Summit Explores Transforming the Local Food System to Improve Health, Support Sustainability and Ensure Food Justice

Cook County Department of Public Health, Cook County Health, and Loyola University Chicago, Health Sciences Division, held the 2018 Food Summit on October 5-6, 2018 at Loyola University Chicago, located at 2160 S. 1st Avenue in Maywood, Illinois. The 2018 Food Summit focused on how to make good food widely available and affordable, and shared a new vision for food system transformation. Participants learned about investments and policy opportunities that advance equitable, healthy, and sustainable local and regional food systems. The Summit emphasized the Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP) approved in May 2018 by Cook County government, and engaged participants in facilitated discussions. The purpose of these discussions were to cultivate a vision for change if the GFPP is implemented effectively, and provide an opportunity to find out how participants want to continue to be engaged. GFPP is a metric-based procurement framework that supports institutional food buyers to make informed decisions and measure impact in five value categories: local economies, environmental sustainability, valued workforce, animal welfare and nutrition. Eventually, vendors will need to meet established benchmarks to be eligible to supply food to Cook County government sites. Working to meet these standards goes hand-in-hand with making Cook County a healthier place and ensuring every resident has the opportunity to thrive.

You can watch a brief video on the 2018 Food Summit. You can also download the 2018 Food Summit: Summary Report and Recommendations.

Please visit our 2017 Food Summit Page to download last year’s event program and view speakers’ videotaped presentations.