Fiscal Note
No fiscal impact.
Title
Authorizing the City of Madison to become a signatory of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact.
Body
WHEREAS, Madison Mayor Paul Soglin is currently Co-Chair of the United States Conference of Mayors Food Policy Task Force; and,
WHEREAS, the United States Conference of Mayors Food Policy Task Force is made up of over 25 State, County, and Municipal employees representing over 20 jurisdictions throughout the country; and,
WHEREAS, the United States Conference of Mayors Food Policy Task Force is exploring using the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact framework as a guiding policy framework for that body; and,
WHEREAS, the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact is an international pact that was initiated in 2014 and was originally signed by 40 cities, and has now expanded to over 140 cities; and,
WHEREAS, the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact follows a framework of commitments to work towards diverse goals and targets to improve city food systems, which include:
- Governance: ensuring an enabling environment for effective action
- Sustainable diets and nutrition
- Social and economic equity
- Food production
- Food supply and distribution
- Food waste; and,
WHEREAS, the pact is supported by the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact Secretariat, which was established within the Mayor’s office of the City of Milan to serve as permanent contact point and facilitate communication with signatory cities, networks, urban areas interested in joining the Pact and any other partner willing to collaborate with the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact; and,
WHEREAS, the governance of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact is overseen by a Steering Committee of 13 member cities from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America; and,
WHEREAS, each signatory city has the flexibility to meet common goals, while working on city-specific policies, projects, and programs; and,
WHEREAS, the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact is non-binding as cities become initial signatories; and,
WHEREAS, notable Milan Urban Food Policy Pact signatory cities include New York City, Chicago, Austin, Miami, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Paris, Milan, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Vienna, Athens, Toronto, Vancouver, BC, Copenhagen, London, Kyoto, and Valencia; and,
WHEREAS, benefits of becoming a signatory city include:
- Establishing Madison as a national and international leader in food systems policy,
- Connecting Madison to an international community of collaboration and best practice sharing on city food systems,
- Becoming eligible for the Milan Pact Awards, which offer yearly monetary prizes of 15,000 euros to be used for peer-to-peer technical assistance and information sharing; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Madison’s Food Policy Council has enacted policies and programs, or is currently enacting policies and programs, which align with objectives within the majority of the recommended goal areas,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Madison will become a signatory city of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Mayor and City Clerk are authorized to sign any documents to carry out the resolution.