Ithaca, New York a diverse and flourishing local food community with a deep and enduring interest in organic foods, sustainable local agriculture, cooperative food markets, community gardens, agricultural education, and a more equitable local food system. Despite this solid foundation, Ithaca has noticed that there is more work to be done. Primarily, this food needs to be made accessible and affordable to all members of the population.

Ithaca’s Comprehensive Plan established a goal to locally integrate the production, processing, and distribution of food in order to increase food security for local residents. This goal simultaneously serves to increase the environmental sustainability of the food system. In furtherance of this goal, the city has set out to expand private and community gardens, connect food entrepreneurs with policy-makers, permitting agencies, and community members, expand on public farmers markets and public transportation to markets, as well as eliminate any zoning or policy decisions which inhibit the growth of their local food system.