The Food Committee is now the Resilient Food Systems Committee. Meetings will remain on the last Wednesday of the month at 7pm. Register here.
The new name better reflects the focus of the committee: Building resilient food systems is essential to addressing the climate crisis. From urban farms and community gardens to sustainable agriculture and reduced food waste, we have the power to transform how we grow, distribute, and consume food in Los Angeles and beyond. By strengthening local food networks, we can reduce our carbon footprint, improve food security, and create healthier, more equitable communities. Our committee works to promote solutions that nourish both people and the planet.
We sometimes forget all the amazing things we are accomplishing, so we wanted to share our key projects from 2025.
Developed a community guide on obtaining USDA Farm Numbers for urban farmers, breaking down eligibility requirements, application steps, and access to federal funding opportunities, conservation programs, and disaster assistance for small-scale and urban agricultural operations.
Developed the Local Food Resources LA guide, a community resource connecting residents to farmers' markets, urban farms, community gardens, and food pantries across LA County, designed as a starting point for exploring local food access options.
The Resilient Food Systems Committee successfully advocated for one of its recommendations—to make the Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production Advisory Committee permanent—to be adopted as one of the Secretary of Agriculture's six official recommendations for the year.
Hosted Margaret To from From Soil to Soul, a documentary series amplifying the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color farmers, regenerative practitioners, and food activists who are building food sovereignty and transforming communities' relationships with food, land, and each other.
Hosted Prema Walker from Prema's Permaculture, an SB 1383 advocate and implementation consultant who has helped divert over 600,000 pounds of food waste from landfills through her work advancing composting and organic waste reduction across the region.
One of the projects we’re focusing on in 2026 is the USDA Urban Programs initiative in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles is one of only a small number of cities piloting Urban County Committees, and it’s also slated to host an Urban Service Center. These new initiatives will need continued support through the next Farm Bill. This project will highlight early successes, increase awareness and use of USDA resources among urban growers, and reinforce the value of these programs with policymakers.
We’re looking forward to seeing you at our next meeting on January 28, 2026, and we’d love to hear what resilient food systems projects you’re working on or would like to take on. Register here.