From Foodservice Management Contracts to U.S. Federal Legislation: Progress and Barriers in Values-Based Food Procurement Policies

Abstract

Abstract Growing public interest in the health, environmental, animal welfare, and social justice implications of the U.S. food system has catalyzed demand for regional and sustainable food procurement among institutions across the, United States, including schools, hospitals, government agencies, and colleges and universities. The scale and purchasing power of large institutions affords them significant influence over how and which foods are produced, priced, and distributed for consumption, though many are also constrained by their contracts with foodservice management companies. This chapter provides an overview of institutional foodservice procurement systems, discusses progress and existing barriers to the adoption of policies that favor regionally and sustainably produced food, and reflects on the political context influencing institutional food procurement practices.