Submitted by the Food System Team

Four years in the making, the draft Food System Plan for San Juan County is now available for public comment from Dec. 8 through 22.

Members of the public are invited to review the draft Food System Plan, available to view at https://sjiagguild.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Food-System-Plan-for-SJC_DRAFT.pdf for San Juan County and give high-level feedback: What works well? What’s missing? What recommendations do you have that would strengthen this document? What suggestions do you have regarding implementation?

Please use this form to share your input: FSP for SJC_Feedback Form, available at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeNICxEBfwC8Sml5vYIbfs86l4Kptkq8pRJq32SyTP8KpmnuA/viewform

The Food System Plan is a comprehensive, practical, and intentional resource designed to equitably relocalize the county’s food system. Guided by the San Juan County Food System Team – a grassroots, ad hoc body of local food system leaders – the Plan was developed through a multi-phase engagement and research process and provides community-identified goals to address critical needs and opportunities associated with San Juan County’s food system.

A companion document to the San Juan County Community Food Assessment, the Plan offers five goals with accompanying objectives and strategies that will lead to a resilient food future:

Scale Up Local Food Production

Steward Land and Enhance Ecosystems

Ensure Access to Healthy Food

Reduce Waste

Build Regional Connections

Following the public comment period, the Food System Team will incorporate feedback and publish the finalized Plan in early 2024. Islanders interested in getting involved in the work ahead – creating Action Guides for each goal – are encouraged to reach out to the Food System Team at foodsystem.sjc@gmail.com to learn more.

Thank you to the hundreds of people who have already engaged with this effort and who care so deeply about the San Juan Islands’ food system. The Food System Team looks forward to continued collaboration and community engagement in the work ahead!