The Johnson County local food-policy council is up and running.

Members of the food council spoke at the Johnson County Board of Supervisors meeting Thursday, held at the Johnson County Fairgrounds.

The council was created in January; it consists of 15 members with interests ranging from food safety to development and housing. The panel was created to develop a set of goals for the local food system and methods for promoting rural and local businesses.

Jason Grimm, a member of the food council, said the group has met three times since the first meeting in May.

Kate Edwards, the head of the panel and owner of Wild Woods farm in Solon, said it is exciting that the supervisors recognize local food as a hot topic.

She said the council has been talking a lot about values in the meetings.

“We’re looking to have a healthy system that promotes community, people, access and the environment,” she said.

Edwards also said the council is stressing the importance of a system that’s fair to farmers.

She also talked about the personal experience of starting a Community Supported Agriculture farm on one acre of land. Edwards said she feeds 32 families each week.

“You don’t have family land … it only takes one acre,” Supervisor Janelle Rettig said.

The food council meets the third Monday of every month at 6 p.m., and it encourages the public to attend the meetings.

– by Anna Egeland