Decisions made about food have a powerful ripple effect in all aspects of society. Changing the way we grow food, move food, share food, and think about food ultimately changes the way we treat the planet and each other.
It nourishes our bodies, bonds communities, and provides a living for the millions of people who work to grow, move, and share food. And it does all this while sustaining and regenerating the resources that it depends on.
At least, food should do all those things. But the current U.S. food system too often plays a different—and destructive—role. Instead of keeping us healthy, it fuels chronic disease. Instead of supporting resilient communities, it exploits workers, worsens racial and income inequality, and drains money from local economies. Instead of working with nature in a regenerative, sustainable way, today’s industrial farming methods devastate ecosystems, pollute air and water, and accelerate climate change.
These problems didn’t arise by accident: they are the result of policies driven by profit and private interests rather than the public good.
The good news is that we know how to build a better food system—one that provides healthy and sustainably produced food for all, and treats everyone at every stage of the system with dignity. A growing movement of farmers, workers, scientists, community activists, business owners, and eaters is working to make this vision a reality. San Diego County Food Vision 2030 and the San Diego Food System Alliance are part of this movement—and you can be a part of it as well.
The pandemic, climate disasters, and events in 2020 highlighting deeply entrenched racial injustices all reinforced that transforming our systems is more important than ever.
The food system can be a powerful lever for transforming our communities, and provides significant opportunities to elevate social, environmental, and economic equity for all. Working together, a more equitable and resilient future is possible for all San Diegans.
