The RI Food Policy Council (RIFPC) is working to promote a more accessible, equitable, and sustainable food system in Rhode Island. They work to coordinate a statewide collaboration of diverse, committed and engaged stakeholders from all sectors of the food system. And they create partnerships, develop policies, and advocate for improvements to the local food system to increase and expand its capacity, viability, and sustainability.
Visit the RIFPC’s website for helpful resources, including:
- A live Bill Tracker for legislation pertaining to food policy, and where a bill stands in the process.
- Data and metrics on the five core Rhode Island Food System elements:
- Preserve and grow agriculture and fisheries
- Sustain and create markets for Rhode Island Food and Beverage products
- Enhance the climate for food and beverage businesses
- Ensure food security for all Rhode Islanders
- Minimize food waste as well as diverting it from the waste stream
- Rhode Island Stories highlighting how Rhode Island agencies, organizations, businesses, and individuals are working to improve the state’s food system. Each story is linked to a goal set out in Relish Rhody, our state’s five-year food strategy.
- And more!
THE CHALLENGE: For Rhode Islanders who live in poverty and use the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as Food Stamps) fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables can often be too costly to afford. Since people affected by poverty can be more at risk for obesity and diet-related disease this situation has ripple effects that reach to our healthcare system.
THE APPROACH: Farm Fresh Rhode Island’s Bonus Bucks nutrition incentives program provides a 100% bonus to low-income families who use their SNAP benefits program at farmers markets across the state, making fresh produce more accessible with a one-to-one match.
