FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Jeff Cronin, Center for Science in the Public Interest 

202-777-8370 

jcronin@cspinet.org 

(Read the post-event report)

Federal Food Purchasing Takes Center Stage at Summit Hosted by The George Washington University’s Global Food Institute and the Federal Good Food Purchasing Coalition 

WASHINGTON DC, MARCH 12, 2024 — The Global Food Institute at The George Washington University founded by José Andrés, in partnership with the Federal Good Food Purchasing Coalition and with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, hosted "The Future of Federal Food Purchasing: Transforming Policy & Practice" on March 11 and 12. The event brought together a diverse array of over 177 policymakers and food systems leaders to explore how food purchasing can be leveraged to advance the federal government’s goals for nutrition and health, climate mitigation, racial equity, economic competition, and worker well-being. 

The event featured expert panels, interactive sessions, and discussions focused on innovative solutions and policy frameworks to transform federal food purchasing and food service.   

Plenary speakers included: 

• José Andrés, Chef, Humanitarian, and Founder of the Global Food Institute and the World Central Kitchen 

• James P. McGovern, The Honorable Representative for Massachusetts’ Second District 

• Chellie Pingree, The Honorable Representative for Maine’s First District 

• Mara Fleishman, Chief Executive Officer, Chef Ann Foundation 

• Christine Harada, Senior Advisor, White House Office of Federal Procurement Policy 

• Madeline Janis, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Jobs to Move America 

• Brent Kim, Assistant Scientist, Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future 

• Cindy Long, Administrator, USDA, Food and Nutrition Service 

• Jose Oliva, Campaigns Director, HEAL Food Alliance 

• Arturo S. Rodríguez, President Emeritus, United Farm Workers 

• Bruce Summers, Administrator, USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service  

The event documented the myriad impacts of values-aligned federal food purchasing—with local, state, and some federal examples—and provided a concrete roadmap for policy change to capitalize on the social, environmental, and economic benefits of this purchasing, including: 

• leveraging the Food Service Guidelines for Federal Facilities to establish a government-wide policy for healthy, values-aligned food purchasing and food service; 

• expanding the availability of values-aligned food products and promoting equitable procurement in USDA's commodity food programs; 

• ensuring climate-friendly food purchasing and food service are key components of the federal government’s strategy to reduce procurement-related emissions; 

• creating public transparency for federal food purchasing through annual departmental reporting; and 

• incentivizing school districts to increase their values-aligned food purchasing.  

“With $9 billion in direct food spending every year, the federal government has immense power and responsibility to ensure its food purchasing supports a just, healthy, and sustainable food system,” said Jessi Silverman, senior policy associate at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a founding member of the Federal Good Food Purchasing Coalition. “Thank you to the policymakers and food system stakeholders who participated in this important conversation about the future of federal food purchasing.” 

About the Federal Good Food Purchasing Coalition  

The Federal Good Food Purchasing Coalition is working to spur a more just, healthy, resilient, and sustainable food system through values-aligned food purchasing and food service at the federal level. The Coalition includes 32 organizations across the US representing a breadth of efforts for the environment, economy, and equity. The Steering Committee includes the Center for Good Food Purchasing, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Friends of the Earth, Health Care Without Harm, HEAL Food Alliance, and Rural Coalition. The Coalition is supported by The Rockefeller Foundation through Health Care Without Harm.