A sustainable food system is one that provides healthy food to meet current food needs while maintaining healthy ecosystems that can also provide food for generations to come with minimal negative impact to the environment. A sustainable food system also encourages local production and distribution infrastructures and makes nutritious food available, accessible, and affordable to all. Further, it is humane and just, protecting farmers and other workers, consumers, and communities.

Source: American Public Health Association

The Food System is an interconnected network of practices, processes and places that cover all aspects of food. The six components of the food system are: Food Production, Food Processing, Food Distribution, Food Access, Food Consumption, Food Education and Waste Management.

Source: Food Policy Council, City of Vancouver

Local food businesses include farmers, food producers and manufacturers, food distributors, food marketing organizations, food retailers, institutional purchasers, restaurants, etc.

Food security is when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life. World Food Summit 1996.

Source: World Health Organization

Community Food Security (CFS) exists when all community residents obtain a safe, personally acceptable, nutritious diet through a sustainable food system that maximizes healthy choices, community self-reliance, and equal access for everyone. Dietitians of Canada recognizes that CFS has a broad scope that emphasizes systematic and comprehensive approaches to promote food security for everyone, and implicitly recognizes the role of the larger food system in ensuring food security. CFS involves long-term planning with a wide range of stakeholders working toward a healthy, just, and sustainable food systems.

Source: Community Food Security Position of Dietitians of Canada, 2007

Community Food Security : "a situation in which all community residents obtain a safe, culturally acceptable, nutritionally adequate diet through a sustainable food system that maximizes self-reliance and social justice”.

Source: Hamm MW and Bellows AC. J. Nutr Educ Behav 2003; 35:37-43