Real food on the Colorado plateau: The professional planner's role in planning for community food systems in Flagstaff, Arizona

The predominant industrial food system, while providing an abundance of inexpensive food, also compromises human and environmental health, jeopardizing the welfare of communities. In this system, food is a commodity, a product that requires extensive resources and delivers unmanaged waste. Adding to this, available agricultural land in the United States continues to decline as it competes with development. In an attempt to seek some solutions to address these issues, communities are developing and supporting alternative food systems.;Today, a small number of professional planners and planning scholars within the United States are participating in food planning with their communities. As a basic necessity, food, and planning for food, is important for the health and general welfare of communities.;Applying a political economy framework, the research examined political and economic influences related to food systems in Flagstaff, Arizona. An investigation of the potential challenges to food planning was explored through a review of contemporary planning literature, in-depth interviews with public and private sector stakeholders and through an analysis of Food Policy Councils across the United States. While alternative food system movements are gaining momentum, research discussed in this paper shows that in general, professional planners' involvement in supporting alternative food systems is constrained. Responses from interviews suggest that food planning is not a top concern for planners given other job responsibilities. An analysis of food policy councils showed a lack of involvement among planners overall. In cases where planners were involved their actions were supportive rather than systemic.