Fresh Ideas Blog

From the Digest

Gardening: A National Call to Action

Over the next 50 years, the U.S. and the international community will face health, food security and environmental challenges more daunting than any civilization has faced before. Here are nine reasons why gardening should be part of the solution.
By Angela Tagtow Erin MacDougall Fred Bahnson Lisa Kivirist Roger Doiron Rose Hayden-Smith

Meet the Fellows

Shalini Kantayya

Shalini Kantayya, a Brooklyn-based film director, examines water access, nutrition and agricultural issues affecting present and future generations.

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Transparency in the Food System

Despite the US Food and Drug Administration’s mandated inclusion of nutrition labels on packages, consumers often know very little about a food product. The agronomic practices used to produce a food, the labor conditions under which the food was produced, and the location of the production and processing are all usually unknown. The best way to become familiar with your food is to know your farmers and food manufacturers. But when that is not possible, our food system should provide enough transparency so that consumers can be assured that their food purchases match their values. We are working to strengthen policies pertaining to transparency in the food system, while also encouraging food companies to incorporate more transparency in their business practices.

Workgroup fellows

Sean Sellers Sean Sellers, a founding member of the Alliance for Fair Food, is raising awareness on farmworkers' rights and promoting socially responsible purchasing by food corporations.	Shalini Kantayya Shalini Kantayya, a Brooklyn-based film director, examines water access, nutrition and agricultural issues affecting present and future generations.
Elizabeth Ü Elizabeth Ü, Manager for Strategic Development at RSF Social Finance, promotes investment opportunities in healthy food systems.	Nicole Betancourt Nicole Betancourt, a New York-based, Emmy-award winning filmmaker, mobilizes urban parents to create a sustainable food system through childhood nutrition and education.