Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
04/07/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/07/2026 13:27
COG Local Food Procurement Challenge earns support from first jurisdiction
On March 24, Montgomery County became the first jurisdiction to pass a resolution joining the Local Food Procurement Challenge launched earlier this year by the COG Food and Agriculture Regional Member (FARM) Policy Committee. The initiative invites jurisdictions to shift a portion of existing budgets toward locally and regionally produced foods.
By increasing purchases at a regional scale, the program builds supply chain resilience and improves healthy food access during a time of elevated food insecurity. It also strengthen the regional economy, providing an incentive to keep local agricultural land in production, and advancing climate and sustainability goals.
"This challenge supports local agriculture, it's a way in which Montgomery County is demonstrating regional and national leadership during a time of cutbacks to food security," said COG FARM Policy Committee Chair and Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson. "This food challenge commits us to dedicate a portion of our food dollars to invest in local and regional food that will benefit our communities, economy, and environment."
Participating jurisdictions will access regional technical assistance, cooperative purchasing strategies, and peer learning networks. To participate, jurisdictions designate a local food investment point person and customize a provided resolution template for local passage. From there, participants will assess current procurement data, identify opportunities to purchase regional products, and track their progress through a new Community of Practice (CoP).
The CoP will be led by Sara Hoverter, the Director of the O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown Law, an expert in values-based procurement.
The CoP provides technical assistance and shared tools (e.g. sample RFP language, contracting insights, and data support). To find out how to invest in local food procurement, contact COG Regional Food Systems Consultant Sydney Daigle at [email protected] or COG Senior Food and Agriculture Planner Lindsay Smith at [email protected].
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