title
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ACTION PLAN
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
Information only. No Council action is required.
body
Summary
The Economic Development Strategic Plan adopted by the City Council in February 2015 includes a focus on food and agriculture with manufacturing, food processing, and agricultural technologies identified as core business clusters for the region. To assist in the implementation of the Strategic Plan, the Economic Development Department partnered with Valley Vision to develop a Food and Agriculture Action Plan for Stockton and the surrounding region.
DISCUSSION
Background
In February 2015, the Stockton City Council adopted a comprehensive Economic Development Strategic Plan with the intent of providing a five-year road map for the City in determining where to allocate resources and identify priorities. The Strategic Plan includes specific action items geared towards creating new job opportunities, encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation, enhancing fiscal sustainability, and increasing private investment throughout the community. The goal is to establish a more collaborative approach to economic development throughout the City by partnering with both internal and external stakeholders.
The Strategic Plan is broken down into three Strategic Initiatives:
o Core Economic Development - programs directly focused on business retention/attraction/expansion, entrepreneurial development, and related education/workforce development initiatives.
o Quality of Life - initiatives focused on improving Stockton’s overall attractiveness to residents, visitors, businesses, and employees.
o Foundational - initiatives addressing public safety and Stockton’s physical capacity for new development and investment.
A total of 67 action items are included in the Strategic Plan, and a recommended priority level was identified based on input from stakeholder participants, City staff, and City Council.
Present Situation
The Strategic Plan includes a focus on food and agriculture with manufacturing, food processing and agricultural technologies identified as core business clusters for the region, which is further expanded in the Plan’s Core Economic Development initiative and linked to its Quality of Life initiative.
To assist in the implementation of the Strategic Plan, the Economic Development Department worked with Valley Vision to develop a Food and Agriculture Action Plan (Attachment A) for Stockton and the surrounding region. The Action Plan is intended to serve as a guide by focusing on priority actions that:
• Create a supportive enterprise ecosystem
• Strengthen communities by helping to address food insecurity
• Leverage the region’s agricultural bounty and entrepreneurial spirit
To develop the Action Plan, a series of stakeholder meetings were held. Representation included a cross sector of participants, including food processors and growers, urban agriculturists, health advocates, government entities, nonprofits, transportation providers, and businesses. During the initial meeting, opportunities, challenges, assets and gaps in leveraging food and agriculture assets were discussed. At the following two meetings, opportunities and challenges were narrowed and prioritized with specific actions identified. The following were identified as the top six objectives by participating stakeholders:
1. Local Policy: create a policy environment that supports urban agriculture.
2. Food Insecurity: increase the amount of fresh, local produce available in existing retailers in food deserts.
3. Branding: expand ‘Stocked Full of Flavor’ brand or create a separate local or regional brand focusing on agricultural products that can also be used to address food deserts.
4. Jobs: expand workforce development opportunities to create a workforce that is prepared to meet changing technology needs.
5. Food Economy: grow value-added food manufacturing.
6. Education: increase educational opportunities about the value of eating fresh and local.
A table identifying each objective with strategies and actions for achieving them, as well as assets, timelines, and lead organizations, are included in the Action Plan. A few examples include:
• City and community work collaboratively; create an urban agriculture ordinance to fit Stockton.
• Work with existing programs, such as Refresh San Joaquin, to supply fresh, local produce to existing stores in food deserts, including helping convenience stores to carry produce.
• Expand and bring awareness to ‘Stockton Full of Flavor’ brand.
• Streamline permitting process to provide an attractive environment for food and agriculture manufacturing and processing.
The Action Plan represents a combination of all the data collected and stakeholder input, including priority goals and actions the City can take through partnerships with local and regional entities, to create wealth through a strong food economy.
Attachment A - Food and Agriculture Action Plan