Laws to Require Purchase of Locally Grown Food and Constitutional Limits on State and Local Government: Suggestions for Policymakers and Advocates

Authors

  • Brannon P. Denning Samford University
  • Samantha Graff ChangeLab Solutions
  • Heather Wooten ChangeLab Solutions

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2010.011.014

Keywords:

Locally Grown Food, Dormant Commerce Clause Doctrine, Economic Development, Public Contracting

Abstract

Locally grown food laws that require, or provide incentives for, purchasing food grown within a defined geographic boundary are vulnerable to challenge under the U.S. Constitution’s restrictions on local and state laws that discriminate against goods and commerce from other states, known as the dormant Commerce Clause doctrine (DCCD). Policymakers and advocates for local food should understand the impact of these restrictions and should take advantage of an important exception to these restrictions when drafting policies to encourage purchase of locally grown food. In particular, they should (1) consider using the “market-participant exception” to the DCCD and tailor policies to apply to government’s direct food purchasing or agreements with food service contractors; (2) avoid using tax credits and instead use direct cash subsidies when providing incentives for local food purchasing by private (nongovern­mental) entities, and (3) make “locally grown” geographic definitions as broad as possible (especially to include out-of-state territory).

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Author Biographies

Brannon P. Denning, Samford University

Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Dr., Birmingham, Alabama 35229 USA; +1-205-726-2413.

Samantha Graff, ChangeLab Solutions

ChangeLab Solutions, 2201 Broadway, Suite 502, Oakland, California 94612 USA; +1-510-302-3377.

Heather Wooten, ChangeLab Solutions

ChangeLab Solutions, 2201 Broadway, Suite 502, Oakland, California 94612 USA; +1-510-302-3370.

Published

2010-08-13

How to Cite

Denning, B. P., Graff, S., & Wooten, H. (2010). Laws to Require Purchase of Locally Grown Food and Constitutional Limits on State and Local Government: Suggestions for Policymakers and Advocates. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 1(1), 139–148. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2010.011.014

Issue

Section

Open Call Paper