed by the Food Bank for New around the city. choices about infrastructure
York City. (Each year Dagele improvements and investments
Brothers provides 560,000 Every day, New Yorkers make in our food economy. And it 1
pounds of fresh produce to choices about what and where enacts building, tax, and ad-
the Food Bank from four dif- we eat. When we buy a salad, ministrative policies that affect
ferent New York State farms.) we might not think about all communities and businesses.
Food Bank trucks then make the people and places that
their way throughout the city, were involved in its creation. Individual choices like these
dropping off fresh produce to But the simple act of eating have an impact on every phase
over 1,000 food pantries, soup that salad could be creat- of our food system, from farm
kitchens, and other community ing jobs on a farm in Orange to table and beyond. Each
organizations across the five County, at a distribution center action has the potential to
boroughs – groups that serve in Hunts Point, and at a factory improve our health, our econ-
400,000 free meals to hungry in Jamaica, Queens. It could omy, and our environment.
New Yorkers every day. also be supporting a growing This FoodWorks plan explores
operation that helps get food some of the ways in which the
Meanwhile, our Dagele Broth- to hungry New Yorkers. And many pieces of our complex
ers driver has continued over it could be a healthy choice to food system are interconnect-
the bridge from the Bronx help reduce our risk of obesity, ed, sets goals to help us make
and on to a food processor diabetes, and heart disease. better choices, and presents a
in Jamaica, Queens, which blueprint for some initial steps,
employs more than 200 New Businesses and government both large and small, that can
Yorkers making salads, wraps, also make decisions about how make the system stronger and
and other healthy meals. they produce, process, and more sustainable for genera-
(Just in this growing season, distribute food. Farmers make tions to come.
NYC stops
Refrigerated dumping First U.S.
Invention John Deere train cars garbage aluminum Henry Ford
Horses are of food & Leonard Mixed introduced, from a recycling Food and introduces Clarence
domesticated preserved Andrus begin chemical increasing na- platform plant opens Drug Act the Fordson, Birdseye, a
Egyptians use for transport, Chinese in cans feeds manufacturing fertilizers tional markets built over in Chicago, & Meat the first mass Brooklynite,
yeast to make plowing, use salt to Napoleon’s steel plows & sold com- for fruit and the East IL and Inspection produced tests frozen
bread and drafting preserve food Army threshing mercially vegetables River Cleveland, OH Act pass tractor food technology
4000 B.C. 3000 B.C. 2700 B.C. 1810 1837 1849 1870 1872 1904 1906 1917 1923
U.S. Industrial Revolution World
War I
FoodWorks
New York City food system is not
new Food
NYC yorkOutlets
city Food
2010 outlets
fully secure. Additionally, our food
system faces a number of issues Food Outlet Quantity
that compromise its long-term sus- Restaurants 24,000
tainability. Agricultural production Supermarkets, Grocery Stores & Convenience Stores 5,445
is energy intensive, greatly contrib- Food Wholesalers 1,730
utes to greenhouse gas (GHG) Public Schools 1,500
emissions, and is not economi- Emergency Feeding Programs 1,000
cally viable for many farmers. Food
Food & Beverage Manufacturers 1,000
processing and distribution require
Green Carts 445 Source: Bureau of Labor
large non-renewable energy inputs
Statistics, Quarterly Census
Farmers Markets 120 of
Employment and Wages
and further impact our environ- and NYC Dept. of Health
Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) 100 Mental Hygiene
and
ment. There is significant waste
throughout the system, both from
discarded food and food packaging. Seizing economic the food chain, farming is threatened
Moreover, New York City is not fully opportunity not only by environmental prob-
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages and NYC Department of
capitalizing on its economic power Health and Mental Hygiene, NYS Dept. Agriculture & Markets, Just Food, Food Bank
lems, but also by economic fragility.
to create good jobs and economic The New York City food market con- Global food demand and energy
opportunity at each phase of the sists of over 8 million residents, $30 prices cause fluctuations in prices
food system. billion in food spending and a bud- that hit consumers at the register.
get for institutional meals second Additionally, many New Yorkers’
Our FoodWorks plan details the only to the Unites States military.5 demand for fresh, healthy food is not
issues our food system faces today, With such vast purchasing power, met. There have been some promis-
how they are born of a national and New York City is uniquely positioned ing recent developments, but there
global system, and what we can do to stimulate the food economy, are additional opportunities to more
to address them both nationally strengthen our regional food system, fully capitalize on existing resources
and locally. New York City can be and drive local and regional business in the food economy.
a leader in food systems change, activity. To accomplish this, we must 3
serving as a model of how targeted first address several points of eco- Supporting a Diverse
local action can support large nomic vulnerability and loss in our Retail Sector
scale improvements. food system. At the beginning of
Demand for food at and away from
home is met by tens of thousands
of businesses — a vast network of
farmers, wholesalers, distributors,
processors, grocery stores, bode-
gas, street vendors, restaurants and
other food service establishments.
Despite the reach of these busi-
nesses, New York City has yet to ef-
fectively meet all consumer demand
in these sectors and thus has the
opportunity to generate business
activity and create jobs. In terms
Photo Credit: Zach K
n
Farmers Markets
ta
soy, rice and food oils.12 As other
at
nh
2010 countries continue to develop and
Ma
demand more of these U.S. prod-
Queens ucts, the domestic supply will be
subject to increased prices as seen
in 2007 and 2008, impacting con-
sumers at home.13 This problem is
exacerbated when oil prices in-
Brooklyn crease, which causes producers to
Staten Island spend more on inputs such as fertil-
izer and transportation.14 Because
the costs of non-renewable energy
are expected to rise, this trend will
Source: : NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets
likely also persist if not mitigated by
food system improvements locally
stores.6 There is great demand for supports 76 jobs in other industries.11 and nationally.
regional products, seen in the rapid However, our food manufacturers
growth of farmers markets and com- need to be better linked to regional Compounding these price vulner-
munity supported agriculture (CSA) processors and markets. abilities are the financial challenges
throughout the city. Today there are faced by most farmers. Less than
120 farmers markets throughout the Supporting two percent of our population is
city7 and since 1995 CSAs have in- Regional Farmers employed in farming and of those,
4 creased from 1 drop off point to ap- many are nearing retirement, with
proximately 100 in 2010.8 However, Strengthening the regional supply farmers six times more likely to be
restaurants and retailers attempting chain is an important strategy for over the age of 65 than under the
to fill this demand through their of- shoring up our food system against age of 35.15 Over the past genera-
ferings encounter difficulty sourcing other economic threats. In recent tion, the industry has struggled to
regional products from wholesalers. years, our food supply and prices attract younger farmers because it
This market has a surplus demand have become more vulnerable to is not economically sustainable. In
of nearly $600 million annually that
could be captured.9 Not only would Food & Energy CPI New York - Northern New Jersey - Long Island
meeting this demand help individual
farmers, it would also strengthen
our regional economy and state tax
base, alleviating some of the finan-
cial burden on New York City.
Expanding Food
Consumer Price Index
Manufacturing
Tons)
(Shorttons)
increased consumption of processed 30000
foods.21 Overall, the food system ac-
Weight (short
25000
counts for approximately 14 to 19 per-
Weight
20000
cent of national energy usage,22 most
2035
of which comes from non-renewable 15000
2030
fossil fuels.23 10000 2025
5000 2020
This problem affects all phases of the 2015
0
food system. Agricultural production 2010
Air & Truck
requires energy to run equipment and Other
Intermodal
Pipeline & Rail Truck
Unknown Truck & Rail
vehicles, and to produce fertilizers, Water
pesticides and feed. Agriculture’s * For New York Combined Statistical Area
contribution to all greenhouse emis- Transport Mode
sions in the U.S. range from approxi- A Bor Cew Dork EomFined GtaHIHcal Area
Source: U.S. Dept. of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. Freight Analysis Framework. 2010
resident.41
Improving the
Food Environment
70
nutritious meals.46 Americans
Total Fats (Lbs/capita)
73
75
77
79
81
83
85
87
89
91
93
95
97
99
01
03
05
07
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
prepared, which has resulted in a
Source: USDA. ERS. U.S. Per Capita Food Availability Custom Report. 2010
loss of food knowledge and reli-
ance on unhealthy, more processed
Caloric Sweeteners Available Per Capita and Adult Obesity in the U.S. foods. Fortunately, unlike other
public health problems, the solu-
tions to food insecurity and obesity
are known and achievable. By
improving utilization of public
8 programs, supporting a healthier
Total Sweeteners Available (lbs./capita)
10
150,000
$0.25
$0.20 market.
$0.15
$1,200,000,000
this problem for small farmers in our
state and northeast region by devot- 19
$1,000,000,000 ing resources to large, centralized
farms rather than supporting small,
$800,000,000
non-commodity farms with the same
$600,000,000 level of funding. National farm sub-
sidies increased from $8.1 billion in
$400,000,000
1995 to $15.4 billion in 2009.59 Half
of the subsidies paid last year were
$200,000,000
for commodity crops, a large portion
$‐ of which went to corn.60 Overall,
Texas Iowa Illinois Kansas Minnesota North Dakota California South Dakota Missouri New York
New York State ranked 29th in the
country for total farm subsidies in
2009, receiving only 1 percent of all
Source: NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets. Ag Facts. 2009. and Environmental Working Group
federal farm support.61 Even shifting
The New York State Department rect in Long Island City has greatly an additional 1 percent of national
of Agriculture and Markets has expanded and marketed its new subsidies would be the equivalent
actively marketed state products line of local products to customers. of what 211,000 New York City
to city agencies, wholesalers and Whole Foods has also implemented residents spend on fruits and veg-
distributors. In partnership with the a corporate policy of purchasing re- etables in a given year.62 The most
State Department of Agricultural gional products for its retail stores. recent Farm Bill in 2008 represented
and Markets, the New York City While these mainstream outlets are some progress, increasing the pro-
Department of Education is already considered to offer good products, portion of fresh fruit and vegetable
procuring dairy and some produce they generally cater to consumers producers receiving subsidies. As
from the region. However, private with bigger food budgets. The suc- the next Farm Bill approaches, New
companies have also responded cess and growth of farms selling to York stakeholders must again ad-
independently to the growing these outlets demonstrate not only vocate for federal support for fresh,
consumer demand for regional strong consumer demand for these healthy, sustainable operations in
products. For example, Fresh Di- kinds of products, but also the way the region.
n
2010
ta
at
follow state law and local regulations in
nh
Ma
their procurement practices. Through
advocating for both state and local
policy change, the City Council intends
Queens
to further encourage regional food
procurement to support and expand
our regional farming operations.
Brooklyn
Proposals:
Staten Island
• Track and encourage regional
food procurement.
Source: JustFood
One way in which the city can support
regional farming is to encourage local
agencies to procure regionally pro-
duced food for its meal programs. The
New York City Department of Educa-
tion (DOE) has begun to purchase
some produce from New York State and
surrounding states, and much of the 23
milk served in meal programs comes
from regional dairies. However, this
procurement has, thus far, occurred on
an ad hoc basis. As their food distribu-
tor contracts come due for renewal, the
DOE should consider including require-
ments to track food sourcing from their
newly contracted distributors. As a first
step, the City Council is introducing
legislation requiring city agencies to
report the sources of the food served
in their meal programs.
Photo Credit: Mina Pekovic
25
Proposals:
• Protect community gardens.
13,934 - 51,059
at
217,290 - 335,450
579,948 - 633,228
Agriculture. This annual census counts
Queens all farms by county if they produce at
least $1,000 worth of product each
year. Many of the city’s moderately
sized and larger community gardens
would qualify as farms by this federal
Brooklyn definition. However, these gardens are
Staten Island not yet officially recognized as urban
farms because gardeners do not track
and report the financial value of the
food they grow. Currently, only 20
farms in New York City are counted by
the Census of Agriculture.98 By educat-
Source: Data courtesy of Mara Gittleman
GOal 3
Generate growth and
Photo Credit: William Alatriste
Proposals:
• Build a commercial kitchen
incubator for start-ups.
GOal 4
Increase regional
outreach through our New Yorkers 4 To make this information more readily products processed in
Markets campaign, collecting over one available, the City Council will pursue and for New york City.
thousand signatures from residents the following two initiatives.
Preserving and Revitalizing theOurMoore
who support the revitalization of these city’s rich cultural diversity has
Proposals:
critical assets. This type of outreach resulted in an abundance of specialty
Street Market in Brooklyn, New York
37
is imperative for helping to build a and ethnic foods across the five bor-
customer base for these public mar-
• Create an online resource oughs. As Americans’ palates have
kets. Additionally, we have provided center for food manufacturers. become more diverse, the demand for
significant financial investment in the these products has increased, boosting
Moore Street Market. As a result, this EDC and the city’s Department of our local manufacturers. Now consum-
market will be undergoing renovation Small Business Services (SBS) have ers are demanding regional foods,
to revitalize the retail space and attract individual web pages devoted to “value-added” products, and fresh
new vendors. various industries that explain what convenience foods.110 The growing
programs and benefits are available popularity of farmers markets and com-
StRatEGy: to help businesses in each indus- munity supported agriculture (CSA) has
Provide technical try grow. However, none of these also brought an increased demand for
assistance to food specifically target the needs of food regional products that are processed,
manufacturers. manufacturers. To better market the or “value-added” products like yogurts,
space, capital, technical assistance cheeses, jams, mixed salad greens,
Just as with any type of business, ac- and other benefits available, the City and baked goods. Finding a steady
cessing or even identifying available Council will partner with SBS Business supply of regional ingredients presents
resources can be difficult for food Express to create a one-stop resource a challenge for some processors and
manufacturers. There are numerous page for food manufacturers. food service establishments. Likewise,
types of business assistance available, for some institutions obtaining lightly
from the city’s Small Business Services • Establish a workshops series processed foods, such as washed and
Department to the Capital Access to assist food manufacturers. packaged greens, is a barrier to purchas-
Loan Guarantee Program administered ing regional food. It is much easier and
by the Economic Development Corpo- To support food manufacturers in less staff intensive to obtain pre-washed
ration, Citibank, and Accion.109 Many accessing available resources, we rec- and cut produce than to receive raw
businesses are unaware of these pro- ommend that EDC conduct outreach product that requires additional prepara-
grams, or even that the city may have to food manufacturing businesses and tion before use. These kinds of interim
available space for rent or purchase. hold informational workshops. A similar processing activities are an important
STRaTeGY:
Expand on the current vision Source: NYC Economic Development Corporation
for the Hunts Point Food Distri- 43
bution Center to maximize its the world’s largest food distribution Since the Hunts Point markets were
potential. center.124 Its meat, fish, and produce originally built in the late 1960s, they
markets house over 200 businesses have served the New York City and
A significant amount of our food trav- that employ over 12,400 people.125 It regional market well. But as with
els through a small number of large is the lynchpin of the New York City any older piece of infrastructure,
distribution centers in the city – most distribution system that feeds 9 per- their age and limited capacity are
significantly Hunts Point in the Bronx, cent of the U.S. population.126 showing. The produce market is 50
percent over capacity, causing busi-
nesses to use overflow storage in
diesel trucks. These trucks run con-
Hunts Point Food Distribution Center
stantly, using fuel and releasing CO2
into the surrounding environment.
Traffic congestion, aging infrastruc-
ture, and the capacity issues at the
produce market have come at a cost
to its competitive advantage. These
problems, along with new competi-
tion from large national businesses
and the new produce market in
Philadelphia, threaten the future
growth of the market.
44 nomic activity. Because of capacity, to expanding one part of the facility at a part of the equation. The Hunts
infrastructural, and governmental Hunts Point, the city should reassess Point produce market supplies fully 60
issues, Hunts Point will require an what more could be achieved through percent of the city’s produce.128 Yet
expanded and coordinated vision an expanded vision for the entire com- it is well over capacity and in desper-
and investment to maximize its po- plex. In addition to the development ate need of new space. The city must
tential for the city and region. EDC of a permanent wholesale farmers invest in redeveloping this vital market
published a Hunts Point Vision plan market discussed earlier in this report, not only to ensure a growing supply of
in 2004 after a year-long task force.127 three key components should be fresh produce into the city but also to
This task force considered issues fac- included and are outlined below. create new business activity for its ven-
ing the Hunts Point peninsula, which dors. The estimated $320-350 million
includes both the residential area and Proposals: redevelopment plan for the market
the food distribution center. A series could increase capacity by as much as
of short-term proposals emerged • Redevelop the Hunts Point Pro- 33 percent,129 eliminating the need for
to address the tension between the duce Market. storage in large trailers that constantly
different needs among residents and consume diesel fuel and impact air
businesses. These included address- As public health research has dem- quality with heavy emissions. Working
ing traffic safety, local land use issues onstrated, consumption of fruits and through the produce market co-op-
between the residential and industrial vegetables is integral to maintaining erative, EDC, and other city, state and
areas, and nearby residents’ need for health. Through the Health Bucks federal partners, the produce market
employment opportunities. program, Food Retail Expansion to can be an example to other markets
Support Health (FRESH) initiative, throughout the country and world.
While a good effort to improve the Green Carts program, nutrition educa-
relationship between local residents tion programs, and numerous other • Increase rail service through the
and the distribution center, this plan efforts, city agencies and organizations Hunts Point Distribution Center.
does not include a vision for capitaliz- have been working diligently to in-
ing on Hunts Point to achieve citywide crease consumption of fresh produce. The vast majority of food transported
health, economic, and environmental Ensuring New Yorkers have a stable through Hunts Point Produce Mar-
goals. Rather than limiting their focus supply of fresh produce must also be ket – 97 percent – is transported by
50
Adult Obesity in New York City
11.2% - 21.3%
at
nh
21.4% - 25.7%
Ma
25.8% - 32.1%
32.2% - 44.2%
Queens
Brooklyn
Staten Island
Source: NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene. Community Health Survey 2008
food, but bodegas and fast food es- Food insecurity, or this absence of behavioral disturbances.143 This in
tablishments are in abundant supply. resources to purchase food, impacts turn causes more frequent absences
This type of environment greatly af- 1.62 times more households with from school and an inability to
fects New Yorkers’ food choices and children than households without concentrate, which impacts educa-
encourages poor health outcomes. children.142 Food insecurity is the tional performance.144 However, the
first domino in a line of other health problem is not isolated to individual
For over one million New Yorkers, and economic problems. Pregnant children or families. It affects our
what they eat has less to do with women without adequate nutri- entire city as hindered learning
what type of food is available than tion are more likely to have babies becomes hindered productivity and
what financial resources they have with low birth weight and develop- as chronic health problems among
to buy food. Not only do they mental delays. Children who lack some residents cause higher health
struggle to afford healthy food, but adequate food are more prone to care costs for everyone. In short,
they are unable to buy enough food health problems from frequent colds these health issues are shared by
for themselves and their families. and anemia, to developmental and everyone and are not sustainable.
Ratio
food in many neighborhoods is an
opportunity to expand retail busi-
ness and create hundreds of new
jobs. The goals below describe our
plan to create a healthier food en-
vironment, make healthy food more
affordable and accessible to all New
Yorkers, and combat food insecurity
while also stimulating the economy
through demand for good food.
Source: USDA. ERS. Food CPI and Expenditures. Food at Home and Food Away from Home. 1954-2009
GOAl 7 While many New Yorkers may not be better weight and health outcomes.
able to transition entirely to home- To achieve our goal of creating a
Create a healthier cooked meals, having the knowl- healthier food environment, the
food environment. edge to make healthier choices is an City Council will pursue three strat-
important step toward combating egies: 1) expanding fresh food re-
Over the past two generations, obesity and diet-related disease. tail, 2) supporting existing healthy
52 Americans have experienced dra- food outlets, and 3) discouraging
matic changes in our food environ- Unfortunately for many New Yorkers, unhealthy food consumption.
ment. These changes have affected their food environment does not sup-
our relationship with food and our port consumption of nutritious foods STRATeGY:
health outcomes. Compounding or healthy outcomes. Approximately Expand fresh food retail in
the price disparity between healthy 3 million people across the city do underserved areas of the city.
and unhealthy foods is the fact that not have adequate access to fresh
we are now cooking fewer meals at food retail.148 This severe shortage is While millions of New Yorkers are
home, relying on food service es- exemplified in residents’ low con- without easy access to a grocery store,
tablishments for more of our meals. sumption of fresh fruits and veg- nearly all New Yorkers live near an
Both our caloric intake away from etables. In several neighborhoods unhealthy food outlet.150 As a result,
home and the amount of money – South Bronx, Pelham/Throggs many of us do not consume adequate
we spend on food away from home Neck, East New York, Jamaica – 20 to fruits and vegetables, are obese or
have dramatically increased over 25 percent of people report eating overweight, and suffer from costly
the past 30 years. In the 1970s, New no fruits or vegetables in a given day diet-related diseases. Additionally,
Yorkers spent 27.8 percent of their even though recommended intake New York City is losing as much as $1
food budget away from home and is 5 to 7 servings.149 Not surprisingly, billion in grocery store sales each year
consumed 18 percent of their calo- in these same neighborhoods we to surrounding suburban areas due
ries outside the home.145 By 2003, also see a shortage of grocery stores to a lack of stores in many neighbor-
45.6 percent of our food budget and a higher prevalence of diet- hoods.151 The City could gain as many
purchased meals away from home related diseases. Through programs as 100 new grocery stores to fulfill this
and in 2008, 35 percent of our calo- to support local food businesses need.152 With each new grocery store
ries were consumed eating out.146 like supermarkets, bodegas, food employee contributing $2,800 to the
Although eating out does not neces- co-operatives, and Green Carts, the city’s tax base, the economic impact
sarily mean healthy choices are not city can restore a healthier balance of of additional grocery stores is consid-
available, restaurant and take-out options in neighborhoods. In doing erable.153 Through the Food Retail
meals tend to be higher in calories so, New Yorkers will enjoy increased Expansion to Support Health (FRESH)
than meals we prepare at home.147 availability of fresh foods to support program, the city is now directing
high
med
low
53
Proposals:
• Aggressively market the FRESH
Program.
Brooklyn
Staten Island
In 2007, the City Council partnered
with the Food Trust in Philadelphia Source: NYC Dept. of City Planning
to identify “food deserts,” or areas
with a severe shortage of fresh
food access. This work launched a
broader effort in partnership with the for eliminating them. The result businesses that expand or create
Bloomberg Administration to form was FRESH, the first program of its new grocery stores in targeted areas.
a Supermarket Commission whose kind in the country. This program, The FRESH zones currently cover
goal was not only to identify food launched last year, provides financial three areas in the city identified as
deserts, but also develop strategies benefits and zoning incentives to the highest need based on health
do not frequently offer the types of farmers, regional products can find
fresh foods that support a healthy a new retail outlet in these bodegas.
diet. Instead, they generally special- Not only will this kind of investment
ize in processed, shelf-stable food and collaboration improve the food
Restaurants
40.0
food, and merchandising.
Restaurants
1956
35.0 Federal
FoodFood
• Create neighborhood healthy
Aid
Highway
1958
Act
food guides. 30.0
FastFast
Burger King
Opens
1969
Purchases at at
25.0 Wendy's
MealPurchases
The city boasts hundreds of healthy 1948 1st
Opens
Drive-thru
food venues – from farmers markets 20.0
1962 Taco
Bell Opens
Meal
15.0
duce stands. However, locating all
of Home
1937
Home
McDonald's
Out
task. Additionally, for policymakers,
of Outofof
PercentPercent
performing a thorough assessment of 5.0
60
Source: Food Research and Action Center. “School Breakfast in America’s Big Cities.” December 2009
quality of institutional meal programs from scratch.209 Some of the remaining • Expand salad bars in schools.
that the city should make a long-term schools are not able to prepare whole
goal for addressing. The City Council’s foods for meals because they lack a Currently, 586 of the 1,500 public
strategy for improving the nutrition kitchen. Additionally, many public hos- schools across the city have salad
62 of institutional meals will be to ex- pitals also lack the ability to cook whole bars in their cafeterias.210 These
pand the capacity of city agencies to meals on-site. Partly due to financial salad bars have been a success-
cook whole foods through infrastruc- constraints, hospitals centralized their ful means for increasing children’s
tural improvements. food preparation and have meals dis- access to fresh, healthy foods, and
tributed and reheated on-site. also for increasing their consumption
STRATeGY: of fresh produce. Because children
Expand the capacity of city PROPOSAlS: are able to select their salad ingre-
agencies to cook whole foods dients, these salad bars have been
for nutritious meals. • Agency kitchen capital popular among children of all ages.
investment and staff training. Moreover, these salad bars have the
City meals sites, like schools and hospi- potential to bring regional produce
tals that serve a high volume of meals, Having a fully equipped and staffed in season to the school food pro-
face infrastructural issues and a short- kitchen in every school or hospital gram. The city should therefore
age of trained staff to prepare whole is not practical in the short-term. aggressively expand this program to
foods. The DOE has already commit- However, investment in the institu- as many schools as possible in the
ted some new staff and resources over tions that are ready and able to begin coming years.
the past several years to improve the cooking whole foods should be
quality of the meals they serve students. pursued in the coming years. Ad-
They hired a culinary director and estab- ditionally, for those institutions, there GOAl 10
lished a new program to test and plan must be an investment in staff train-
new meals. However, many of their ing. In this way, the city can begin to Increase quantity and
kitchens are not conducive to cooking transform the types of meals it serves quality of opportunities
whole foods. They lack updated equip- to millions of school children, pa- for food, nutrition and
ment and systems required for the safe, tients, seniors, and other New Yorkers cooking knowledge.
efficient, handling of raw ingredients. Of every day. The city should therefore
the approximately 1,500 public schools commit to long-term infrastructural Along with a healthier food environ-
citywide, some of which share buildings, improvement in sites that serve a ment and meal options, consum-
only 300 of them are able to cook meals high volume of meals. ers must also be equipped with
63
STrATEGY:
Other Materials, 15.1%
Food Scraps, 21.4% Improve the net environmental
impact associated with food
procured by city agencies and
institutions.
GOAl 12
Increase resource recap-
ture in the food system.
Much of our food system can now
be categorized as an open system,
with byproducts at each phase being
diverted to various waste streams.
Our goal is to close this system where
possible and treat these byproducts as STrATEGY: are working to increase composting.
resources to be reinvested. Packaging, Increase residential, The following initiatives intend to build
whether plastic, paper, glass, or metal, commercial, and governmental on and support those efforts.
used in the processing and transport composting.
of food can be recycled and reused as • Establish a voluntary
other materials. Additionally, organic The city currently disposes of approxi- household composting program.
scraps from growing, manufacturing, mately 3.3 million tons of residential
household cooking, and institutional waste per year, 21 percent of which is Through grassroots efforts, a few farm-
kitchens, can be recaptured for com- food scraps.229 This represents a larger ers markets in the city accept compost
posting and reused as inputs into the portion of the overall waste stream than hand-delivered by residents who source
production of food. The advent of new all designated recyclable metals, glass, separate at home. The largest of these
technologies is helping to close this and plastics and non-recyclable plastics programs occurs at the Union Square
system nationally, and we must con- combined.230 Additionally, the com- Farmers Market with the assistance of the
tinue to explore their adoption here. mercial waste stream is an estimated Lower East Side Ecology Center. This
The strategies listed outline our plan 3.2 million tons each year, 18 percent program accepts approximately 12,000
to increase resource capture by ex- of which is food waste.231 Currently, pounds each week, or 312 tons each
panding composting, ensuring that very little of this organic matter is col- year. While an admirable program, this 71
more of the materials we consume lected for composting, although some represents only approximately .04 percent
are recyclable, and recycling as much not-for-profit organizations, individual of all residential compostable materials.
of these materials as possible. households, and commercial carters Due to the popularity of this program,
the City Council will be expanding it in
partnership with Green Markets to three
Compostable and Compostable
Non-Compostable Fractions of NYC'sPortion
and Non-Compostable Residential Waste additional farmers markets throughout
of NYC's Waste Stream the city. In the first year, the program
will increase household composting by
225 tons. While still a small portion of
Other
23%
the potential waste stream, the program
capitalizes on the support for composting
Compostable (e.g. food, in the city and, where possible, immedi-
tissues, napkins, waxed
paper, soiled paper ately begins to implement new programs.
napkins, cups, yard By recapturing these source-separated
trimming)
41%
organic materials, we are also diverting
this byproduct from consumers into a
stream to use the materials as a resource
for growing food.
REPORTING ON CITY FOOD SYSTEM DATA Our report identifies initiatives and best practices with
The more we explored our food system for this real potential to strengthen our food system at this
report, the more gaps we discovered in basic data moment in our city’s history. But this report is far from
about food the city buys and serves and the im- the final word on food system development in the
pacts of various food-related programs. Until we city. Rather, it is the beginning of a conversation with
have more comprehensive information about our New Yorkers. The story of our food system is a story of
food system, our attempts to improve it can only change, and like any blueprint, FoodWorks must con-
be partial solutions. Therefore, the City Council tinue to evolve and incorporate new ideas and realities.
will introduce legislation that will allow us to better
understand the current state of our food system, Changing any large-scale system takes time and
monitor changes, and provide a foundation for fu- commitment. The effects of these efforts will not be
ture work. This reporting bill will establish metrics at felt overnight. But we can no longer afford to ignore
each phase of the food system to determine where growing problems with our food system. We must
city purchased food comes from, whether our local seize opportunities to build a system that truly serves
processors are benefiting from city programs, the our changing needs – just as generations of New York-
reach and quality of our agency meal programs, our ers and Americans have done so many times before.
progress toward eliminating hunger, and the envi-
ronmental sustainability of our Hunts Point markets. We already have the tools in place; now we have a
By passing this legislation, we will be better able plan. All we need is the will to see these changes
to measure the effectiveness of current efforts and through, to make smart decisions, and to leave a
target future initiatives. system that is stronger, healthier, and more sustainable
for future generations.
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