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).
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Hold Ctrl to select multiple terms. Using ‘any words’ functions as an “OR” search. Using ‘all words’ functions as and “AND” search.
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| Document title | Relevant text in the policy | Domain | Topic | State | Local Government name | Council type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Report | Support and provision of community gardens | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | NSW | Newcastle | Regional |
| Annual Report | Swan Hill Regional Livestock Exchange | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | Work with partner organisations including Goulburn River Valley Tourism to support and promote events in the Shire and to attract third party funding Duration Ongoing Target % On target % complete Progress comment Collaborated with Goulburn River Valley Tourism (GRVT) on various marketing committee actions; promotional campaigns and attending tourism showcase events such Melbourne Good and Wine Show, as well as collaborating to showcase Mitchell Shire and the Heart of Victoria region at Seymour Alternative Farming Expo. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Mitchell | Regional |
| Annual Report | Support for and provision of community gardens | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | NSW | Newcastle | Regional |
| Annual Report | The first cattle sale using the redeveloped Swan Hill Regional Livestock Exchange was held. | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| Annual Report | Community gardens Growing our gardens Merewether and Tighes Hill community garden CN funded $5,865 I Community input $33,000 | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | NSW | Newcastle | Regional |
| Annual Report | Upgrade Swan Hill Livestock Selling Complex Action Implement upgrade project Identify funding opportunities for future stages | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| Annual Report | Support and provision of community gardens | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | NSW | Newcastle | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | • Improvements to the catering options offered at meetings | Health and Wellbeing | Healthy/sustainable LG food procurement policies | Victoria | Greater Shepparton | Regional |
| Annual Report | We completed the $1.94 million upgrade at Swan Hill Regional Livestock Exchange, with local contractors completing much of the work. It was a win-win. | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| Annual Report | Support for and provision of community gardens | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | NSW | Newcastle | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | Sustainability Working Group Council’s internal Sustainability Working Group meets regularly to discuss and implement opportunities for Council to be more sustainable. This group has coordinated the purchase and distribution of branded reusable bags, held community information sessions on backyard chooks and water-wise gardening using cactus, developed a single-use plastic policy, celebrated nude food day with information on beeswax wraps and cutting down on single-use plastics | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Greater Shepparton | Regional |
| Annual Report | Encourage the growth of agriculture through appropriate advocacy and strategic planning | Sustainability and Environment | Strengthen food chain connections/distribution | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| Annual Report | Sparing the environment with our new re-usable coffee cups How we performed Total initiatives CN staff received a free Newcastle-branded re-usable coffee cup. These cups, funded in conjunction with NSW Environment Protection Authority, were distributed across the LGA to encourage use of sustainable cups and reduce non-recyclable cups going to landfill. A litter audit was undertaken in the City Administration Centre and Fredrick Ash Buildings prior to the cup's distribution, and it was estimated 10,375 cups each year ended up in our bins, and eventually landfill. The same audit was undertaken two weeks after our staff received their cups, and the results are commendable! This time around it was estimated that, post distribution, there would be 3,925 cups per year discarded. This represented a dramatic drop of 62% in cups going to landfill. By using a re-usable cup, we can all help be part of the solution to a big problem. More than one billion coffee cups in Australia's household end up in landfill each year. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Newcastle | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | Council also celebrated Men’s and Women’s Health Week by providing Health Packs containing information, tools and items to encourage healthy lifestyle choices and provided information sessions. Speakers included Oncology Nurses from GV Health, Occupational Therapists from Work Healthy Australia and even internal staff specialising in Nutrition or talking about their personal health journeys. Topics included Breast, Prostate and Bowel Cancer, Coping with Endometriosis, Men’s Health at various ages, Nutrition and hidden sugars, and general physical health. | Health and Wellbeing | Healthy eating by LG staff | Victoria | Greater Shepparton | Regional |
| Annual Report | 232 inspections of food businesses | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| Annual Report | Strategy 6: PROGRAM / ACTIVITY Encourage a ‘buy local – sell local’ approach to goods and services CURRENT ACTIONS PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 6.1 Encourage a greater focus on local food production, promotion and sales. 6.2 Local Business Promotion 6.1.1 Reinvigorate fresh food trail utilising current technology (Apps, Social Media). 6.2.1 Support the Dungog & District Chamber of Commerce to develop programmes which reward and encourage local purchasing. # of events promoting local food production. # of programmes and incentives. STATUS AS AT 30 JUNE 2019 Promoting local produce market held weekly in Dungog – Dungog Growers Stall Buy Local Campaign conducted by the Dungog & District Chamber of Commerce | Economic Development | Local food initiatives for economic development | NSW | Dungog | Regional |
| Annual Report | Conduct regular inspection programs of food businesses, | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Newcastle | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | Council is committed to ensuring all employees across the organisation have access to information and training regarding health and wellbeing. A Health and Wellbeing Committee introduced a new program called My Lifestyle based upon four key areas, Eating Healthy, Keeping Active, Staying Mentally Strong and Making Healthy Choices. The program incorporates activities such as current internal communications plus new campaigns to be promoted, health checks and healthy eating challenges | Health and Wellbeing | Healthy eating by LG staff | Victoria | Greater Shepparton | Regional |
| Annual Report | Food and safety Health and safety Critical and major noncompliance outcome notifications [Number of critical noncompliance notifications and major non-compliance notifications about a food premises followed up / Number of critical non-compliance notifications and major noncompliance notifications about food premises] x 100 84.44% 100.00% 94.74% 81.25% Follow up inspections in three incidences did not occur. One premise ceased trading after the initial inspection meaning a follow up could not be conducted. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| Annual Report | STATUS AS AT 30 JUNE 2019 Promoting local produce market held weekly in Dungog – Dungog Growers Stall | Economic Development | Public food markets and distributors | NSW | Dungog | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | The Program draws upon the huge number of both internal and external resources available, maximising Council’s current offering and introducing new initiatives. My Lifestyle initiatives include: • Free fruit to work program | Health and Wellbeing | Healthy eating by LG staff | Victoria | Greater Shepparton | Regional |
| Annual Report | Food safety Timeliness The time taken to action food complaints [Number of days between receipt and first response action for all food complaints / Number of food complaints] | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| Annual Report | 2.2.2 Encourage a diversity of agricultural enterprises throughout the Shire. | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Dungog | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | Harcourt Twilight Market | Economic Development | Public food markets and distributors | Victoria | Mount Alexander | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | Environmental Upgrade Agreements extended to farmers. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Greater Shepparton | Regional |
| Annual Report | Public health and regulatory services Co-ordinating food safety, immunisations and management of public health concerns to ensure an acceptable state of physical, mental and social wellbeing is maintained within the community. This service also provides staff at school crossings throughout the municipality, animal management services, parking control and enforcement and provides education, regulation and enforcement of the general Local Law and relevant state legislation. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| Annual Report | 4.4.1 Facilitate and partner field days with the LLS and other relevant authorities Partner/s: HCRCMA NSW Agriculture – | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Dungog | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | Worked with the City of Greater Bendigo to develop a series of educational videos and a campaign to highlight the dangers of Queensland Fruit Fly and how to help protect our local horticulture industry, funded by an Agriculture Victoria grant. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Mount Alexander | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | Native Vegetation Forum Council coordinated a Native Vegetation Forum to promote the retention of native vegetation in our agricultural areas. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Greater Shepparton | Regional |