• Eggs
• Meat
• Poultry
• Produce
• Proteins
• Seafood
• Vegetables
• Fresh dairy including milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, buttermilk
• Bulk foods including frozen, chilled, canned, refrigerated, dry goods
• Fresh bakery items
• Etc.

Required specifications

Purchasers must include these specifications, unless not possible:

• DES-090-09: Purchases of Washington Grown Food and RCW 39.26.090(9)(a-b)
  • “All food contracts must include a Plan for acquiring Washington Grown Food.”
  • State agencies should require food service providers to include a “Plan for acquiring Washington Grown Food” offer non-cost points to food vendors and service providers that can provide the most food products that are Washington Grown. RCW 70A.350: the Pollution Prevention for Healthy People and Puget Sound Act directs Ecology to cyclically identify priority chemicals, priority products and then implement restrictions or reporting through rulemaking or take no action. At this point in time, bisphenols in the linings of food and beverage cans have been identified as a priority chemical-product combination but regulations have not been finalized.
  • State agencies should require food service providers to include a “Plan for acquiring Washington Grown Food” offer non-cost points to food vendors and service providers that can provide the most food products that are Washington Grown. RCW 70A.350: the Pollution Prevention for Healthy People and Puget Sound Act directs Ecology to cyclically identify priority chemicals, priority products and then implement restrictions or reporting through rulemaking or take no action. At this point in time, bisphenols in the linings of food and beverage cans have been identified as a priority chemical-product combination but regulations have not been finalized.
  • All state-owned or operated food service operations must offer vegetarian entrees, which generate fewer GHG emissions during production than meat and other non-vegetarian entrees. State agencies should offer non-cost points to food service providers that propose implementing climate-friendly food service strategies such as “Meatless Mondays” and food waste reduction initiatives. Food service providers must follow current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans. State agencies should look for opportunities to include vegetarian proteins on their food commodity contracts. For more information on climate-friendly food, see The Meat of the Matter: A Municipal Guide to Climate-Friendly Food Purchasing.
• DES-090-09 and RCW 39.26.090 9(a-b)
  • "All food contracts must include a Plan for acquiring Washington Grown Food."
  • State agencies should require food service providers to include a Plan for acquiring Washington Grown Food” offer non-cost points to food commodity vendors and service providers that can provide the most food products that are Washington Grown.

Preferred specifications

Purchasers should include these specifications, unless not possible:

• USDA Organic
• Certified Humane
• Fair Trade (various certifiers)
• Food Alliance
• Salmon Safe
• Sustainable Seafood
• B Corp
• NSF Sustainability Certification
• Other certifications approved by the state
• Reduce packaging
• Deliver products in reusable packaging or recyclable corrugated cardboard packaging with at least 25% post-consumer recycled content
• Meet U.S. EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines for applicable packaging
• For more information, see Healthcare Without Harm's Healthy Food in Health Care

Laws, rules, and executive orders

These laws, rules, and executive orders must be included in the contract language:

• DES-090-09: Purchases of Washington Grown Food
• RCW 39.26.090(9)(a-b)
• USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• The Meat of the Matter: A Municipal Guide to Climate-Friendly Food Purchasing

Find these products on statewide contracts

Find products that meet Washington's green purchasing specifications:

• Contract 04518: Bulk Food: Frozen, Chilled, Canned, Refrigerated, and Dry Goods
• Contract 02016: Fresh Dairy
• Contract 02619: Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

End of life

Surplus goods that still can be used

• Use surplus disposal to get rid of items you no longer need. Keep materials out of landfills and make funds for your agency.
• Donate food to a food bank.

Recycling and disposal

Hazardous waste disposal guidelines and options:

• Department of Ecology: Dispose, recycle, or treat dangerous waste
• Washington Recycles
• Donate waste as animal food to a farm
• Compost expired food