Climate & Sustainability
UC Santa Cruz drives statewide sustainable food transformation
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.
A group of representatives from UC Health Centers and UC campuses gathered for a systemwide sustainable food sourcing meeting in August 2024. (Photo by Tim Galarneau).
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Key takeaways
- UC Santa Cruz is leading a systemwide effort to transform food procurement practices across the University of California, aiming for at least 25 percent of food sourced sustainably by 2025.
- The effort includes piloting new procurement strategies, expanding sustainable vendor options, and integrating a new data tracking system across campuses.
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.
With $480,000 provided by UCOP, this initiative, co-directed by Tim Galarneau, Food Systems Program Manager with Marilyn Biscotti, Senior UC Procurement Food and Hospitality Director, and UC Associate Director of Sustainability, Agnes Martelet, supports UC campuses and academic health centers to align definitions, data collection, and reporting on sustainable food procurement.
With their facilitative leadership and technical assistance team, the team is engaging UC campuses and health centers on sustainable food procurement pathways, developing case studies on sustainable food sourcing success stories, and advancing progress towards the UC system’s goal of defining the actions and resources needed to procure at least 25 percent of food supplies from sustainable sources by 2030.
UC Santa Cruz has long been a leader in sustainable agriculture and food systems, and its role in this initiative underscores its commitment to driving meaningful change. “This work is particularly crucial now, as relationships with local farmers, producers, and supply chains are more important than ever amid federal policy uncertainties,” said Galarneau. “Systemwide policies that drive equity and sustainable sourcing are vital to strengthening partnerships and ensuring long-term food security in California.”
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.
During Phase I, the team provided technical training and support for student fellows engaged in sustainable food data collection and evaluation. They launched a campus pilot to test a new data tracking platform and assessed supply chain and policy mechanisms to accelerate sustainable sourcing. The initiative also convened strategic procurement leads to examine opportunities for contract improvements and hosted events to promote sustainable food literacy and awareness. A comprehensive impact report was developed to identify barriers and offer recommendations for scaling up sustainable procurement efforts.
Phase II: Expanding Impact and Building Resilience
Building on these efforts, 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 II will expand the integration of the MaetaData tracking system for improved data collection and facilitate regional and systemwide technical assistance for sourcing new sustainable food vendors. The team is developing a transition plan for UC campuses and health centers to incorporate sustainable pre-cut produce options and evaluating the feasibility of a collaborative protein purchasing strategy. They will pilot sustainable value-added food products across UC sites and enhance the coding of sustainable products in procurement catalogs to streamline purchasing.
Additional efforts include reviewing and improving contract language to support sustainable sourcing initiatives, conducting a cost analysis of shifting from conventional to sustainable proteins and produce, and developing sustainability and social equity metrics to evaluate the impact of sourcing 25 percent of food sustainably. The project will also provide technical training for Bonny Reiss Leading on Climate Sustainable Food Fellows to engage students and community members in sustainable food initiatives and publish a Phase II impact report detailing progress, challenges, and recommendations for the future.
A Personal Commitment to Food Systems
Galarneau’s passion for this work is deeply rooted in his own journey. As a transfer undergraduate at UC Santa Cruz, he launched a food systems group and worked on campus food policy, which illuminated the broader importance of food systems for communities. Over the years, he has collaborated with K-12 districts to improve procurement across multiple counties, worked with health centers and campuses, and remained dedicated to building integrity in food systems. Having spent 19 years with the Center for Agroecology and engaging with diverse stakeholders—including policy advocates, operators, and farmers—he views this effort as a lifelong passion.
Upcoming Convenings to Drive Collaboration
A major component of Phase II is the organization of key convenings that will bring together stakeholders from across California to discuss strategies, share best practices, and strengthen institutional supply chains. Key events include:
August 2025 – UC Systemwide Project Convening will bring together UC campus and health center partners to assess Phase II impacts and plan for continued progress.
Fall 2025 – Advancing California Sustainable Food and Product Sourcing Supply Chain Convening will focus on scaling sustainable procurement across educational and healthcare institutions.
With an ambitious agenda and strong leadership from UC Santa Cruz, the UC Global Climate Leadership Council’s Sustainable Food Sourcing Project continues to drive meaningful change, positioning the University of California as a leader in sustainable food procurement. As Phase II unfolds, UC stakeholders can expect increased collaboration, improved tracking mechanisms, and strategic interventions that bring the university closer to achieving its sustainability goals.