DANIEL, R. GARODNICK THE COUNC om “THe Ciry OF NEW YORK wean April 20, 2015 Hon. Bill de Blasio Mayor of New York Cty City Hall New York, NY 10007 Dear Mayor de Blasio, We are writing you to express our strong interest in working with the Administration to advance «4 new nation-leading iitiative to secure New York City's supply of fresh, local food, Specifically, we are asking the Administration to protect our City’s long-term interests and sustainability by invest ng atleast $5 million per year forthe neXt ten years to proect regional farms from being fost o real estate interests, "New Yorkers demand, and deserve, secure access to nutritious food. New York City’s unmet demand for fresh, local food is estimated to be nearly $1 billion per Year. Creating a sustainable regional food system that meets this demand and offers equal access to nutritious food will improve public health, dolster the city’s “good food” economy, build resilience in the wake of extreme weather events and reduce the city’s “foodprint” asa way to mitigate the impacts of climate change. ‘A substantial and growing amount of fresh food Irom regional farms in the Hudson Valley and ‘on Long Island makes i's way into many under-resourced communities within New York City. Urban farmers markets, community-supported agriculture, and meals served by city institutions and other organizations are delivering this nutritious food to some ofthe 3 million residents who live in neighborhoods without adequate supermarkets, including the I million \who are food insecure. Yet 89% ofthe farmland inthe Hudson Valley has not been conserved and is at risk, ‘Our city stands as a leader in policy measures of every sort. We are recognized globally as an innovator for protecting the drinking water supply by conserving the land, including farmland. surrounding upstate reservoirs, Now, New York City can become a national food policy leader as, the frst major city to invest in securing the long-term supply of fresh, local food by taking ation tw conserve the farmland in its regional foodshed,onal fans from realestate pressure that eats away atthe agricultural land base and increasingly makes farmland unaffordable to farmer is fundamental to building a vibrant and sustainable regional food economy bere in New York City. This action will support Lacal laws 50 and $2 that en:ourage the procurement by New York City agencies of fresh, local food ‘sown in New York State and help secure access to nutritious food forall New Yorkers. And it ‘will complement critically important efforts to create more efficient and robust regional ‘wholesale regional food distribution facilities, Not-for-profit environmental organization Scenic Hudson has created a NYC/uason Valley Foodshed Conservation Plan that provides a strategy for investing inthe loal food system that will leverage substantial additional funding from public and private sectors. Partnering with ‘other public and privat: staketiolders and a regional organization such as Scene Hudson to purchase development rights on these farms will guarantee that thee is farmland to produce food and fiber for New York City and the metropolitan region We look forward to werking together with you to make this happen as soon as possible, rere ee Wipe GG Bin all WEEE Brod far Ratllodng Lp nalo— Paton Antonio Reynoso James Vacea