The Food Policy Council will have a maximum of 15 appointed members for three-year terms. The council will be co-chaired by a military member from Fort Bragg and a civilian from Cumberland County. It will include two members involved in local farming and agriculture; three members representing local education; three members who work in public health, food insecurity or food access, or child and adult care; and two members from local government.

The co-chairs have been announced. Lt. Col. Tathetra Joseph serves as the co-chair of the council and the military chair from Fort Bragg and Sandy Ammons serves as the co-chair and civilian chair from Cumberland County. 

The FPC has established three task-specific committees to address the priorities of the council which are:

  1. Creating a plan to expand transportation to healthy food sources. 

  2. Improving communication of food resources to citizens, volunteers, and food providers.

  3. Exploring possible expansion of the use of WIC/EBT to farmer’s markets and other food markets.

The Healthiest Cities and Counties Challenge awarded the Cumberland County Department of Public Health a $100,000 grant in June 2020 to address food insecurity and a need for access to healthy food. 

The goals of the HCCC grant were to conduct a food environment assessment of Cumberland County and Fort Bragg, to start a local food policy council, and to then have the council instate two food policy recommendations.

In June of 2021, Cumberland County and Fort Bragg established the first county-military food policy council. The council serves to improve health equity and quality of life by establishing a healthy food environment where every member of the Fort Bragg and Cumberland County community can thrive.