Phoenix Food Action Plan

All people living in Phoenix should have enough to eat and have access to affordable, hea​lthy, local, and culturally appropriate food.

Strategy 1: Incorporate agriculture, food processing, and distribution into existing and future land use plans with an initial focus on designated food desert areas. Collaborate with key partners to facilitate new opportunities for urban-scale gardens, farms, gleaning, and distribution systems.

• ​​Progress on Action: The City's Planning and Development Department included health as a main planning element in the 2022 South Central Transit-Oriented Development Plan, which emphasizes key aspects of the built environment that impact public health and the availability of healthy foods.
• Progress on Action: Since 2020​, the Funds to Feed Program facilitated by LISC has delivered approximately 5 million meals to Phoenix residents impacted by COVID-19.  ​
• Progress on Action: From 2020 through 2023, the Feed Phoenix program, facilitated by Local First Arizona Foundation, has worked with 25 local farms, 55 restaurants​, and 43 distribution centers to serve 379,759 meals, 17,200 holiday meals, and 15,375 bags of fresh produce to COVID-impacted families in Phoenix.

Strategy 2: ​ Use existing or develop new financial resources for food production and infrastructure. 

• Progress on Action: OEP received a total of $16.7 million in funding from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund and the American Rescue Plan Act for the Phoenix Resilient Food System Initiative which is funding 14 programs in all spectrums of the food system. 
• Progress on Action:​ OEP established a municipally funded Food Systems Program in 2021 with funding for staff and programmatic activities.​
• ​Progress on Action: Between 2022 and 2024, OEP provided $3,137,974​ in grants through the Food System Transformation, Agri-Food Technology Innovation, and Resilient & Sustainable Agriculture programs to small, local businesses and nonprofits in the local food system to fund projects promoting a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable food system, including improving food security and accessibility, adopting sustainable practices, and creating jobs.
• Progress on Action: The Agrivoltaics Project will provide funds to establish a container vertical farm with photovoltaics to a small business for food production project that incorporates solar energy, water efficiency and agriculture. The funding directly assists the business with up to 20% of the produce donated to the local community surrounding the project site.  The project site is located with a high COVID-19 impacted and disadvantaged community. This project will be initiated July 2024.
• Progress on Action: As of 2024, OEP's Phoenix Backyard Garden Program​, which has received over $1.6 million in funding from the City since 2022, has installed 276 free garden systems in the backyards of over 780 residents living in food deserts, low-income, and COVID-impacted neighborhoods, promoting healthy eating, physical activity, and reducing food insecurity by offering a choice of three gardening systems with training and support for one year included. ​
• Progress on Action: In 2023, OEP and Arizona State University established an AgriFood Tech Incubator, Cultivate PHX, to accelera​te ventures in sustainable food systems and agriculture while generating sustainable and equitable economic impact.​ As of June 2024, $251,500 has been allocated to 4 business ventures registered in the program. 
• ​Progress on Action: The Farm to Food Banks Program, implemented by St. Mary's Food Bank, provided funds to purchase local fresh produce from Phoenix-based farmers to increase produce in food boxes distributed by St. Mary's to Phoenix residents and was completed in August 2023. ​St. Mary's purchased and distributed 53,932 pounds of produce to 43,563 Phoenix households in the course of the program.

Strategy 3: Partner​ with schools and others to support and promote education for youth and adults.

• ​​​Progress on Action: ​OEP is partnering with Cartwright and Roosevelt School District to facilitate aquaponic garden training for our Backyar​d Garden Program​ participants. 
• Progress on Action: In 2023, OEP and Arizona State University launched Food Waste Watchers, a free program that provides residents in food deserts and COVID-19-impacted areas with composting education and access to a compost service to reduce food waste, save money, and reduce their carbon footprint.​ As of June 2024, there are 31 participants in the program and 1,822 pounds of food waste has been composted.

Businesses that produce, process, distribute, and sell local and healthy food should be recognized as integral to the economy and encouraged to grow and thrive in Phoenix.

​​Strategy 2: Incorporate agriculture, food processing, and distribution into existing and future economic development plans.

• ​​​Progress on Action: Food System Entrepreneurship & Innovation strategy adopted in the Phoenix Economic Development Action Plan for Fiscal Year 20-21 to support, promote, and enhance entrepreneurship, innovation and community resilience within each step of the local food system. 

Strategy 4: Partner with stakeholders to support and promote a Buy Local Food campaign.

• Progress on Action: OEP launched Phoenix: Let's Eat Local!​ with Local First Arizona in February 2023 in conjunction with Super Bowl 2023. The campaign encouraged residents to celebrate and learn about Phoenix's local food communities while promoting stronger food systems and supporting local businesses. It highlighted five neighborhoods with rich histories and dynamic food scenes: South Phoenix, Roosevelt Row/Melrose, Nuestros Barrios Unidos/Eastlake Park, Miracle Mile, and Maryvale.​​

Growing food in Phoenix and the region should be easy and valued whether for personal use or for business.

Strategy 1: Update codes and ordinances where appropriate to eliminate barriers and encourage developing a healthy food infrastructure.

• Progress on Action: In 2022, OEP and the Planning and Development Department contracted with a consultant to assist in developing an Urban Agriculture Text Amendment that will clarify and update city codes and ordinances.

Strategy 2: Explore development of agriculture community land trusts and/or preservation mechanisms.​

• Progress on Action: Initiated a City Farmland Preservation Interdepartmental Work Group to identify opportunities to conserve existing urban farmland and create future innovative food production.
• ​Progress on Action: Collaborated with the Coalition for Farmland Preservation and the Maricopa County Food Systems Coalition to create more access to land for food production.
• Progress on Action: Supported research efforts of the Maricopa County Food Coalition in creating a Farmland Preservation Toolkit.

Strategy 3: Explore the utilization of city of Phoenix owned parcels as opportunities for urban agriculture, focused on food deserts within irrigation district.

• Progress on Action: Developed an inventory of city-owned land through the Farmland Preservation Interdepartmental Work Group available for food production.

Strategy 4: Support the growth of land uses that contribute to a healthy and sustainable food system (i.e. grocery stores, community gardens, urban farms and other urban agriculture elements).

• Progress on Action: ​Executing this strategy through multiple ARPA programs, including the various grant programs.
• ​Progress on Action: Between 2022 and 2024, OEP provided $3,137,974​ in grants through the Food System Transformation, Agri-Food Technology Innovation, and Resilient & Sustainable Agriculture programs to small, local businesses and non-profits in the local food system to fund projects promoting a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable food system, including improving food security and
• accessibility, adopting sustainable practices, and creating jobs.​

Strategy 5: Use existing and explore new job training resources, where feasible, and partner with others to provide training opportunities.

• Progress on Action: Initiated two workforce training programs. 
• The Urban Agriculture Fellowship paired 11 fellows with 8 host farms to train the next generation of growers for a year-long, paid program. This program concluded in 2023.
• The Sustainable Cooperative Food Business Training program​ has trained 5 cohorts since 2022, including one Spanish only cohort.

Food-related waste should be prevented, reused, or recycled. Sustainable food production practices that maintain a healthy environment are desired. 

Strategy 1:  Update codes and ordinances to clarify food waste diversion, i.e., composting opportunities.​

• Progress on Action:  In 2022, OEP and the Planning and Development Department contracted with a consultant to assist in developing an Urban Agriculture Text Amendment that will clarify and update city codes and ordinances.

Strategy 2: Support and promote methods to prevent edible food from entering the waste stream.​

• Progress on Action: In 2023, OEP is launching a pilot food waste reduction challenge called Project REDUCE​ with the help of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Food Matters Initiative, Recycled City, Waste Not, and Chef Chris Lenza. The project aimed to reduce food waste from restaurants and divert it from landfills through prevention, surplus food rescue, and composting. Nine restaurants participated in the program, diverting over 31,000 pounds of food from the landfill over the 10-week course of the program. For Phase 2, the City is issuing a new microgrant program in 2024 to support local restaurants in piloting simple, convenient, and innovative food waste prevention solutions.   ​ ​
  
• Progress on Action:  In 2023, OEP and Arizona State University launched Food Waste Watchers, a free program that provides residents in food deserts and COVID-19-impacted areas with composting education and access to a compost service to reduce food waste, save money, and reduce their carbon footprint.  As of June 2024, there are 31 participants in the program and 1,822 pounds of food waste has been composted.​ 2023, OEP will launch a Food Waste and Composting Education Program. 
  

Strategy 3: Promote and support sustainable practices in all areas of the food system.

• Progress on Action: From 2022 to 2024, OEP provided $3,137,974 in grants through the Food System Transformation, Agri-Food Technology Innovation, and Resilient & Sustainable Agriculture​ programs to small, local businesses and nonprofits in the local food system to fund projects promoting a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable food system, including improving food security and accessibility, adopting sustainable practices, and creating jobs.

Develop policies and actions that address local and global challenges posed by climate change, urbanization, political and economic crises, population growth, and other factors.​ ​

Strategy 2: Convene local food producers with city staff, leaders, and elected officials to build trust and understanding.

• ​​Progress on Action: OEP in partnership with Local First Arizona Foundation, the Coalition for Farmland Preservation, Pinnacle Prevention, and Council Districts 7 and 8, four convenings were held with local food producers from 2020 to 2023.​