Food

1. Encourage the County Board of Supervisors and Agriculture Commissioner to develop a plan to address the food needs of the region. Identify available land supply, crops that will grow in each area, available water resources, and potential types of crops and animal products that are likely to be in short supply. Present a strategy for engaging the farming community in working together to produce the products that will be needed for the surrounding population. Identify the crops that can be grown in residential neighborhoods and community gardens to help supplement agricultural products and start campaign to encourage residential garden construction.

2. Seek support for farmers who diversify and provide needed crops (grains, nuts, etc. ) using the Community Supported Agriculture model and others.

3. Identify specialization areas for community food growing to maximize the area's assets and increase trade opportunities: for example, Carmel Valley's  vegetables, fruit and nut trees; Monterey's fisheries, vegetables; Pacific Grove's poultry, cool weather crops (e. g. lettuce, spinach, chard, artichokes, asparagus); Salinas Valley's vegetables, fruit, grains, cattle; North County grazing animals, etc.

4. Advocate for tax credits for people who grow food and make products locally.

5. Urge Supervisors to prohibit the use of GMO crops. Request the development of regional seed banks to store seeds.

6. Start a campaign to encourage people to eat sustainable fish. Campaign for restaurants and stores to end their purchase of threatened and endangered fish.

7. Research what crops are subsidized and advocate for changes.

8. Develop a "Eat Local" program.

9. Identify the microclimates in each city or unincorporated area and determine where crops and trees of different varieties can best be grown.

10. Ask City Councils to make a portion of parks and open space available for community gardens. Encourage surrounding neighborhoods to work on planting community gardens. Identify natural drainage areas where storm water can be captured to irrigate neighborhood gardens.

11. Ask City Councils to reduce the use of pesticides on parks and playgrounds so that they can be
suitable for gardening.

12. Plant fruit trees throughout town in parks, edge areas, etc. Contact nurseries and find bulk buying opportunities, and develop a community bulk buying program.

13. Develop community compost areas where restaurant and neighborhood food wastes can be made into compost.

14. Provide information and assistance to homeowners in planting home gardens, planting fruit trees and raising poultry.

15. Establish a pruning assistance and gleaners group to help the elderly and others who unable to care for trees their yards.

16. Learn and collect heritage seeds, propagate seeds.

17. Develop community seed exchanges, start community seed bank. Hold a seed and cutting exchange. Invite seed and garden experts to meetings.

18. Hold canning workshops; invite experts in storage to meeting. Teach how to can, smoke, dry and other food preservation techniques.

19. Hold solar cooking workshops and educate about how to reduce the use of fuel in cooking.

20. Encourage schools to add food growing and preservation skills to school curriculum, plant a school garden.

21. Hold community suppers to share food, recipes and learn about how to grow food from one another.

22. Educate about the amount of resources (fossil fuels and water) required to raise cattle and the need
to eat lower on the food chain.