Welcome to the Australian Local Food System Policy Database. This is a collection of policies from New South Wales (NSW) and Victorian local governments that relate to healthy, sustainable, and equitable food systems.
For further information about using the database and how it was created see How to use the database. You can search the database by using the fields below. Domain refers to eight broad categories under which various topics are situated. The domains and topics are based on a framework of recommendations for local government action on creating a healthy, sustainable, and equitable food system (also located on the ‘How to use the database’ page linked above).
To cite the database: Reeve B, Carrad A, Rose N, Charlton K & Aguirre-Bielschowsky I (2021) Australian Local Food System Policy Database. Available at: https://law-food-systems.sydney.edu.au/policy-database (access date).
Suggested search terms
Hold Ctrl to select multiple terms. Using ‘any words’ functions as an “OR” search. Using ‘all words’ functions as and “AND” search.
Search Criteria:
| Document title | Relevant text in the policy | Domain | Topic | State | Local Government name | Council type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Sustainability Strategy | Involvement in the Fruit Industry Employment Program; | Economic Development | Food related job creation | Victoria | Moira | Regional |
| Environmental Sustainability Strategy | Seek opportunities to apply the successful model used in the Fruit Industry Employment Program to achieve significant biodiversity outcomes. | Economic Development | Food related job creation | Victoria | Moira | Regional |
| Environmental Sustainability Strategy | agriculture shows | Economic Development | Local food initiatives for economic development | Victoria | Moira | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Collaboration and communication: Collaborate with local producers and associations in projects to increase community understanding of food miles. Increase access to local food and reduce food miles. Support a “100 Mile Café” and support community gardens. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Local Food Security: Work with a range of agency, business and community stakeholders in the ‘Food for All’ Forum to improve access to healthy food and address fresh food deserts in urban areas. Provide information to assist community to grow and share food from home and community gardens. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Reduce resource use (Plastic Bags): Promote a voluntary ban on plastic bags and lobby the appropriate authority for a total ban. Actively promote the municipality as a plastic bag free city. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Reduce resource use (Plastic bottles): Change water drinking habits thorough a voluntary ban on bottled water and build more drinking fountains. Actively promote the municipality as a plastic water bottle free city. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Reduce resource use (Plastic bottles): Change water drinking habits thorough a voluntary ban on bottled water and build more drinking fountains. Actively promote the municipality as a plastic water bottle free city. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Local Food Security: Work with a range of agency, business and community stakeholders in the ‘Food for All’ Forum to improve access to healthy food and address fresh food deserts in urban areas. Provide information to assist community to grow and share food from home and community gardens. | Health and Wellbeing | Accessible healthy food retail | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Advocate: Join with agencies, other Councils and community to advocate for public investment for conservation of natural values and eco-services by landholders eg: broker schemes and direct payments. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Improve information and support for new rural landowners in sustainable land management, pest/weed control, soil health, local natural values. Include relevant information on Council website and new landholders guide. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Knowledge building: Work with agricultural water users to build knowledge and skills on best practice water use and farming in a drier climate by using tools such as industry cooperation, seminars, web information, practice groups, local case studies, and access to expert advice. Decision Tools: Work with agencies to develop tools and locally targeted information to assist landholder decisions for climate change adaptation e.g. Goulburn Broken project on land and climate characteristics to assess new crops | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Many roadsides have high quality vegetation, providing shelter and food for local fauna. The conservation of these areas can also reduce the incursion of weeds in adjacent farmland. Council programs with other agencies and groups include: removal of target weeds on roadsides across the municipality in a 4 year program, with funding assistance from the Victorian government cooperation with other agencies in the Box Grassy Woodlands project to improve the condition of roadsides in the north of the municipality, as important corridors in this threatened landscape cooperation with other agencies in the Lower Ovens Floodplain Project, restoring wetland communities in the Lower Ovens floodplain improving roadside habitat for grey-crowned babbler from 2001-2004 cooperating with Landcare groups in projects to improve roadside vegetation. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Working with business groups: Work with business groups to assist businesses to understand the impacts of climate change and peak oil, and conduct risk management and recovery planning for their business. Assist businesses (agricultural and non-agricultural) to re-examine long-term planning in the light of climate variability and peak oil challenges. Support education and demonstration of farming practices to improve soil health, control emerging weeds and pests, and conservation of natural values as part of whole of farm management. (in collaboration with DEPI, NECMA, Landcare, VFF) | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Collaboration and communication: Collaborate with local producers and associations in projects to increase community understanding of food miles. Increase access to local food and reduce food miles. Support a “100 Mile Café” and support community gardens. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Local Food Security: Work with a range of agency, business and community stakeholders in the ‘Food for All’ Forum to improve access to healthy food and address fresh food deserts in urban areas. Provide information to assist community to grow and share food from home and community gardens. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Knowledge building: Work with agricultural water users to build knowledge and skills on best practice water use and farming in a drier climate by using tools such as industry cooperation, seminars, web information, practice groups, local case studies, and access to expert advice. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | An overall recycling program in the Wangaratta Government Centre, including a worm farm for organic waste, achieved silver Wastewise accreditation. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Collaboration and communication: Collaborate with local producers and associations in projects to increase community understanding of food miles. Increase access to local food and reduce food miles. Support a “100 Mile Café” and support community gardens. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Local Food Security: Work with a range of agency, business and community stakeholders in the ‘Food for All’ Forum to improve access to healthy food and address fresh food deserts in urban areas. Provide information to assist community to grow and share food from home and community gardens. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Organics: Plan and implement measures to divert organics from landfill to reuse, including collection and processing at an accredited facility, and household use of compost bins and worm farms to reduce organics in waste stream. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Collaboration and communication: Collaborate with local producers and associations in projects to increase community understanding of food miles. Increase access to local food and reduce food miles. Support a “100 Mile Café” and support community gardens. | Sustainability and Environment | Strengthen food chain connections/distribution | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Production and transport: Work to facilitate a forum in partnership with agriculture sector to explore transport issues and adaptation options, including increased local consumption and reduction of food miles. | Sustainability and Environment | Strengthen food chain connections/distribution | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Knowledge building: Work with agricultural water users to build knowledge and skills on best practice water use and farming in a drier climate by using tools such as industry cooperation, seminars, web information, practice groups, local case studies, and access to expert advice. Decision Tools: Work with agencies to develop tools and locally targeted information to assist landholder decisions for climate change adaptation e.g. Goulburn Broken project on land and climate characteristics to assess new crops | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Working with business groups: Work with business groups to assist businesses to understand the impacts of climate change and peak oil, and conduct risk management and recovery planning for their business. Assist businesses (agricultural and non-agricultural) to re-examine long-term planning in the light of climate variability and peak oil challenges. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | An overall recycling program in the Wangaratta Government Centre, including a worm farm for organic waste, achieved silver Wastewise accreditation. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Organics: Plan and implement measures to divert organics from landfill to reuse, including collection and processing at an accredited facility, and household use of compost bins and worm farms to reduce organics in waste stream. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Reduce resource use (Plastic Bags): Promote a voluntary ban on plastic bags and lobby the appropriate authority for a total ban. Actively promote the municipality as a plastic bag free city. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Reduce resource use (Plastic bottles): Change water drinking habits thorough a voluntary ban on bottled water and build more drinking fountains. Actively promote the municipality as a plastic water bottle free city. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Strategy | Collaboration and communication: Collaborate with local producers and associations in projects to increase community understanding of food miles. Increase access to local food and reduce food miles. Support a “100 Mile Café” and support community gardens. | Economic Development | Local food initiatives for economic development | Victoria | Wangaratta | Regional |