Food & Agriculture

Marland Buckner discusses Food Access challenges at NYU Washington, D.C.

Case Study #1: SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)

In July 2015, we convened an online roundtable discussion entitled "Promoting Economic Mobility through SNAP Innovations".  This event highlighted bipartisan, evidence-based innovations in SNAP (formerly known as the Food Stamps Program) to help identify and highlight how SNAP Incentive programs:

  • Increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables among low-income consumers
  • Create support for community economic development and local agriculture

For more information, please see our full video coverage of this event: SNAP Innovations Full Event

Case Study #2: Local Food Profiles

In order to showcase what "local food" means in our Chesapeake Bay food shed, we have produced multiple video series profiling local food producers, processors, retailers, non-profits, and similarly situated leaders in two cities: Charlottesvile, Virginia and Washington, DC

1.  Virginia Produced

  • The objective of "Virginia Produced" is to build and operate a facility for light processing and flash freezing of Virginia-grown produce.  The facility would process and flash freeze bulk packages of VA-grown vegetables and fruits, and assemble individual meals containing locally sourced, nutrient rich ingredients.  A central aim of the project is to create light food processing jobs for disadvantaged Charlottesville residents by identifying suitable candidates, providing necessary training, and customizing social support solutions that position eventual hires for success.
  • Intro Video
  • Coalition Partners

2.  Local in DC

Case Study #3: Wild Salmon Fisheries

Bristol Bay, Alaska has been home to Native peoples for thousands of years.  The region sustains a thriving commercial fishery that produces almost half of the global supply of wild sockeye salmon, supports thousands of jobs, and contributes millions annually to the national economy.  Unfortunately, Bristol Bay is also home to a proposed mine at the Pebble deposit, located at the headwaters of two of the world's most productive salmon rivers.  If developed, the Pebble Mine would be the largest open-pit mine in the world – large enough to be visible from space.  Pebble would only produce ore for about 50 years, and would leave Bristol Bay with over 10 billion tons of toxic waste to deal with in perpetuity. While EPA has successfully halted all current plans for development at the Pebble deposit, similar proposals are likely to be submitted in the future.

For more information, please see our Protect Bristol Bay video series:

Case Study #4: U.S. International Food Aid

In July 2013, we convened a summit for leading stakeholders entitled "Proposed Reforms to U.S. Food Aid: Framing the Debate" at the Washington, DC campus of New York University.  The FY 2014 President’s Budget revitalized a decade-old debate about reforming U.S. international food aid within the Food for Peace Program.  The President’s primary proposal was to authorize up to 45 percent of food aid to be purchased abroad – rather than grown in and shipped from the United States – which USAID called a means of “recommitting to a more efficient and effective program that will reach at least 2-4 million more people each year with equivalent funding.”

For more information, please see our full video coverage of this event:

Case Study #5: GMO Labeling

"GMO Labeling: The Changing Political Landscape" was a public forum in April 2013 held at Georgetown University.  The defeat of Proposition 37 in California in November 2012 propelled a growing debate over the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods into the national spotlight.  For the first time ever, this event convened two leading and opposing groups – the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and the Environmental Working Group (EWG) – for a discussion about the scientific and legal merits of their positions.

For more information, please see our full video coverage of this event: