Hon. Paula Brooks Franklin County Commissioner

1. Food System Security/Sustainability Brief Remarks 2014 State Food Policy Summit Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4H CenterThe Ohio State UniversityMay 27th, 2014 Hon. Paula Brooks Franklin County Commissioner Member, President’s Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience

2. National Climate Assessment Briefing • 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 • 3rd Meeting in Des Moines, Iowa on 5/14/14 at the historic World Food Prize LEED Platinum building

3. USA and Ohio’s Largest Industry: Agriculture • 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)

4. Food System Security/Sustainability Highlighted Focus • 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)

5. Food System Security/Sustainability • 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

6. Franklin County Food System Security/Sustainability • 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

7. Connect! • We need your fresh ideas on how to remove barriers, shift investments, and build resilience! • Paula Brooks • 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., 26th Floor • Columbus, Ohio 43215 • 614-525-5729 • Paula.Brooks@FranklinCountyOhio.gov • @PaulaBrooksOhio • @FranklinCoOhio • #ActOnClimate

8. Resources • 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/legacy-news/10BCE120-A48D-83C0-FD1E72AD6C06FCE9.pdf