Since 2016, the City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability has led a collaborative effort bringing together a cross-sector coalition of anchor institutions, community-based organizations, academia, philanthropy, and the business community to invest in leveraging the Good Food Purchasing Program as a tool to catalyze transformational food systems change by supporting Austin institutions to participate. In May 2016, the coalition launched an effort to implement the Program, with pilot partners at the Austin Independent School District, the Austin Convention Center, and the University of Texas at Austin leading the way as the first organizations to pilot the Good Food Purchasing Program in Texas. 

In February 2019, Austin Independent School District became the first school district in the state to officially adopt the Good Food Purchasing Program. In July 2021, Lake Travis Independent School District became the second. Unified around a shared vision and set of values, Austin-based institutions involved with the Program have made important gains, but supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic and Winter Storm Uri have reinforced how much work is left to be done.

Launched in Fall 2022, a multi-partner advocacy campaign led by Sustainable Food Center is advocating for the City of Austin and Travis County to adopt a Good Food Purchasing Policy, which would ensure transparent supply chains and continual improvement for institutional buyers. Good Food Purchasing aligns with the region’s long-standing dedication to climate equity and resilient food systems. Austin-Travis County can establish itself as a regional leader around values-based procurement and transform the food system to become more resilient and better serve the needs of our people and our communities.

In order to make lasting change, investment is needed. The campaign is advocating for the adoption of the Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board recommendation Supporting Values-Based Procurement and requesting a $3 million investment to support anchor institutions committed to equitable and transparent purchasing. 

 To learn more, or to get involved with the campaign email info@sustainablefoodcenter.org.

Since the program kicked off in May 2016, pilot partners have begun working with the Center for Good Food Purchasing to determine how they can track their purchasing along the five value categories and gather more data from the vendors they are currently working with. The adoption of the Good Food Purchasing Program amplifies and celebrates the existing mission and values of both partner institutions.

Austin Independent School District and Lake Travis Independent School District are committed to providing fresh, healthy and sustainably raised foods to students across Austin-Travis County. Equity and food access are important district values to ensure that all students have access to the same food choices each day. These two institutions have incorporated more local items on their menus. See more about the impact of AISD and LTISD’s commitment to Good Food Purchasing:

In December 2021, the Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board passed a recommendation supporting values-based procurement. If adopted by Austin City Council and Travis County Commissioner’s Court, this recommendation could represent a momentous milestone for Central Texas’ commitment to sustainable, fair and transparent purchasing.

• Austin Convention Center
• American Heart Association
• Austin Independent School District
• Austin Travis County Food Policy Board
• Austin American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
• City of Austin, Austin Resource Recovery
• City of Austin, Central Purchasing
• City of Austin, Health and Human Services
• City of Austin, Office of Sustainability
• Good Work Austin
• Lake Travis Independent School District
• Michael and Susan Dell Foundation
• Sustainable Food Center
• University of Texas at Austin