Call for APA Conf Session Proposals on Food Planning, Due Aug 23

American Planning Association’s (APA)
Food Interest Group
Call for Food Planning Session Proposals
For APA’s 2012 Conference in Los Angeles
Deadline: August 23

The APA has released a call for session proposals for their April 14-17 conference in Los Angeles. The exciting news about this conference is that there is a special track devoted to Food System Planning. APA had a special track on food system planning in both 2005 and 2006. APA describes this track on their web site:

Whether it's eating locally, raising chickens in the backyard, protecting land for food production, or addressing urban food deserts, planners are developing a systems approach to the issues of food planning. Examine how food systems planning should relate to the comprehensive plan and daily work of the planner. Find out how the public sector is working with the private sector to address problems and support sustainable practices.

APA’s Food Interest Group (FIG) wants to encourage those that are involved in food system planning initiatives and projects to submit a session proposal. Topics related to specific sectors of the food system, including case studies that illustrate how challenges of creating a healthy, local food system can be overcome are welcome. Sessions will ideally include planners and non-planners and illustrate how food system planning is being integrated into mainstream planning. Specific questions that could be addressed in a session proposal include:
· How do cities address local food distribution (e.g. creating food hubs, or local distribution centers, and direct marketing services and venues)? What can planners do?
· How can cities plan for regional and local agriculture when regional and city governance is uncommon?
· Can pricing ecosystem services and offsets play a role in creating sustainable food systems?
· Provide examples of how the federal Healthy Food Financing Initiative, or other incentive programs like it, has helped establish grocery stores in communities of need.
· How can we plan for the use or diversion of food waste from landfills, such as composting?
· Are there limits to the interventions that planners can employ to ensure that local food is more viable and economic than non-local foods?
· Are there private sector examples and/or private-public partnerships that support sustainable food system practices?

Of particular interest is a discussion of the roles that public institutions can play in developing sustainable regional food systems – as well as the role of planners.

Please note that all conference speakers are required to register for the conference. Most will be paid registrants, although some may qualify for a discounted rate, and others will qualify for a guest registration. Be sure to review the registration policies carefully prior to submitting this proposal, and be sure to share this policy with any invited speakers. It is important to be aware that each session is required to have at least one APA member participating, either as a speaker or as a moderator.

FIG encourages you to visit APA’s conference web site to find out more about the 2012 conference and to complete a session proposal (http://www.planning.org/conference/ index.htm). The deadline for submitting a proposal is August 23, 2011.