CONVERSATIONS IN the Field

The value of urban farms  extends far beyond food production. Raymond Figueroa is committed to preserving these endangered community assets.

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FOOD JUSTICE & URBAN FARMING

Maggie Gray, author of Labor and the Locavore, says the local food movement has largely neglected farm and food worker justice, and this needs to change.

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FOOD JUSTICE 

Suzanne Adely talks about the Good Food Purchasing Program, The Fair Labor Practices Act, and her organization’s work to support and empower food workers in our region. 

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FOOD JUSTICE

Elizabeth Henderson explains the structural reasons why we don’t have a just food system and what her organization is doing to address it.

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FOOD JUSTICE

Sam Merrett believe his sail freight enterprise will help rebirth a regenerative river economy in the Hudson Valley and connect people to the river in meaningful ways.

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DISTRIBUTION

Tianna Kennedy talks about her experiences as a farmer and CSA operator, the farm to table movement, and the power of farmer collaboratives/cooperatives.

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RURAL FARMING & DISTRIBUTION

Connor reflects on the challenge of  farm land access and the need for better ways to help farmer's engage in climate change solutions.

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FARMLAND MANAGEMENT

 The growth of a sustainable and truly regenerative regional food system requires that we re-value and redefine our relationships to one another and the land.

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RURAL FARMING & CULTURE

Tim Joseph and Phyllis Van Ambergh remind us that regenerative agriculture is about nurturing healthy soil and why that should matter to everyone.

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GRASS-FED DAIRY AND PROCESSING

Kate believes the traditional distribution model—as long as it stays true to regenerative values—is the most sustainable way to grow the regional food business.

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DISTRIBUTION

As a pollinator conservation specialist with the Xerces Society and a partner biologist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Kelly Gill helps farmers design habitats for beneficial insects that contribute to the health, productivity, and economic value of agricultural systems.  

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FARMLAND MANAGEMENT & POLICY

Jonah Fertig-Burd works to develop cooperative businesses and networks that increase equitable access to land, to the oceans, and to markets for food producers.

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FOOD JUSTICE 

Sophie Ackoff discusses initiatives her organization is engaged in on a national and New York State level to support the next generation of farmers.

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POLICY

The director of Columbia Land Conservancy's agricultural programs  describes CLC's efforts to address the crisis of farmland affordability.

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FARMLAND ACCESS

Chris Cashen's farming practice has evolved from a four-acre organic vegetable garden to an over 600 acre diversified enterprise that is deeply embedded in its community. 

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RURAL FARMING

Laura believes we need a more holistic approach to food system change that addresses the systemic inequities of how it's produced, distributed, and consumed.

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DISTRIBUTION

Noah brings a passion for local food to his work as a contract chef for a state agency and to his work with regional chefs through the Chefs’ Consortium.

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DISTRIBUTION & FARM TO INSTITUTION

The farm director of a food justice organization that pioneered the CSA model talks about new ways to deliver healthy food to urban communities.

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DISTRIBUTION & FOOD JUSTICE

Although increased demand from school districts for local food is advancing the growth of the food system, more investment in infrastructure & training is needed.

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FARM TO INSTITUTION

A sheep farmer and professor of climate and agroecology defines regenerative farming as the inextricable intertwining of habitat creation and soil health.

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FARMLAND MANAGEMENT

AFT’s New York State Deputy Director talks about state policies and funding mechanism that support farmer transition and institutional local food procurement efforts.

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POLICY

Just Food's Executive Director is prioritizing equity as the organization's core mission and Just Food's efforts to make healthy food more accessible in urban communities.

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POLICY & FOOD JUSTICE

Kevin Egolf reports on the challenges he faces as a farmland impact investment fund manager seeking to give new farmers access to leased land with a path to ownership.

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FARMLAND ACCESS

Propogate Ventures cofounders talk about the economics of regenerative agriculture and the challenge of collecting data on margins and pricing across the supply chain.

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FARMLAND MANAGEMENT 

GrowNYC is playing a key role in coordinating a whole suite of activities necessary for returning local, ecologically grown grains to our food system.

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DISTRIBUTION

These farmers say we need more creative collaborations between farm leasees and landowners and more support to help farmers solve the double affordability gap.

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RURAL FARMING & FARMLAND ACCESS

Michael brings a financier's savvy and a beginner's mind to his commitment to a truly farmer-centric regenerative food distribution model.

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DISTRIBUTION

Stiles says farmers must be guided to use their limited resources more optimally, not just grow more food, and they need more food matchmakers.

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FOOD SYSTEM ADVISOR