BALTIMORE FOOD POLICY INITIATIVE
RECENT MEDIA
6/18/15 Sound Bites: Baltimore Food Environment Map (The Marc Steiner Show)
6/10/15 City eyes incentives for grocers to address food problems (Baltimore Business Journal)
6/10/15 Mayor Rawlings-Blake Announces the Release of the 2015 Food Environment Map Report (Press Release)
For more media, click here.
OUR HISTORY
2015
- Passed enabling language in state legislature to allow for personal property tax abatements for supermarkets to locate or renovate in or near food deserts
- Released 2015 Food Environment Map and Report
2014
- After ongoing advocacy, a provision to allow online SNAP benefits included in the 2014 Farm Bill
- Launched Homegrown Baltimore Employee Wellness CSA
- Food Access Planner and Food Retail Economic Development Officer hired.
2013
- Awarded a City Enhancement Proposal for the Food Desert Retail Strategy
- Mayor Rawlings-Blake led the USCM Food Policy Task Force meeting in Las Vegas in June 2013
- First two leases executed through Homegrown Baltimore Land Leasing Initiative.
- Homegrown Baltimore Urban Agriculture Plan approved and released.
2012
- Launched SNAP benefits at the Baltimore Farmers Market and Bazaar
- Launched Healthy Carryout Strategy at Lexington and Hollins Market. Program grew to include Northeast Market and 34 vendors in total.
2011
- Change in state policy to allow first-year farmers’ markets in food deserts to accept federal nutrition assistance
- Updated health code to allow residents to own chickens, rabbits, goats and bees
2010
- Mayor Rawlings-Blake released the Ten Food Policy Recommendations
- BFPI created and Holly Freishtat hired as Food Policy Director
- Food Policy Advisory Committee created
Improving Food Access in Baltimore from Baltimore Office of Sustainabili on Vimeo.
FUNDING
The Baltimore Food Policy Initiative is currently funded and supported by the following organizations: Kaiser Permanente, Abell Foundation, and Baltimore Community Foundation.
