>Anne: I think the idea is great in theory, but everytime I have planted a veggie garden in recent years I become increasingly concerned with the quality of the soil and any toxins that may be there. When it became clear to me in 1998 that the Ramsey County Compost sites were full of toxins because they were not carefully monitoring what folks were dropping off, I was very concerned and still am about the folks I see picking up the finished compost from the sites to use in their gardens.
I guess if I could go to the expense of having the soil tested and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I wouldn't be harvesting toxic veggies, I would say it is a good idea. As it is right now in Ramsey County, the finished compost you put in your garden from the Compost Sites may just finish off your health and that of your familys. Pamela Ellison Como Park Saint Paul > > Friends, there has been a lot of discussion on this list about growing > food in the City and local food systems generally in the last few weeks. > In 1987, the City of Saint Paul passed a Municipal Food Policy. The > committee charged with keeping the City moving forward with the policy was > disbanded several years ago. The language in the policy is amazingly > forward thinking. It includes a provision for encouraging residents to > raise a portion of their own food supply. This was 17 years ago and yet > the issues addressed by the policy are not only in the news today, but > increasingly a concern of cities around the country. Perhaps it's time to > resurrect the committee and put some time, energy and resources into > implementing this policy. > > Here is the full text of the policy: > > SAINT PAUL FOOD & NUTRITION COMMISSION > > > > MUNICIPAL FOOD POLICY > > > > > > November 19, 1987 > > > > > > Room 365 City Hall > > Saint Paul, Minnesota > > (612) 298-4323 > > > > > > > > SAINT PAUL MUNICIPAL FOOD POLICY > > > > TABLE OF CONTENTS > > > > > > > > Food and Nutrition Commission > > > Membership..................................................................................................................................... > i > > > > > > Preamble........................................................................................................................................... > ii > > > > > > Goals................................................................................................................................................ > 1 > > > > > > Statements of > Policy.......................................................................................................................... > 2 > > > > > > Objectives......................................................................................................................................... > 4 > > > > > > > > CITY OF SAINT PAUL > > > FOOD AND NUTRITION COMMISSION > > > > > > > Jim Scheibel, Chairperson > > City Councilmember > > > > > > Katheryn M. Anderson > > > > > > Jim Blaha > > > > > > Sherman Eagles > > > > > > John Flory > > > > > > Richard Goebel > > > > > > V. Beate Krinke > > > > > > Shova Vang > > > > > > Robert E. Wilson > > > > > > > > Consultants > > > Minnesota Food Association > > > > Margo Stark > > > > Ken Taylor > > > > > > > > PREAMBLE > > > > > > People, regardless of where they live, have certain basic needs-the need > for shelter, for food, for health and for a sense of security. In the > democratic community, these values are expressed as rights or entitlements > accorded its citizens and deemed to be in the best interests of the total > community. > > > > Values are made real in the life of the community through the development > of policies, the enactment of implementing laws and the adoption of > practices which reflect those values. (Systems for fire and police > protection are the most familiar of these arrangements.) > > > > Most major cities have not taken responsibility for the development of > policies addressing the basic need for food of their citizenry. The post > World War II changes in the system which brings food to our table > insulated the consciousness of urban leaders and citizens alike. The > ongoing availability of safe, nutritious and affordable food was assumed. > > > > This is no longer the case. The emergence of persistent hunger as an > urban issue, expanding awareness of the connections between diet and > disease, between agricultural production practices and the contamination > of food products found on the grocer's shelves and the retreat of the > Federal government from its role in the food policy-making process, are > all factors contributing to a growing concern among urban dwellers for the > security and fairness of their food system. > > > > The Saint Paul Municipal Food Policy is an attempt by government leaders > and citizen interests to provide a framework within which the City can > take action to address the range of food policy and program issues > identified during the life of the Food and Nutrition Commission. This > policy is, in the final analysis, > > > > a.. a statement of values, > b.. a declaration of responsibility, > c.. a call for action. > The primary value statement is that food, as a basic need for survival of > the human community, is a right and a responsibility of the citizens of > this City; the City declares that it will assume the responsibility to > provide the leadership and direction required to give life to this value, > and it proposes to establish the cooperative framework within which the > City, as a government entity and as a community of people can take action > to achieve the policy objectives set forth in this document. > > > > > > > > SAINT PAUL MUNICIPAL FOOD POLICY > > > > GOALS > > > > > > > > 1) Assure that all Saint Paul citizens have access to safe, affordable > and nutritious food. > > > > > > > > 2) Protect and strengthen the region's capacity to supply safe, > nutritious and affordable food to Saint Paul citizens. > > > > > > > > 3) Assure that the Saint Paul Municipal Food Policy is implemented upon > its adoption by the City Council and that it is periodically reviewed and > updated as appropriate. > > > > > > STATEMENTS OF POLICY > > > > > > > > GOAL 1: > > Assure that all Saint Paul citizens have access to safe, affordable, and > nutritious food. > > > > > > I. ISSUE: GEOGRAPHIC ACCESS TO FOOD > > > > It is the policy of the City of Saint Paul to assure that all of its > citizens, regardless of where they live in the City, their income, > physical disability, or ownership of private transportation, have to food > outlets offering competitively priced, nutritious foods. > > > > II. ISSUE: ECONOMIC ACCESS & FOOD AFFORDABILITY > > > > It is the policy of the City of Saint Paul to assure that all of its > citizens have their basic nutrititional needs met without persistent > dependence on the emergency food system. > > > > III. ISSUE: FOOD SAFETY > > > > It is the policy of the City of Saint Paul to eliminate the exposure of > its citizens to hazardous substances and to substantially reduce its > citizens' exposure to potentially hazardous substances employed in the > production, processing and preservation of food. > > > > IV. NUTRITION & HEALTH > > > > It is the policy of the City of Saint Paul to promote and support the > dietary recommendations made in "Healthy By Choice, the Minnesota Plan for > Nutrition and Health" to raise awareness, increase knowledge, and improve > overall food choices made by its residents. > > > > V. ISSUE: COOPERATION > > > > It is the policy of the City of Saint Paul to work cooperatively with its > citizens, voluntary associations, regional farmers, the private food > business sector, county and regional governments and government units > concerned with the local resource base to realize the objectives of the > City's food policy. > > > > GOAL 2: > > Protect and strengthen the region's capacity to supply safe, nutritious > and affordable food to St. Paul citizens. > > > > I. ISSUE: RESOURCES FOR FOOD PRODUCTION > > > > It is the policy of the City of Saint Paul to pursue and support > development policies that protect and enhance the capacity of St. Paul > citizens to produce a portion of their own food supply, and of regional > farmers to produce food for consumption in the City. > > > > II. ISSUE: ENVIRONMENTAL & CITIZEN PROTECTION IN THE PRODUCTION OF LOCAL > FOODS > > > > It is the policy of the City of Saint Paul to assure that the environment > is not degraded, nor its citizens exposed to environmental hazards in the > production or processing of local foods. > > > > III. ISSUE: MARKETING OF LOCALLY GROWN FOODS > > > > It is the policy of the City of Saint Paul to pursue and support policies > that maximize the percent of locally-grown foods in the City's food > supply. > > > > IV. ISSUE: EDUCATION ON THE FOOD SYSTEM > > > > It is the policy of the City of Saint Paul to assure that its citizens > have access to information and educational programs about the system of > production, processing and marketing that supplies food to the City. > > > > V. ISSUE: NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT > > > > It is the policy of the City of Saint Paul to include small-scale, > neighborhood-based food production, processing and marketing businesses in > its development plans. > > > > VI. ISSUE: COMPOSTING/RECYCLING > > > > It is the policy of the City of Saint Paul to cooperate with its citizens > and with regional farmers to maximize re-use of yard and food waste > generated in the City, and to minimize the generation of non-recyclable > materials by the City's food system. > > > > OBJECTIVES > > > > > > GOAL 1 > > > > > > > > I. ISSUE: GEOGRAPHIC ACCESS TO FOOD > > > > OBJECTIVES > > > > A. Increase the accessibility of competitively priced full service > grocery stores to low income and disabled St. Paul citizens who do not > have such stores in their neighborhoods. > > > > B. Increase the opportunities for lower income and disabled St. Paul > citizens without access to private transportation to purchase groceries > without leaving their homes. > > > > > > II. ISSUE: ECONOMIC ACCESS & FOOD AFFORDABILITY > > > > OBJECTIVES > > > > A. Create a competitive climate among food retailers regarding their > pricing of 'basic' food items. > > > > B. Increase low income and limited mobility St. Paul citizens' access to > direct or wholesale buying. > > > > C. Reduce the number of St. Paul citizens routinely requiring emergency > food assistance. > > > > D. Create and support economic opportunities for low income City > residents, enabling them to afford to pay for basic needs such as food, > shelter and clothing. > > > > III. ISSUE: FOOD SAFETY > > > > OBJECTIVES > > > > A. Increase the information available to consumers at point of sale > regarding know and potentially harmful practices used in the production, > processing and preservation of foods sold in the City. > > > > B. Reduce the availability of foods sold throughout the City that have > been exposed to known or potentially hazardous substances and processes. > > > > C. Increase the availability of foods sold throughout the City that have > not been exposed to known or potentially hazardous substances or > processes. > > > > D. Increase consumer awareness of known and potentially harmful practices > used in the production, processing, preservation and handling of foods > sold in the City. > > > > > > IV. ISSUE: NUTRITION & HEALTH > > > > OBJECTIVES > > > > A. Improve the nutritional status of St. Paul citizens. Indicators of > poor nutritional status include anemia, low birth weight and short stature > among infants and children. By 1995, the following goals should be met: > Reduce anemia among pregnant WIC (Women, Infants and Children Program) > mothers by 40 percent; decrease low birth weights; and reduce short > stature among infants and children entering nutrition program services > from 13.8 percent to five percent (the normal percent found in the > population at large). > > > > B. Reduce the incidence and prevalence of disease related to diet among > St. Paul citizens. > > > > > > V. ISSUE: COOPERATION > > > > OBJECTIVE > > > > A. Provide incentives for individuals, organizations and institutions to > take actions that contribute to realizing the goals of the City's food > policy. > > > > > > GOAL 2 > > > > > > I. ISSUE: RESOURCES FOR FOOD PRODUCTION > > > > OBJECTIVES > > > > A. Provide neighborhood residents access to open space, water and light > for purposes of raising food. > > > > B. Encourage City residents to raise a portion of their own food supply. > > > > C. Eliminate unnecessary legal barriers to City residents' raising plants > and animals for food. > > > > D. To enhance individuals' ability to provide their own food supply, > increase the availability of appropriate equipment and knowledge regarding > processing and storage of home-grown foods to citizens throughout the > City. > > > > E. Work with other appropriate public bodies to assure the continued > availability of Metro area farmland for potential production of food > consumed in the City. > > > > > > II. ISSUE: ENVIRONMENTAL & CITIZEN PROTECTION IN THE PRODUCTION OF LOCAL > FOODS > > > > OBJECTIVES > > > > A. Reduce soil loss from agricultural production methods to *T* (the rate > at which soil is naturally replaced) in the Metropolitan Area by the year > 2000. > > > > B. Eliminate agricultural and lawn chemical pollution of surface and > ground water in the City and in the Metropolitan Area. > > > > C. Increase the research and information available to Metro Area farmers > and food processors on production and processing techniques that minimize > use of synthetic chemicals. > > > > D. Increase the research and information available to St. Paul citizens > on how to maintain healthy yards and gardens without use of synthetic > chemicals. > > > > E. Protect St. Paul citizens from exposure to synthetic lawn spray > chemicals. > > > > F. Eliminate the exposure of St. Paul citizens to toxic levels of lead > in home and community gardening soil. > > > > G. Protect St. Paul citizens from Dioxin and other toxic residues that > can filter into the City's soils. > > > > > > III. ISSUE: MARKETING OF LOCALLY GROWN FOODS > > > > OBJECTIVES > > > > A. Increase the number and variety of outlets for locally-grown food in > the City. > > > > B. Increase the number of regional and state farmers selling locally > grown food within the City. > > > > > > IV. ISSUE: EDUCATION ON THE FOOD SYSTEM > > > > OBJECTIVES > > > > A. Increase the elementary/secondary students' exposure to information > about the structure and process of the food and agriculture system through > school curriculum and work/study opportunities. > > > > B. Increase adults' understanding of the food system. > > > > > > V. ISSUE: NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT > > > > OBJECTIVES > > > > A. Increase the number of neighborhood-based small businesses related to > the production, processing and/or marketing of nutritious, safe, > affordable food in the neighborhood and the City. > > > > > > VI. ISSUE: COMPOSTING/RECYCLING > > > > OBJECTIVES > > > > A. Continue City support for, and seek opportunities to expand the > composting of yard waste and other materials generated in the City that > would make appropriate farm inputs. > > > > B. Reduce the use of non-recyclable food packaging materials in the City > and increase the percent of recyclable food packaging that is actually > recycled. > > > > > > > Anna Wasescha > the Lexington-Hamline neighborhood > _____________________________________________ > NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul > > Archive Address: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ > ----------------------------------------- Join ISP.COM today - $8.95 internet , less than 1/2 the cost of AOL Try us out, http://www.isp.com/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
