Resources for Learning about Food Systems

Book Agroecology Now! Transformations Towards More Just & Sustainable Food Systems, 2020 by Anderson, et.al. open access book.

Core competencies in food system work - We are honored to be part of this vital project to develop a framework for what we need to know and to share resources on ways to extend our knowledge and skills in food systems work.

Racial Equity Toolkit, National Young Farmers Coalition 2020 (PDF)

Identifying Outcomes for Program Evaluation: Examples Outcomes for Beginning Farmer and Rancher Training Efforts (PDF, UC Santa Cruz, January 2020)

The Sustainable Food Systems Sourcebook is a free database of degree programs, consultants, scholarships, funding, conferences, and other education and training resources for professionals and students focused on food systems work. It is published by the Thomas A. Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems.  http://www.fssourcebook.org/

Nourish Food + Community has engaging videos, curricula, and leanring materials for K-12; useful for all ages. (Worldlink)

Discovering Our Food System Curriculum for teaching youth ages 12-18.  Useful as a framework for other audiences. (Cornell Univ)

FoodSpan is a free, downloadable curriculum providing high school students with a deep understanding of critical food system issues, empowering them to make healthy and responsible food choices, and encouraging them to become advocates for food system change.

Coursera offers a free online class on U.S Food Systems designed for adults.  We highly recommend this 6-week class! (Johns Hopkins Univ)

Movie:  Food, Inc.  Breakthrough film about the current food system in the US.

Movie:  Fresh!  If Food, Inc. bummed you out, then watch Fresh to feel less overwhelmed and ready to act.

Terrific set of maps describing the U.S. food system from the North American Food Systems Network (NAFSN)

Video from the City of Chicago introducing the reasons they are strengthing their local food economy.

Interactive map of food policy councils maintained by Drake Univ.

Article by agricultural economist John Ikerd, "The Sustainable Food System Imperative; Change is No Longer Optional"

USDA Local Foods resources and USDA Know Your Farmer website

Is Your Farmers' Market a Sham? (Outside magazine, Feb. 2015) - When you buy at your farmers' market, are the products really grown nearby? also see: At Tampa Bay Farm-to-Table Restaurants, You Are Being Fed Fiction (Tampa Bay Times, April, 2016)