In the food system, industrial agriculture, long supply chains, and consolidation of power have been common since the 1950s. Today, 20 percent of farms control nearly 70 percent of US farmland, four meatpackers slaughter 85 percent of beef, and four companies control 63 percent of the retail market. This consolidation of power has always compromised the health and sustainability of people and the planet. Now, in the face of increasing natural disasters, public health crises, and growing inequalities, the highly concentrated industrial food system is exposing deep vulnerabilities and threatening the resiliency of people, cultures, livelihoods, and ecosystems.
Through Food Vision 2030, we have an opportunity to better prepare for and adapt to shocks in our food system. We can cultivate diverse local and regional economies and build shorter, fairer, and cleaner food supply chains. We can build stronger safety nets. We can heal relationships with the earth and one another. We can create a diverse and resilient food system that is capable of nourishing us today and for generations to come.
