After three years of building a coalition to make public food dollars align with community values, the Good Food New York Bill passed in the state legislature on June 6, 2024!
What does this mean for New York? Public institutions across the state (like schools, hospitals, and prisons) will no longer be restricted by “lowest bidder” mandates when awarding food contracts. Instead, they can work with suppliers that truly reflect our community values, and support small farmers, fair labor, animals, the environment, and public health!
One of the major wins in this bill for our work as FCWA is that it requires supplier transparency for all contracts at the municipal level, meaning contractors and subcontractors must name their suppliers and are responsible for sourcing data all the way back to the farm of origin. This transparency is key to the fight to hold employers accountable for their labor practices within public supply chains.
The Good Food NY win reflects the incredible leadership of Community Food Advocates of NYC and the Good Food Buffalo Coalition, including FCWA members Alianza Agrícola, Worker Justice Center of NY, and RWDSU. The coalition worked to solidify broad support for the bill, and leadership of policy champions Assemblywoman Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes, State Senator Liz Krueger, Senator Michelle Hinchey, and 44+ co-sponsors. The next step is for Governor Kathy Hochul to sign the bill by the end of the year.
Congrats to the New York State Good Food Purchasing Program Coalition! Here’s to building the food system New York needs, deserves, and is now one step closer to realizing.
