Courtesy Hemera / Thinkstock

Four national agencies collaborated to create the Principles of a Healthy , Sustainable Food System , a shared platform for make sustainable food systems .

Just as a intelligent dieting require a mix of dissimilar food group , a level-headed nutrient system requires a commixture of different organizations .

article-post

In 2009 , internal leaders from four bureau — the American Planning Association , the American Dietetic Association , the American Nurses Association and the American Public Health Association — met to discourse taking a corporate approach to addressing issues in the nutrient system of rules . rationale of a Healthy , Sustainable Food Systemis the climax of their work . Released in December 2010 , the document outlines a shared platform for system - wide-cut food for thought - policy variety .

“ All of these organizations have standardized and overlap interests in food for thought systems and the desire to change the status quo by focusing on a residential district approach to food , ” explains Kimberley Hodgson , a show dietician and handler of Planning and Community Health Research Center at the American Planning Association . “ We view this [ document ] as a jumping - off point for our organisation to work together in the future . ”

Hodgson believe that the body of work of these agencies can be strengthened by a collaborative approach . For example , the American Public Health Association may be more likely to meet its goal of increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables in food comeuppance by cultivate alongside fellow member of the American Planning Association who are take with urban planning and can influence development determination .

Subscribe now

“ Our ultimate goal [ in bringing these groups together ] was to get in touch member from interior organizations to those on the local levels who are work for alteration , ” Hodgson says .

With the help of a grant from the Kellogg Foundation , each organization assigned three representatives to the undertaking forcefulness — a staff member , a member and a leader from their special interest group . The team convened in Washington , D.C. , to blueprint a lot of head principle for working together .

The organizations are n’t the only one who will do good from these insurance policy . Both Hodgson and Rebecca Klein , director of the Public Health and Agriculture Policy Project at Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future and coordinator of the American Public Health Association ’s Food and Environment Working Group , consider the insurance are crucial to urban husbandman , too .

“ The policy make out that there is a very important place for urban agriculture , ” aver Hodgson . “ The ley - to - plate approach acquire by urban granger sheds light on the fact that we need to take care at the whole food for thought system of rules , not just the private pieces . ”

Klein hop that the collaboration between interdisciplinary representation encourages urban farmers to study the theory for developing similar human relationship .

“ In the very same way that our organizations have come together for a mutual destination , I would encourage urban farmers to reach out to their rural counterparts , ” she says . “ In the end , we really all require the same thing . ”

principle of a Healthy , Sustainable Food System financial support socially , economically and ecologically sustainable food systems with a focus on the wellness of soul , residential area and the natural environs .

The principles back up food systems that :

“ These policies supply a electron lens through which we can look at these issues , ” explain Klein “ Many of the organization already had similar insurance on their books ; coming together as a collective interpreter help blow up the message that each organization was [ send ] . We can increase our impact by working together . ”

While there is no courtly requirement or duty for the groups to work together , collaboration is encouraged .