The University of California, with UC Santa Cruz at the forefront, is making significant strides toward its goal of sourcing 25 percent of its food from sustainable sources by 2030 through the UC Global Climate Leadership Council’s Sustainable Food Sourcing Project. This initiative is not only transforming food procurement across UC campuses but also having a profound impact on California’s agricultural and food systems by strengthening relationships with farmers, producers, and supply chains.
Project Goals
- Advance the expansion of sourcing from sustainable food producers and enterprises in UC food service operations.
- Assess the key barriers and introduce recommendations for improving overall reporting and sourcing practices that integrate strategic systemwide sourcing and campus-specific secondary contracts and data collection.
Phase II: Expanding impact and building resilience
Building on the first phase of this project, Phase II (winter 2025–winter 2026) aims to accelerate sustainable sourcing through a more integrated, systemwide approach. This phase will focus on strengthening partnerships with supply chain stakeholders, expanding campus and health center engagement, and improving procurement strategies to increase sustainable food spending.
Phase I: Laying the groundwork
Phase I established the foundation for aligning sustainable food procurement across UC campuses and academic health centers. This phase focused on data tracking and reporting, hosting convenings, and piloting new procurement strategies to support UC’s Sustainable Practices Policy goal.
Learn more about Phase I and its impacts
For more details please contact Tim Galarneau tgalarne@ucsc.edu or 831-359-8861.