The two words are often tossed around together, but what exactly is food justice?
According to Robert Gottlieb, author of Food Justice, food justice "seeks to ensure that the benefits and risks of where, what, and how food is grown, produced, transported, distributed, accessed and eaten are shared fairly ... represents a transformation of the current food system, including but not limited to eliminating disparities and inequities." The food justice movement recognizes that there is an over-abundance of food in the world that is distributed unequally; no one should be limited access to fresh food because of an inability to pay.
The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York has a food justice program that focuses on educating beginning organic farmers and providing organic food to underserved communities. Part of this is the Neighborhood Farm Share program that provides subsidies to residents in the Rochester and Buffalo areas for participation in CSAs through NOFA-NY member farms.
One of those member farms is Native Offerings (southwest from Geneseo, south from Buffalo) who signed up for the Neighborhood Farm Share program this year, and now provides CSA shares to Journey's End Refugee Services, a Buffalo nonprofit that provides refugees with services to help them to become successful, active, and contributing members of the community. By linking together, Native Offerings and Journey's End can provide access to local organic vegetables each week at an affordable cost.
While the program is very young and in its beginning phases, this is a fine example of building ties and expanding social justice through food and connecting farmers with those in need. Understanding why inequalities and disparities exist is the first step to unraveling inaccessibility. Some organizations/sites below can help you learn more:
- Just Food
- Heifer International
- Sustainable Table
- Oxfam's GROW Campaign
- Growing Food and Justice Initiative
According to Robert Gottlieb, author of Food Justice, food justice "seeks to ensure that the benefits and risks of where, what, and how food is grown, produced, transported, distributed, accessed and eaten are shared fairly ... represents a transformation of the current food system, including but not limited to eliminating disparities and inequities." The food justice movement recognizes that there is an over-abundance of food in the world that is distributed unequally; no one should be limited access to fresh food because of an inability to pay.
The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York has a food justice program that focuses on educating beginning organic farmers and providing organic food to underserved communities. Part of this is the Neighborhood Farm Share program that provides subsidies to residents in the Rochester and Buffalo areas for participation in CSAs through NOFA-NY member farms.
One of those member farms is Native Offerings (southwest from Geneseo, south from Buffalo) who signed up for the Neighborhood Farm Share program this year, and now provides CSA shares to Journey's End Refugee Services, a Buffalo nonprofit that provides refugees with services to help them to become successful, active, and contributing members of the community. By linking together, Native Offerings and Journey's End can provide access to local organic vegetables each week at an affordable cost.
Each week, refugee clients help the farmers of Native Offerings set up the CSA in the organization's classroom. Weighing out bags of spinach and setting up vegetables in their various spots were this week's tasks.
- Just Food
- Heifer International
- Sustainable Table
- Oxfam's GROW Campaign
- Growing Food and Justice Initiative
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