Healthy Sustainable Food Systems Initiative

Minutes Mayor’s Initiative for Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems Steering Committee June 26, 2015 11:00 – 12:30, City Hall, Room 209 1. Welcome and introductions of meeting attendees In attendance: Tim Fuller, Jeremy Bloom, Mary-Elizabeth Simms, Jim Hanna, Ron Adams, Mayor Michael Brennan, Rachel Lyn Rumson, Stephanie Gagne, Bushra Islam, Craig Lapine, Ben Tettlebaum, Laura Hartz and Emma Connover. 2. Community Conversation – discussion of May 5th Community Food Forum and Action Planning Rachel Lyn Rumson led the group in an active brainstorming session. See “Food Forum Wrap-Up: Findings and Action Steps” document for the session summary. 3. Food Policy Assessment and Ordinance Update Mary-Elizabeth Simms discussed her findings regarding beekeeping and livestock within the City of Portland. She will recommend specific breeds of small goats for the purpose of residential farming, and will discuss with the City Clerk licensing and a yearly permit fee. Currently she does not recommend that the City pass a beekeeping ordinance because it may encourage too many people to attempt raising bees without enough education and oversight to manage a responsible approach. Currently beekeepers register with the Maine State Beekeeper Association and they provide the oversight. There are 29 beekeepers in Portland with 170 hives. Mary-Elizabeth also discussed briefly the food policy assessment she conducted with city officials and employees. Her complete summary is forthcoming. 4. Policy Update Laura Hartz is comprehensively researching food policy councils nationwide with the goal of using her findings to help characterize our initiative’s structure.  Ben Tettlebaum confirmed that the Mayor’s Initiative will receive funding through NCFC in the amount of $4000 - $5000 for targeted work. 5. UNESCO Update 6. Confirm date for next meeting: The next meeting is scheduled July 17 at 10:00am. 7. Adjourn.