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This report evaluates current local comprehensive and sustainability plans across the United States and their impact on local policies, regulations, and standards to reduce food access disparities and improve community-based foods systems. Of 888 local government responses to a national web-based survey, only 11.8 percent of respondents (105 jurisdictions) indicated that their local plans address an aspect of local or regional food systems. Researchers also evaluated a sample of comprehensive and sustainability plans to assess their quality and food-related components and conducted case study research to learn more about the plan making process. Overall, the plans included clearly marked food components, but the quality of the language varied within and across plans. The report also discusses planning and policy lessons learned as well as recommendations for municipalities and counties related to food access and food systems planning.
Keywords: Community setting, Food insecurity, Food outlet, Food systems, Legal, Zoning
Focus Area: Food Access
State: National
Resource Type: Report
Related Research
November 2009
Planning for Food Access: A National Scan and Evaluation of Local Comprehensive Planning and Zoning
Low-income, underserved communities are often plagued with unhealthy food environments. A community’s comprehensive plan directly influences urban design and land-use regulations, which affect neighborhood food availability. While some local governments are including food access goals and policies in their local plans, little is understood about the quality, specificity and comprehensiveness of these goals and policies. MoreAugust 2025
Diet Quality and Weight Status are Predicted by Federal Nutrition Assistance Program Participation, Health, and Demographics
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