Maryland Food System Resiliency Council

Purpose & Background

House Bill 831/Senate Bill 723 established the Maryland Food System Resiliency Council. This multiagency, collaborative effort engages experts in food resiliency across Maryland in an effort to enhance efforts to address food insecurity issues across the state.

The Maryland Food System Resiliency Council is a formally appointed body which meets regularly to address issues of food resilience. These meetings are open to the public and all meeting announcements, along with instructions for accessing the meetings virtually, are below. Inquiries about the workgroup should be directed to 

​​brittany.cook@maryland.gov​

Background of the Issue

Food security means all individuals, at all times, have both physical and economic access to sufficient food to meet dietary needs for normal growth and a productive and healthy life. In order for a household to be considered food secure, food must be available, accessible, and each individual in the household must be able to reliably utilize the food they obtain. Food insecurity is a global, national, and local issue. In 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that 35.2 million individuals lived in food-insecure households and, of these, households with children had a substantially higher rate of food insecurity than those without. Food insecurity is a socially-rooted and systemic issue and has only increased in prevalence since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting approximately 23% of U.S. households in 2020.

Food insecurity is a complex issue with no single cause, but crises, shocks, and stressors- both natural and human-made- have the potential to exacerbate insecurity and cause considerable short- and long-term damage to our global, national, and local food systems. A resilient food system is able to withstand and recover from disruptions to the supply chain in a way that empowers communities and ensures sufficient and sustainable supply of acceptable and accessible food for all.

Goals

The goals of the Council are to:

  • Address the food insecurity crisis in the State resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis.
  • Develop equity and sustainability policy recommendations to increase the long-term resiliency of the food system.
  • Expand the impact of existing food council organizations.
  • Develop a strategic plan to increase the production and procurement of Maryland certified food.

Outcomes

The Council will produce the following documents which will lay the foundation for the future of food resilience in Maryland.

November 1, 2021 -

  1. Report to the Maryland General Assembly on key findings and activities undertaken by the Council.
  2. Please see the first Interim Report due to the Maryland General Assembly ​ here​.​

November 1, 2022 -

  1. Report to the Maryland General Assembly with recommendations for a long term structure for a statewide food policy council including:
    • a.) Appropriate policy and legislative changes
      b.) Potential ways to restructure the Council as such:
        i.) Placing the Council within a different agency or organizations; and
        ii.) Enacting a sunset provision for the Council
      c.) Any other recommendations of the council
  2. ​Please see Maryland General Assembly 2022 Reporthere​.

November 1, 2023 and beyond -

  1. Report to the Maryland General Assembly on key findings and activities undertaken by the Council.

Additional reports annually to the Maryland General Assembly should the Council remain operational.

Membership

The Maryland Food Resiliency Council (FSRC), co-chaired by MDEM's Acting Secretary, Russ Strickland, and Executive Director of the Montgomery County Food Council, Heather Bruskin, ​Montgomery Council Food Council, who was elected at the first meeting of the Food System Resiliency Council for a term of one year as required by legislation.

In addition to the co-chairs, the council has three co-vice chairs:

  • The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture
  • The Secretary of the Department of Human Services
  • Dean of the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Members of the Council serve a three-year term. Representing organizations across the spectrum of food resilience, the members of the Council collaborate to achieve the goals and outcomes prescribed by law.

2022 Member Roster​​


​Upcoming Meetings​​​



Meeting Frequency
First Meeting Date
​How to Join
​Upcoming Meeting Materials​
​Food System Resiliency Council
​Date: 05/23/2023​​
​First Thursday, Bimonthly  from 10-12pm
​Webinar topic:
maryland Food System Resiliency Council

View on Google Calendar
When:Tuesday May 23, ​2023 9:00AM UTC-04:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Where:​
Webinar number:
2422 671 3758​

Webinar password:
22bXWHkpUa2 (22299457 from phones and video systems)​

Join by phone:

1-855-244-8681 Call-in toll-free number (US/Canada)
1-650-479-3207 Call-in toll number (US/Canada)

Access code: 242 267 13758​

 Agenda ​​​
​​
​Communications & Coordination Subcommittee​
Date: 4/17/23​
​​Once a week every Monday from 1pm-2pm during the legislative session​
meet.google.com/uyg-xjnx-biv​
​Or dial: ‪(US) 1 620-869-1210‬ ‬​​
‪PIN: ‪363 158 414‬#​​​

​​ Agenda​​​​​​​
Environment & Production​ Subcommittee
Date: 5/25/23​ ​
​​


​Alternate Thursdays at 1pm
meet.google.com/kwb-wftc-axo​
​Or dial: ‪(US) 1 337-466-9034‬​​
‪PIN: : ‪218 549 350‬#​​
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/kwb-wftc-axo?pin=9757661387166​

​​ Agenda​​​​​​​​
​​​Distribution & Access Subcommittee​
Date: 5/25/2023
Fourth Thursda​y every month  at 1pm
meet.google.com/spr-kzmv-zcd

​​ Agenda​​​​​​​
​​


"The Work Group, at the discretion of the co-chairs, may move the meeting into a closed session if the discussi​on warrants it pursuant to Md. Code, General Provisions Article 3-305."

​Past Meetings


Title: Maryland Food System Resiliency Council Meeting

Attachments:​​


​5/23/2023​ Meeting Recording​​​

​3/2/2023​ Meeting Recording​​​

1/5​/2023​  Minutes

1/5/2023​ Meeting Recording​​​

12/1/2022 Agenda​​​

12/1/2022 Meeting Recording​

10/2​6/2022 Agenda​​​

​10/2​6/2022 Meeting Recording

10/26​/2022  Minutes

10/6/2022 Agenda​​

​10/6/2022 Meeting Recording

10/6​/2022  Minutes

9/1​/2022 Agenda​​

​9/1/2022 Meeting Recording

8/4/2022  Minutes

8/4/2022 Agenda

​8/4/2022 Meeting Recording

​6/2/22 Minutes

6/2/22 Agenda

Youtube2.png 6/2/22 Meeting Recording

​5/5/22 Minutes

5/5/22 Agenda

Youtube2.png 5/5/22 Meeting Recording

4/7/22 Minutes

Youtube2.png 4/7/22 Meeting Recording

4/7/22 Agenda

Youtube2.png2/3/22​ Meeting Recording

 2/3/22 Agenda​

 2/3/22 Minutes​


Title: Communications & Coordination Legislative Subcommittee Meeting

Attachments:​​​​

3/27/2023 Minutes 

3/20/2023 Minutes 

3/13/2023 Minutes

3/6/2023  Minutes

2/27/2023 Minutes

2/21/2023 Minutes 

​​2/6​​/2023​  Minutes

2/13​​/2023​  Minutes​​

1/30​/2023​  Minutes​​

1/23/2023​  Minutes​​

12/05/2022  Minutes​​

9/12​/2022 Minutes

8/8/2022 Minutes

07/11/2022 Minutes

​06/13/22 Minutes

05/10/22 Minutes

05/10/22 Agenda

4/25/22 Minutes

4/25/22 Agenda​

4/4/22 Notes

4/4/22 Agenda

​3/28/22 Notes

3/28/22 Agenda

3/21/22 Minutes

3/21/22 Agenda

3/14/22 Minutes

3/14/22 Agenda

3/7/22 Notes

3/7/22 Agenda

2/28/22 Minutes

2/28/22 Agenda

2/22/22 Minutes

2/22/22 Agenda

2/14/22 Minutes

2/14/22 Agenda

2/7/​22 ​Agenda

1/24/22 A​genda​

1/24/22 Minutes

1/18/22 Minutes

1/18/22 ​A​genda​

1/10/22 Minutes

2/14/22 Minutes

Title: Environment and Production Subcommittee Meeting

Attachments:​

4/13/2023 Minutes

3/30/2023 Minutes

3/16/2023 Minutes

 3/2/23 Minutes

 2/16/23 Minutes

 2​/2/23​ Minutes 

 1​/19/23​ Minutes 

 1​/05/23​ Minutes 

 12​/08/22 Minutes 

 11/10/2022 Minutes 

 10/27​​​/2022 Minutes 

 9/29​​/2022 Minutes 

 9/15​/2022 Minutes 

 8/18​/2022 Minutes 

 8/4/2022 Minutes 

8/4/2022 Agenda​

7/21/2022 Minutes

​​7/7/2022 Minutes​​​

​​06/23​/2022 Minutes​

​​06/09/2022 Minutes​

​06/09/2022 Agenda

5/26/22/Minutes

5/26/22 Agenda

5/12/22 Minutes​

5/12/22 Agenda​

4/28/22/Minutes

4/28/22 Agenda

4/14​/22 Minutes

​4/14/22 Agenda

3/31​/22 Minutes

3/31//22 Agenda

​3/17/​22 Agenda​

3/03​/22 Minutes

​3/03/22 Agenda​

1/20/​22 Minutes


Title:​ Distribution & Access Subcommittee Meeting

Attachments:​​

3​/23/2023 Minutes 

2/23/2023 Minutes 

1​/26/2023 Minutes 

 08/25/2022  Minutes

 08/25/2022 Agenda

 07/28/2022  Minutes

 07/28/2022 Agenda

​​06/30/22 Minutes

​06/30/22 Agenda

​​06/02/22 Minutes

​06/02/22 Agenda

5/19/22 Agenda

​05/19/22 Minutes​

0​​5/05/22 Minutes

5/5/22 Agenda

4/21/22 Minutes

4/21/22 Agenda

​3/24/22 Minutes

3/10/22 Agenda

​2/24/22 Minutes

1/27/22 Agenda


Title: Communications & Coordination Legislative Subcommittee Meeting

Date issued: 1/7/2022

Date of Meeting: Every Monday beginning on 1/10 and ending on 4/18

Time of Meeting: 01:00 p.m to 1:30 p.m.

Location: Google​ Meets

Attachments:​

Communications & Coordination Legislation Meeting Notice

Communications & Coordination Legislative Meeting Minutes


Purpose of Meeting: To update members and stakeholders on any action taken during the 444th legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly (2022) as it relates to the work of the Food System Resiliency Council.

"The Work Group, at the discretion of the co-chairs, may move the meeting into a closed session if the discussion warrants it pursuant to Md. Code, General Provisions Article 3-305."​


Are you working on a food-related policy? Please fill out this form link with deatils,and our Committee will consider and follow up with you.

2021 Meetings

Title: Maryland Food System Resiliency Council Meeting

Date issued: 12/15/2021

Date of Meeting:  Monday, December 20th, 2021​

Time of Meeting: 2:30 p.m to 4:30 p.m.

Location of Meeting: Virtual;  please visit this link on or before the day of the meeting. 
PLEASE RSVP ATTENDANCE TO THIS MEETING at vanessa.calaban@maryland.gov
​The Work Group, at the discretion of the co-chairs, may move the meeting into a closed session if the discussion warrants it pursuant to Md. Code, General Provisions Article 3-305.


Title: Maryland Food System Resiliency Council Meeting

Date issued: 08/06/2021

Date of Meeting: Monday, October 25th, 2021

Time of Meeting: 12:00 p.m to 2:00 p.m.

Location of Meeting: Virtual- You can find a public viewing link here​ closer to the date of the meeting.​

Attachments: 

PLEASE RSVP ATTENDANCE TO THIS MEETING at Jesse.delph@maryland.gov​
The Work Group, at the discretion of the co-chairs, may move the meeting into a closed session if the discussion warrants it pursuant to Md. Code, General Provisions Article 3-305.​

Title: Maryland Food System Resiliency Council Meeting

Date Issued: 08/06/2021

Date of Meeting: Thursday, September 23rd, 2021​

Time of Meeting: 1:00 p.m to 4:00 p.m.

Location of Meeting: Virtual- You can find a public viewing link here closer to the date of the meeting.

Attachments: ​


Title: Maryland Food System Resiliency Council Meeting

Date Issued: 08/06/2021

Date of Meeting: Tuesday, August 24th, 2021

Time of Meeting: 1:00 p.m to 3:00 p.m.

Location of Meeting: DGS Crownsville, 100 Community Pl, Crownsville, MD
Attachments: 
Maryland Food System Resiliency Council Draft Minutes


Title: Maryland Food System Resiliency Council Meeting​

Date: July 30th, 2021

Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.​

Attachments:​