Alpharetta wants residents to share information on their food choices and lifestyle habits in an online survey.
The results will assist in developing the agricultural master plan in Alpharetta for growing healthy sustainable foods.
Alpharetta is funding the plan through a partnership with the Atlanta Regional Commission and Food Well Alliance.
The city intends to incorporate agriculture and sustainable food practices into planning and development. That could include many different practices, officials said, such as planting fruit trees in residential developments or a network of food growers or consumers exchanging seeds.
The agricultural master plan would be approached in the same way as a master plan for economic development or recreation and parks, Amanda Musilli, Alpharetta community services manager, has said.
A 14-question online survey for residents will help a committee of community leaders develop the plan, a city statement said.
Some of the survey questions ask if you grow food at home, compost, or prefer organic or non-GMO foods. The survey can be found on the city of Alpharetta website.
Alpharetta was awarded $75,000 from Food Well Alliance last December for the master plan project and in January approved a memorandum of understanding with the nonprofit and the Atlanta Regional Commission.
The city also approved $75,000 in matching grant funds toward the agricultural master plan.
The Atlanta Regional Commission is working with a committee of community leaders over the next year to help develop the plan into a food network linking growers, distributors and consumers, and the Food Well Alliance will help Alpharetta implement it when it’s complete.
Alpharetta is only the second city to receive funding from Food Well Alliance to develop a city agricultural plan. East Point received the same amount of funding with matching funds in 2019.
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