Food System Vision and Action Statement

Collective Roots is a member of the California Food and Justice Coalition (CFJC). We join with CFJC to envision a California food system in which all activities, from farm to table, are equitable, healthful, sustainable, and community-driven.

We believe:

• That access to healthy food is a basic human right and must not be compromised
• That communities are enriched by the cultivation and celebration of diverse food traditions and experience
• That the production, distribution, and preparation of food must be healthy and humane for all humans, animals and ecosystems
• That agricultural land and biological diversity must be protected for future generations
• That all food commerce must be just, democratic and economically fair
• We support:
• Food systems that are responsive to and reflective of each unique region, and are supported at the state and federal level
• Ecological farming practices and efforts to minimize the number of miles food travels from field to table
• Decent and just living and working conditions for all workers from farm to table, and democratic participation in their workplaces
• The provision of adequate publicly funded safety nets while working to minimize the need for them
• Community-based, culturally appropriate nutrition education
• A restoration of the connection between people and the sources of their food, and the revitalization of agrarian cultures
• Increased awareness of indigenous food and agricultural histories

We work to:

• Assess, research and address the root causes of food insecurity to create a just food and farming system
• Increase knowledge and awareness of food security from the grassroots to decision-makers
• Advocate for policies and funding that build community food security
• Increase communication and collaborations among community members, agencies and organizations to strengthen food security