Advancing Nutrition and Obesity Policy through Cross-Sector Collaboration: The Local Farms – Healthy Kids Initiative in Washington State

Nutrition policy advocates have identified many evidence-based strategies that could improve the nutritional health of populations, but progress toward policy enactment is limited. Cross-sector collaboration is a time-tested way to advance the policy process. A group of advocates, practitioners, and researchers examined policy interests across nutrition, agriculture, and environmental sectors. The group then examined how these factors played out in the Local Farms–Healthy Kids legislation in Washington State. Cross-sector advocacy based on shared values regarding healthy food access and mutual interests in production, sales, and consumption of healthy local food strengthened the policy development process.