Brief Remarks
2014 State Food Policy Summit
Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4H Center
The Ohio State University
May 27 th , 2014
Franklin County Commissioner
Member, President’s Task Force on
Climate Preparedness and Resilience
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Dr. John Holdren, Chief Advisor to
President Obama for Science and
Technology: Any short term gains in agriculture are outweighed by more pests, inundation, heat, and drought
3 rd Meeting in Des Moines, Iowa on 5/14/14 at the historic
World Food Prize LEED Platinum building
2

• OHFOOD & Thomas
Sporleder: 2010 study finding Agriculture is $11.7 billion or 11.7% of Ohio’s economic output, making it the largest industry
• In Ohio, the agrifood industry accounts for 14% of total employment (1 in 7 jobs)
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• Initial observations:
• Conserve existing agricultural lands
• Protect agricultural lands from increased pressures of invasive plants, pests, and disease
• Protect agricultural lands form extreme heat, precipitation, droughts, and flooding
Commissioner Brooks discusses Task Force with Mayor
Brainard, Mayor Zimmer, and Gov. Quinn (IL)
4

• Possible recommendations:
• Crop diversification to ensure that the food system is more resilient to climate change impacts by interrupting pest and weed life cycles, reducing the amount of herbicides and pesticides entering the environment, and by encouraging diverse soil biota
• Building and supporting local food infrastructure to prepare for climate impacts and create resiliency
• Local level food “supply chain” review and update to accommodate growth/loss of population
• Encourage federal investment in farm training and technology:
America’s average farmer age is 58!
foodday.org
steinershow.org
5

• Franklin County’s first community garden at Gantz
Road (2009)
• Central Ohio Local Food
Assessment and Plan (2010)
• Fresh Foods Here: Healthy
Retailing Options for Central
Ohio (2013)
• Resolution 809-13 solidified
Franklin County’s commitment building a strong and resilient local food system (2013)
• Your feedback?
The Commissioners pass resolution 809-13 joined by members of the Franklin County Local Food Policy Council in October 2013

We need your fresh ideas on how to remove barriers, shift investments, and build resilience!
Franklin County, Commissioner
Member, President’s Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience
Chair, Energy/Renewables Subcommittee for Energy Environment and Land Use
Steering Committee, National Association of Counties
373 S. High St., 26 th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-525-5729
Paula.Brooks@FranklinCountyOhio.gov
@PaulaBrooksOhio
@FranklinCoOhio
#ActOnClimate
7

• Fresh Foods Here: Healthy Retailing Options for Central Ohio (2013) http://liveunitedcentralohio.org/download/initiatives/fresh_foods_here/FFH-Retail-Research-Report-FNL-
2.pdf
• Central Ohio Local Food Assessment and Plan (2010) : http://www.morpc.org/pdf/morpc_localfoodbrochure_executivesummary.pdf
• Commissioners Adopt Local Food Policy: http://www.franklincountyohio.gov/ftp/cPub/legacynews/10BCE120-A48D-83C0-FD1E72AD6C06FCE9.pdf