In honor of Earth Day, Food Systems for the Future, the Environmental Defense Fund, and Food Tank are hosting a webinar on April 22 to shed light on methane mitigation efforts in the food systems. Speakers will also explore the effects of reduction strategies on nutrition security and the importance of relationship building to create a sustainable path forward. “Mitigating emissions while ensuring nutrition security is vital to promote both human and planetary health. We must act now to secure a sustainable future for generations to come,” Ambassador Ertharin Cousin, Founder and CEO of Food Sy ..read more

This spring Food Tank is recommending 20 books that take readers on a journey through food and agriculture systems. These resources highlight ways that eaters can make more informed decisions in the grocery store, garden, and kitchen to support more sustainable production and consumption choices. And they celebrate the joy that food brings to communities around the world. Here are 20 titles that Food Tank is reading this spring. 1. Bite by Bite by Aimee Nezhukumatathil Bite by Bite is a collection of essays that explore the emotional and sensory connections people have to food. Thr ..read more

A trade dispute between Mexico and the United States over genetically engineered (GMO) corn is pitting science against the power of the pesticide industry. On both sides of the border, and perhaps worldwide, this dispute promises to focus a new generation of eaters, public health scientists, and political leaders on what is known, and not known, about the safety of food made from GMO corn. Mexico is seeking to make a bold move—prohibiting the use of GMO corn in tortillas and other traditional corn-based foods. In response, the U.S. government has taken Mexico to court under the U.S.-Mexico-Can ..read more

According to a recent report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), food upcycling is one of the three most environmentally friendly ways to mitigate food waste. As companies try to reduce their impact on the environment, many are rescuing food and using innovative methods to produce upcycled products. Upcycled foods are made with ingredients that would not have otherwise been consumed by humans, according to the Upcycled Food Association. These foods might have gone to landfills, anaerobic digesters or incinerators, or been converted into animal feed. Anna Hammond, the CEO of up ..read more

There have been real shifts in United States trade policy over the last few years, with significant changes to rules on investment, digital trade, and worker rights. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai rightfully takes pride in the most worker-centered trade policies in recent history. New tools in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) give workers in all three countries new ways to advance their labor rights. It’s time now to test another innovation in USMCA—rules that ensure governments can enact programs to protect Indigenous rights and biodiversity. The U.S. trade challenge to Mexic ..read more

In honor of Stop Food Waste Day on April 24, 2024, Food Tank is co-hosting the Waste Warrior Awards to celebrate efforts to reduce food waste in New York City. The event is being held in partnership with NY Common Pantry, Restaurant Associates, LES Ecology Center, Compass Group, Acre, the Green Bronx Machine, ReFed, and Wheyward Spirits. Stop Food Waste Day is the largest single day of action in the fight against global food waste, with activities held across the United States and around the world. To commemorate the day, the event will celebrate food waste warriors and champions, recognizing ..read more

El Valle de Guadalupe, one of Mexico’s most prolific wine and agricultural regions, has recently come under threat due to increasing urbanization and economic development in the area. In response, winemakers, chefs, and community members launched Rescatemos El Valle, a campaign to preserve the valley. El Valle de Guadalupe is an area of Ensenada Municipality in Baja California, Mexico. The region contributes to more than three quarters of the country’s total wine production, according to a paper in Wine Economics and Policy. And wine-related tourism brings in US$180 million of a ..read more

I spend a lot of time thinking about how to be a citizen eater. A citizen eater is engaged in food systems, active in pushing policy forward, and focused on building policies where everyone is nourished and can access and afford healthful food. So many of the local food system wins we’re tracking at Food Tank are made possible thanks to tireless advocates working in the communities where they live. Just as one example, let’s highlight the city of Atlanta—where we’ll be next week for a Summit on Sunday, April 14, starting at 1:30PM, in partnership with Emory University and Spelma ..read more

Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute (FTPI) is a Native-American women-run organization dedicated to teaching sustainable indigenous ways of living in Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico. The Institute provides resources that support the Pueblo people through knowledge preservation and education. Roxanne Swentzell created FTPI in 1987. Swentzell tells Food Tank that before creating FTPI, she learned about permaculture and built her own sustainable homestead. By doing this, she discovered what farming techniques worked in her area and then began sharing this knowledge. “The name, Flowering Tree, ca ..read more

The World Rural Forum recently held its 8th Global Conference on Family Farming and the Sustainability of Our Planet at the Europa Palace in Vitoria-Gasteiz. More than 200 participants gathered from 55 countries to discuss the challenges family farmers face across the globe, as well as opportunities to better support and prioritize family farming and the sustainability of the planet. Participants recognized that family farming has long deserved a leading role in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as it contributes to at least 11 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals ..read more