Transforming Our Food Systems
Farming, ranching and agriculture are ready for their next chapter. When we plant a seed in the soil, when we raise livestock on the land, when we tend our gardens, be they rural or urban, we must do so in a way that is conscious and adaptive to the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and social and economic inequities. We must do so in a way that encourages resilient lands, community building, and rethinking our social and economic systems to create a more equitable and sustainable future. Learn about people and coalitions working to transform our food systems and write agriculture’s next chapter. Explore initiatives championing food sovereignty and economic equity in BIPOC communities and how a coalition of ranchers, farmers and conservationists are fostering resilient working lands.
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Young Leaders Champion Food Sovereignty and Economic Equity in BIPOC Communities
BIPOC communities, from the Arctic to Oakland, face systemic economic and social marginalization, denying them basic needs like food security, healthcare, housing, and education. Inspired by movements like the Black Panthers and ancestral Indigenous knowledge, young leaders are advancing food sovereignty, economic equity, and cultural revival. This conversation features two such leaders making tangible differences in their communities. Deenaalee Hodgdon is the executive director of On the Land Media, which elevates Indigenous voices, and co-founder of The Smokehouse Collective. ab banks is an urban farmer and garden lead for People’s Programs at UC Berkeley, supporting food autonomy and wellness for the East Bay Black community.
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How a Coalition of Ranchers, Farmers and Conservationists Foster Resilient Working Lands
Sarah Wentzel-Fisher grew up in the Black Hills of western South Dakota, in and around the small town of Custer. That Custer State Park was essentially her backyard and a National Grassland also nearby was extremely formative for her. “I was outside every single day,” she says. “…There was so much to take in all of the time.” In some ways, it seems her life has always been about the land. Now, Wentzel-Fisher, a farmer herself, serves on the boards of the Southwest Grass-fed Livestock Alliance, the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, and is the Executive Director of Santa Fe, New Mexico-based nonprofit The Quivira Coalition. The Quivira Coalition seeks to build soil, biodiversity, and resilience on western working lands. Wentzel-Fisher discussed the Coalition and its work toward resilient and regenerative agriculture in an interview with Bioneers.
New Agrarian Program: Supporting apprenticeship and mentorship in agriculture
The Quivira Coalition’s New Agrarian Program partners with skilled ranchers and farmers to offer annual apprenticeships in regenerative agriculture. Apprentices learn from expert practitioners in full-immersion professional settings. This program specifically targets first-career professionals with a sincere commitment to life at the intersection of conservation and regenerative agriculture. The program also seek mentors who are dedicated stewards of the land; practice intentional, regenerative methods of food or fiber production; provide excellent animal care; and are skilled and enthusiastic teachers. Learn more about the New Agrarian Program below and check out the Quivira Coalition’s two podcasts to listen to stories about the future of food and working lands.
Upcoming Bioneers Learning Courses
We’re excited to announce that our new season of Bioneers Learning is online, and registration is open! You can register for our first-ever self-paced courses, along with courses covering topics such as the Rights of Nature movement, regenerative herbalism, and sacred activism.