Alachua’s Comprehensive Plan promotes equal access to healthful, affordable, and nutritious food through a community garden and agriculture programs offered by the USDA Farm to School Programs. Programs promoting gardening, healthy food access, and nutrition improvement are targeted at low-income households and populations at high-risk for health disparity. The County is simultaneously discouraging sale of less healthy foods in government facilities.

Additionally, the County plans to partner with local organizations and develop standards to promote community food systems. They will be promoting and developing standards to facilitate location of fresh produce providers within proximity to residential areas. Further, Alachua will use economic development tools to promote location of these providers in proximity to underserved areas.

The increased availability of fresher foods for residents will contribute to residents making better eating choices, which can lead to a decrease in heart disease, obesity, and more. Additionally, by ensuring that the fresh foods are available in underserved areas of the city, the overall equity of the increase in public health.