OUR MISSION AND VISION
COFSAC’s mission is to provide community-informed, research-based policy recommendations to state leaders to address complex food systems challenges.
We seek to serve as a trusted partner collaborating with policy makers, thought leaders, and communities to create a healthful, prosperous, equitable, and resilient Colorado-based food system.
Working at the systems level, our work touches on a broad range of food and agriculture related issues and opportunities, including:
- Increasing healthy food access for all Colorado residents
- Creating economic opportunities for Colorado agricultural producers and food-related businesses
- Strengthening the economic, environmental, cultural and social foundations of local and regional food systems
- Identifying and using existing studies relevant to the food system
- Working with and developing relationships with other task forces, committees, and organizations pursuing similar objectives
- Developing recommendations that promote a robust, resilient, and long-term local food economy
- Collaborating with local and regional food policy councils and coalitions in the State
WHAT IS THE FOOD SYSTEMS ADVISORY COUNCIL?
The Colorado Food Systems Advisory Council (COFSAC), established through the LiveWell Colorado-initiated Senate Bill 10-106, is a legislatively-mandated, governor-appointed, volunteer-based council.
COFSAC is charged with advancing recommendations that strengthen healthy food access for all Coloradans through Colorado agriculture systems and local food economies.
WHAT DOES THE COUNCIL DO?
COFSAC members span the breadth of the food system and are proven experts. The Council is charged by the legislature to support the following activities:
- Identify and use existing studies relevant to the food system
- Work with and develop relationships with other task forces, committees, and/or organizations pursuing similar objectives
- Develop recommendations that promote the building of robust, resilient, and long-term local food economy
- Develop recommendations regarding hunger and food access
- Collaborate with local and regional food policy councils in the State
- Promote “Colorado Proud”
COFSAC does this work work in two ways:
Query-driven response:
- At the request of legislators or Agency senior leaders, COFSAC delivers research-based, community-informed perspectives. For each request in our lane, we design the research, conduct outreach to gather inputs and better practices, and write a report with insights that can inform policy.
- As policy takes shape, COFSAC uses our expertise and relationships to help understand implication and alternatives to help refine parameters and even wording.
Partnership:
- COFSAC plays an advisory role on many topics that are important to the food system, and where many of our partners have a specialized focus—water, labor, emergency preparedness and response, education, equitable labor practices, etc.
- Members of COFSAC participate on many other councils and supply the food system perspective where this input helps lead to better outcomes.
WHO MAKES UP THE COUNCIL?
Our 22-member body is comprised of a broad spectrum of government and non-government entities. Our volunteer members represent most sectors of the food system and allow for a council very diverse in background and experience. See profiles of our current council members here.
To apply for appointment to COFSAC, please see the Apply to Become a Member section of this website.
WHAT IS THE INTENT OF THE COUNCIL?
The Council was originally established in 2010 through Senate Bill 10-106 as an advisory committee to make recommendations to the General Assembly and to the appropriate regulatory agencies, not to make policy. The charge of the council is to advance recommendations that strengthen healthy food access for all Coloradans through Colorado agriculture and local food systems and economies. The COFSAC is the state conduit for hearing, reviewing, and advancing critical food systems issue in which state government does or could play a role.
HOW DOES THE COUNCIL WORK?
The Council accomplishes its charge through the following:
- Identify and use existing studies relevant to the food system
- Work with and develop relationships with other task forces, committees, and/or organizations pursuing similar objectives
- Develop recommendations that promote the building of robust, resilient, and long-term local food economy
- Develop recommendations regarding hunger and food access
- Collaborate with local and regional food policy councils in the State
- Promote “Colorado Proud”.
Organizing Documents
Contact us:
Dr. Lilian Brislen (Coordinator) lilian.brislen@colostate.edu
Alex DeJoy (Administrator) alex.dejoy@colostate.edu
The Colorado Office of Policy, Research and Regulatory Reform is currently conducting a sunset review of the Colorado Food Systems Advisory Council as described in section 2-3-1203 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. Analysis is performed to determine if the council is necessary and should be continued or repealed. To provide input on this review, please visit: https://coprrr.