[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Local Foods and Humane Treatment

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Shoemaker, Andrew

We are discussing under Matters this week an initiative re local foods.   This is a very important issue, and as I recall it is on the work plan to develop a local foods initiative for City procurement.  One easy first step — call it a “pilot” if you will
 — is to source City Council meals locally.  I have confirmed with Bridge House Community Table Kitchen that it can prepare foods from local sources.  Something like that serves two purposes — (1) further assisting Bridge House by using their services; and
 (2) using local food.  This would be a small move, but it is a step forward and sends a message.  Right now, we have no idea about the source of our foods, other than what restaurant catered it.   At a minimum, we could (in my view should) ask whoever is supplying
 Council meals to tell us where our food is coming from.  Using local foods not only supports local farmers, it also allows us to learn more about how our foods are grown or, when dealing with animal products, whether humanely treated when raised.  A relevant
 opinion on that subject today from the NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/18/opinion/free-pigs-from-the-abusive-crates.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=c-column-top-span-region&region=c-column-top-span-region&WT.nav=c-column-top-span-region&_r=0