LA County Board

5. Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Food Procurement\nRecommendation as submitted by Supervisor Horvath: Instruct the Director of\nPublic Health to review their Nutritional Standards for Prepared Foods, Snacks\nand Beverages and incorporate up to date evidence-based recommendations\non purchasing, selling, and serving of more plant-based and plant-forward foods\nfor integration in County food service requests for proposals and contracts, and\nreport back to the Board in writing in 120 days on the following:\nA summary of updates made to the Nutritional Standards per the above\ndirective;\nIn consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, the Directors of Internal\nServices, Health Services, Parks and Recreation, Public Works and\nAging and Disabilities, the Sheriff, and the Chief Probation Officer, to\nprovide recommendations on how to increase participation and interest,\nincluding providing incentives, and call attention to expanding plant-based\nfood options in the County’s contract solicitation process and operated\nfood services; and\nIn collaboration with the Chief Sustainability Officer, the Chief Executive\nOfficer, and the Director of Internal Services, to work with County\nDepartments that purchase, distribute, sell, or serve food to better\nunderstand the County’s food purchasing carbon footprint, and report\nback to the Board in writing with recommendations on evidence-based\nstrategies and promising practices that can help track the different types\nof foods the County is purchasing from vendors, including animal\nproducts and plant-based foods (e.g., vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts\nand seeds, etc.), with the recommendations to consider ways in which\nthe County can reduce the amount of animal products being purchased,\nincrease plant-based food options, reduce food waste consistent goals of\nSenate Bill 1383, and align with the County Food Equity Roundtable\nAction Plan, when feasible, in addition, a plan for promoting awareness\nabout plant-based food procurement among the Departments and\npotential targets to increase plant-based food purchasing by the County,\nshould be included; and\nInstruct the Director of Health Services , in consultation with the Director of\nPublic Health, to report back to the Board in writing in 120 days on the total\namount of meat, poultry, fish, dairy and egg products and the total amount of\nplant-based food products (“plant-based food products” shall mean food that\ncontain no animal products or byproducts including , but not limited to, meat,\npoultry, fish, dairy, or eggs”), measured in volume that are currently contracted\nto vendors by the Department of Health Services in one calendar year.\n(24-0771)