Denver Food Vision, Denver, Colorado

Denver’s food systems plan, Denver Food Vision, considers and utilizes the city’s consumers, producers, processors, distributors, and retailers to strengthen the relationships for a more inclusive, vibrant, healthy and resilient food system. The plans vision is to foster a common food agenda, develop goals, metrics, and action steps to address critical gaps, stimulate innovation and investments, and leverage existing strengths in the community. Priorities include investing in building community-driven complete neighborhood food environments, improving access to a wide variety of healthy food retail options and ensure affordable food and food education, develop Denver as an epicenter for the regional food economy by supporting Denver food businesses economic strength, preserving regional food systems assets and infrastructure, promoting environmentally regenerative and climate-smart food systems and reducing food waste. Appendix B of the document continues to outline and define focus areas, priorities, strategies and goals. Since its adoption in 2017, Denver has created a three-year Food Action Plan (2018) that outlines specific short-term strategies and implementation plans. Additionally, the project ‘Denver Food Matters,’ addressed in both the food plan and action plan, began its pilot period in 2018.