“Across the industry, we recognize the imperative of implementing more sustainable production practices to protect wine as we know it,” Maxwell Howland, Enologist at Monterey Wine Company in California, tells Food Tank, “and we are coming together as custodians of the land to figure out a viable path forward.”

Howland says that changes in weather are already affecting the wine industry because the grapes are sensitive to the seasons and the environment. In response, vineyard practices are adapting in different ways. Growers are planting more heat and drought-resistant grape varieties and implementing cover crops in vine rows to decrease soil water loss.

Monterey is also working to reduce its environmental footprint by altering water management practices and adopting alternative packaging. “We push California wine production to zero carbon through treatment and recycling of contaminated wastewater that would otherwise flow to fresh waterways and offer it back to the city for municipal use,” Howland tells Food Tank.

The International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) helps producers with the implement practices to measure and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. To speed up the shift towards a climate-friendly wine industry, IWCA raises awareness about cutting greenhouse gasses in viticulture and hosts workshops to share emission reduction strategies.

“Our main goal is to share best practices that mitigate the impacts climate change has in vineyard and winery operations so that we can act collectively to decarbonize the global wine industry,” Miguel Torres, President of IWCA, tells Food Tank.

Charlotte Hey, Executive Director of IWCA tells Food Tank that the coalition includes 45 wine companies across 11 countries, representing 139 wineries. “Each of these companies has set the ambitious goal of reaching net zero by 2050, and they are concretely leading the charge towards this goal,” Hey says. “IWCA’s members are regularly measuring their GHG emissions, mobilizing their teams to instill a culture of sustainability across their business units, investing in renewable energy, installing new equipment and infrastructure, shifting their agricultural and business practices to reduce their carbon footprint, and much more. This is crucial in mitigating the effects of climate on viti- and viniculture.”

Bonterra Organic Estates, for example, is focusing on regenerative practices to heal the earth while adapting to a changing climate. “We have been long time organic farmers on the vineyards, and became regenerative organic certified with our 2020 harvest,” Jess Baum, Senior Director of Regenerative Impact at Bonterra Organic Estates tells Food Tank, “and we really believe in the power of regenerative agriculture to sequester harmful atmospheric carbon and transform it into helpful slow organic carbon, increasing the fertility of our soil as well as mitigating climate change.”

“IWCA’s members are regularly measuring their GHG emissions, mobilizing their teams to instill a culture of sustainability across their business units, investing in renewable energy, installing new equipment and infrastructure, shifting their agricultural and business practices to reduce their carbon footprint, and much more. This is crucial in mitigating the effects of climate on viti- and viniculture,” Hey continues.

Monterey Wine Co. uses similar zero carbon efforts. “We push California wine production to zero carbon through treatment and recycling of contaminated wastewater that would otherwise flow to fresh waterways and offer it back to the city for municipal use. Most importantly, we are also a U.S. partner of Frugalpak, an alternative recycled paper packaging option which aims to reduce the massive carbon footprint associated with the production and transportation of glass bottles,” Howland tells Food Tank.

And some wineries are moving beyond solely adapting to or mitigating climate change; instead, they’re emphasizing regenerative practices.

“We have been long time organic farmers on the vineyards, and became regenerative organic certified with our 2020 harvest,” Jess Baum, Senior Director of Regenerative Impact at Bonterra Organic Estates tells Food Tank, “and we really believe in the power of regenerative agriculture to sequester harmful atmospheric carbon and transform it into helpful slow organic carbon, increasing the fertility of our soil as well as mitigating climate change.”

At Bonterra Organic Estates, regenerative organic agriculture can be seen in practice diverse cover cropping, bringing sheep on the vineyard to mow for part of the year, applying compost, planting for biodiversity, and using integrated pest management, according to Baum.

Last year, Baum says that their practices helped to ensure they didn’t lose a single vine, even during periods of difficult weather.

“The future of wine is sustainability,” Baum tells Food Tank.

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Photo courtesy of Maksym Kaharlytskyi, Unsplash

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The Watershed Project, supported by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), focuses on restoring degraded forests, preserving water reservoirs, and promoting sustainable land management practices. The initiative also connects ecological health and food security.

As part of the restoration project, community members planted cash crops, perennial crops, and high-value crops that offered sources of livelihood.

According to the FAO, ecosystems play a crucial role in agriculture by providing vital services like nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and water regulation. When mismanaged or degraded, these ecosystems directly impact agricultural productivity, soil quality, and water availability, affecting food production. But by enhancing agricultural conditions, the U.N. agency is helping communities access diverse and reliable food sources.

The U.N. Global Water Security Assessment reports that three-quarters of the global population resides in countries grappling with water insecurity.

“One third of food production is reliant on rivers. Freshwater systems produce or influence more than half of fish consumed globally. An increase in extreme poverty in developing countries — for the first time in two decades — is inextricably linked to the global food insecurity crisis almost 40 percent of global croplands already experience water scarcity,” Lis Mullin Bernhardt, Officer of Freshwater Unit, Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), tells Food Tank.

In the Philippines, agriculture captures the majority of the country’s exploitable water resources, according to Harold (Krystian) Javier, Program Policy Officer, Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) for WFP Philippines.

Through the Project, the FAO collaborated with the Philippine government to devise innovative, participatory, and nature-oriented forest management methodologies. This led to the establishment of the Carood Watershed Model Forest Management Council, where various stakeholders—ranging from chief executives and local government units to community groups and academies—join together in collaborative decision-making.

“We need to do more joined-up thinking to look at interconnected ecosystems, for example watersheds and forested areas which are critical to cities. Urban areas are particularly vulnerable and affected,” Bernhardt tells Food Tank. “The Philippines Carood Watershed Model Forest Project is a great example of this kind of thinking.”

UNEP believes that collaborative endeavors akin to the Carood Watershed Project can serve as blueprints for transformative change. Through proactive initiatives, inclusive governance, and investment in sustainable practices, nations can pave the way for a more resilient and secure future, ensuring equitable access to vital resources while safeguarding the planet for generations to come.

“Delayed action is no longer an option in the face of the devastating effects of climate change, the extinction crisis and severe land degradation globally,” Bernhard tells Food Tank. “We must embrace change, complexity and circularity to create water-resilient food systems.”

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Photo courtesy of Hitoshi Namura, Unsplash

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Building upon his dissertation at Cornell University, Food Power Politics sets out to understand the importance of food in the strategies used by activists in the Civil Rights Movement, Smith tells Food Tank. He explains that when communities use food as a tool of resistance, it grants them the agency to feed themselves on their own terms. By exploring power struggles over food, the book envisions a future where these communities have autonomy in creating and sustaining a self-sufficient local food system.

The book also highlights how present-day Black youth in the Delta are continuing this fight for food justice, addressing ongoing inequalities. Smith draws connections across disciplines, linking civil rights activism to contemporary food justice movements in Black communities.

“Bobby’s Food Power Politics tells a history that has often been overlooked or perhaps intentionally swept aside to show the ways in which Black communities fought for food access in the past and links these historical connections to contemporary struggles for food justice in Black communities,” Hanna Garth, co-author of Black Food Matters: Racial Justice in the Wake of Food Justice, tells Food Tank.

Food Power Politics marks the first installment in the University of North Carolina (UNC) Press’s “Black Food Justice” series. Ashanté Reese, Associate Professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, and Garth created the series to explore the intersection of Blackness and Food.

The Black Food Justice Series shows that there are so many layers to the way eaters think about food, Smith tells Food Tank. “The series marks a shift in how we think about food,” he says, “not only are we thinking about food in terms of justice and systems, but we’re also placing food at the center of Black life.”

The books published in the series are also intended to foster discussions that redefine the boundaries of “food justice,” according to Garth.

“Food justice is one of those terms that is used a lot, but what does it mean to define it through the lens of the lives of marginalized peoples—those who need justice to get food,” Smith tells Food Tank.

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“KIN operates on a grassroots level, creating change from the local level outwards rather than trying to create change federally,” Co-founder and KIN CEO Michelle Nicolet tells Food Tank. “We believe that individual changes impact community changes could then impact city changes, and then you continue outward.”

Teams of five volunteer university student instructors visit local elementary classrooms to teach once a week for seven weeks, explains Nicolet. She shares that students explore a new topic each week, engaging elementary students with interactive visuals, hands-on games, physical activity, outdoor play, and group discussions. Lessons include themes such as fruits and vegetables, hydration, balanced plates, and reading nutrition labels. The courses are evidence-based and align with state education standards.

In 2014, Angela Shields and Nicolet co-founded KIN in response to a lack of nutrition education they witnessed in Santa Barbara, California where they were completing their undergraduate degrees.

“We wanted to do nutrition education specifically for kids because we both knew how important it is to instill lasting habits starting at a young age and we couldn’t find anything,” Nicolet tells Food Tank.

As undergraduates at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), they collaborated with Sprout Up, an organization that teaches children environmental science and sustainability, to develop a program model. Shields and Nicolet wrote the curriculum and drove to local elementary schools to teach hands-on nutrition lessons.

The organization has since grown to include seven chapters across the country. Their latest chapter opened at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) in 2023.

“The [Davis] chapter has experienced remarkable growth, starting with just two classrooms, 20 volunteers, and 42 elementary school students. Within two months, it expanded to encompass five classrooms, 40 volunteers, and 110 students,” UC Davis Lead KIN Director Gina Stevens tells Food Tank.

KIN is now working to expand its curriculum to include food sustainability and a wider range of grades taught.

“Currently our mission is to start implementing some of the food sustainability curriculum KIN has created along with our nutrition curriculum as we expand our program,” Ailsa McNaught, KIN Director at Tufts University, tells Food Tank. “Once we do this, we are hoping to possibly collaborate with some of the sustainability groups on campus and with the Friedman School of Nutrition. Given all of the innovative work they are doing in the field of nutrition, we would love the opportunity to work further with them.”

Their food sustainability lessons cover the climate crisis, food systems, animals, food waste, processing and packaging, food labels, and marketing. The seven-lesson program builds upon KIN’s nutrition curriculum and dives deeper into the food sustainability issues within the food system.

As the organization continues to grow, Nicolet expresses that she still focuses on the local barriers at each site.

“Incorporating families is one of the challenges we face as an organization, but we have programs like KINcentives to try and bring our lessons home,” Nicolet says.

The KINcentive program is designed to promote the practical application of classroom learning in students’ everyday lives. It works to ensure inclusivity by offering challenge lists in both English and Spanish to accommodate students and families from diverse backgrounds.

By fostering a comprehensive approach to education and health awareness, the KINcentive program aligns with Nicolet’s emphasis on redirecting resources toward preventive measures.

“Shifting the consumer demand through teaching the younger generations and preventing chronic disease through education and food access are two major goals of KIN,” Nicolet tells Food Tank. “There’s so much money put into treating these preventable diseases, imagine if even a small chunk of that could be redirected to something else.”

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Photo courtesy of Kids in Nutrition

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The Prison Agriculture Lab, which conducted the first-ever nationwide study of prison agriculture in the United States, seeks to answer the where, what, and why of agricultural practices in the criminal punishment system.

“One of the goals of our lab has been to shed light on practices that previously were hidden and to make everything we do publicly accessible,” Joshua Sbicca, Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of the Prison Agriculture Lab at Colorado State University tells Food Tank.

With their new map, the Lab hopes to critically interrogate agricultural practices and unpack the carceral consequences and conditions surrounding food, animal, and plant production in prisons.

The map will also build off of the Prison Agriculture Lab’s recent report “Growing Chains: Prison Agriculture and Racial Capitalism in the United States.” Using a story map project to investigate how each state gains from prison agriculture, the report provides visual representations to illustrate the prevalence of agricultural practices within prisons.

Nearly 2 million people, mainly poor and people of color, are behind bars in the U.S. prison system, including 1,566 state prisons and 102 federal prisons, according to the interactive report. Growing Chains documents the state’s consistent dependency on agriculture to support local economies, fund prisons, manage inmates, address idleness, and establish self-sustaining correctional facilities.

Sbicca explains that farms have played a crucial role in the history of prisons in the U.S. He says this goes back to the Reconstruction era and the post-Reconstruction period when many Southern states introduced Black codes, which criminalized various everyday activities for African Americans.

In the North, prisons relied on gardens and other farming practices for their operations, Sbicca continues. Prisoners have been utilized for agricultural work by both the government and private companies ever since the inception of the U.S. prison system. Sbicca reports there are currently 662 prisons across all 50 states that have agricultural practices.

“The agri-carceral industrial complex is the set of interests, institutions, and ideologies that benefit from the agricultural efforts of incarcerated people,” Sbicca tells Food Tank. “It subsidizes incarceration by saving money on food costs, generating revenue for departments of correction, and profits for companies.”

The agri-carceral industrial complex plays into the larger understanding of food, politics, and power, according to Bobby J. Smith, author of Food Power Politics and Assistant Professor of African American studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Smith defines the term “food power” as a description of how food is weaponized and used as a form of control between groups in times of conflict. Food power, he explains, is exercised when one group withholds food, or the means to access or produce it, from another group to manipulate the outcome of the conflict.

“Food has been used simultaneously as a weapon to reinforce racial dominance and as a form of resistance,” Smith tells Food Tank.

Plantation labor has never truly disappeared, Smith asserts. Instead, it operates in concealed aspects of contemporary agriculture within the ‘criminal punishment’ system.

“I would encourage people to look at the condition of prisons themselves and what incarcerated folks experience with farming and eating,” Scibba says, “so maybe being less concerned about what they are eating and more concerned with what incarcerated people are experiencing.”

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At the organization’s new Far Rockaway educational campus, TFFJ is focused on expanding its reach. The campus hosts four co-located schools, including three high schools and a middle school. The campus recently received a U.S. Department of Education Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Grant (USDA UAIP), making it the first federally funded TFFJ project.

The site features a soil garden developed in collaboration with GrowNYC and strategically planned by the campus. This garden is designed to generate extra produce throughout the outdoor growing season.

“The Far Rockaways is an isolated area with really complicated metrics in regards to food access, transportation access, and secondary education opportunities,” TFFJ Chief Executive Officer and Founder Katherine Soll tells Food Tank. “The idea was to build a school based farm hub where students are able to change what they see fit within their own community.”

The project uses a place-making approach, connecting the farm hub to local community gardens and food pantry distribution. Their ultimate goal is to accelerate workforce opportunities, demonstrated through partnerships with the on-site school-based culinary program. Additionally, the project collaborates with the campus’ Career and Technical Education programs in Urban Agriculture and Culinary Arts.

The organization sees this progress in Far Rockaway as an exciting opportunity, allowing them to build on the successes they have seen across New York City. Through STEM classes, afterschool programming, and school-based internships, all TFFJ students learn how to build and run all aspects of a school-based farm. The students grow hydroponic produce inside their Title I schools– public schools that receive federal education program funding to support low-income students– all while assuming roles as educators, mentors, and advocates.

Each TFFJ farm grows up to 4,536 kilograms of food annually. Their impact extends to 19 schools and 7,900 students, totaling 20,412 kilograms of student-grown produce distributed per year. The fresh crops are offered in the school’s cafeterias and distributed free and affordably within local food desert communities.

TFFJ also relies on a wide network of organizations—including Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center, East Brooklyn Mutual Aid, and Queens Defenders— to distribute the food they grow. The organization hopes to continue building on these relationships to expand workforce development and employment opportunities. Already offering paid internships to over 60 students and connecting with the city’s Summer Youth Employment Program, TFFJ hopes to enhance its career and technical education track.

“This year and moving forward we are building an extremely intentional workforce development program that is wrap-around. We are working to create more opportunities for students as they get older within our program to take on more responsibility and to connect them with more industry partners,” says Soll.

Even as the organization grows and adjusts to the needs of communities, TFFJ plans to continue centering the experiences of students— a commitment that TFFJ Senior Farmer-Educator Alyssa Gardner-Vazquez has witnessed for years.

“I grew up in the program. I met a community of people who were just like me and cared about plants and growing food,” Gardner-Vazquez, who was also an original TFFJ student, tells Food Tank, “And now [as an educator] I get into the real problems with the high schools and learn along with them.”

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Photo courtesy of Teens for Food Justice

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1. Anansi And The Golden Pot by Taiye Selasi, illustrated by Tinuke Fagborun

In this reimagined West African tale by author Taiye Selasi, readers meet Kweku, affectionately called Anansi, which means spider. And Kweku hears stories from his family of Anansi, the clever spider. During a visit to his grandmother in Ghana, Anansi the spider and Anansi the boy encounter a magical pot that fulfills their desires. Yet Anansi’s love for red-red stew teaches him an important lesson in sharing.

2. Big Tree by Brian Selznick

In Big Tree, two young Sycamore seeds embark on a journey into the unknown, where they must adapt to their surroundings to survive. The Sycamore seeds, Louise and her brother Merwin, dream of setting down roots and growing into big trees. When a fire forces them to leave their mama tree prematurely, they are sent find into the unknown, far from home.

3.Boo Stew by Donna L. Washington, illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler

Author Donna L. Washington crafts a creative spooky spin on the classic Goldilocks tale. In the book, Curly Locks, known for her terrible cooking, discovers that one of her peculiar dishes has gone missing. Chaos ensues as the Scares of Toadsuck Swamp wreak havoc, but Curly Locks believes her unusual culinary skills might just save the day demonstrating bravery and food curiosity.

4. Can I Recycle This?: A Guide to Better Recycling and How to Reduce Single-Use Plastics by Jennie Romer, illustrated by Christie Young.

Can I Recycle This? delves into the question of which everyday items can be recycled. The book explores the complexities of recycling systems and varying rules across different communities, offering a user-friendly guide to help readers make informed recycling decisions. Author Jennie Romer, an expert in waste management, aims to change how readers view waste disposal and encourage better practices.

5. Eat Your Superpowers!: How Colorful Foods Keep You Healthy and Strong by Toni Buzzeo,  illustrated by Serge Bloch

This colorful reference book breaks down the nutritional value of twenty-five different foods, organized by color. From grapes and beets to oatmeal and cashews, it highlights the health benefits of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains. Serge Bloch’s delightful illustrations add humor and make it an engaging guide to food facts for all ages.

6. Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng

Author Mia Wenjen writes about a worldwide adventure to eco-friendly farms, exploring various sustainable farming techniques. Food for the Future showcases methods and innovations for addressing the challenges of climate change in agriculture. With rhyming text and simplified vocabulary explanations, this picture book is perfect for young learners and provides detailed insights into different countries’ farming practices and sustainability efforts.

7. Honeybee Rescue: A Backyard Drama by Loree Griffin Burns, illustrated by Ellen Harasimowicz

Honeybee Rescue introduces readers to Mr. Nelson as he skillfully relocates a bee colony from a farmer’s barn to a hive. Ellen Harasimowicz’s bright images bring this bee-saving adventure to life. The book provides valuable insights for nature lovers and budding scientists on safeguarding honeybees and our ecosystem.

8. I’m Hungry! / ¡Tengo Hambre! by Angela Dominguez

This bilingual picture book features a talkative bluebird and an indecisive T. Rex who embarks on a quest to discover his ideal meal. Along the way, readers are introduced to fundamental Spanish and English food terms. As the story unfolds, children are invited to explore what satisfies the dinosaur’s appetite, making it an engaging read.

9. In the Night Garden by Carin Berger

Through poetic text and hand-cut collage illustrations, the book invites readers to explore the magic of the night garden. Young readers and their families can enjoy this soothing and visually captivating bedtime experience, fostering an appreciation for the environment.

10. I Want An Apple: How My Body Works by David L. Harrison

Author David L. Harrison uses simple lyrics to craft a playful journey through a girl’s body parts as they work together to find, eat, and digest an apple. Full of bright images, it serves as a fun way to discuss the importance of nourishing our bodies with wholesome food to maintain strength and foster growth.

11. Just Try One Bite by Adam Mansbach and Camila Alves McConaughey, illustrated by Mike Boldt

Authors Adam Mansbach and Camila Alves McConaughey present a humorous role reversal as three determined kids challenge their picky-eater parents to try healthy foods. With entertaining rhymes, children discover the fun of making smarter and healthier choices than their parents. This delightful story encourages both kids and parents to embark on a playful culinary adventure, where even the grown-ups might discover a newfound love for nutritious meals.

12. Let Me Fix You Plate: A Tale of Two Kitchens by Elizabeth Lilly

This family road trip story celebrates the author’s American and Colombian heritage, blending the warmth and love of two distinct cultures. Whether traveling to the mountains of rural West Virginia or the sultry heat of Florida to visit family, there’s no better welcome than a homemade meal. The vibrant illustrations highlight the kitchen as the heart of the home and what is discovered when a family gathers to celebrate their culture and one another.

13. Luli And The Language Of Tea by Andrea Wang

Luli and the Language of Tea tells a heartwarming story where children from different backgrounds come together over tea, showing how food and culture can connect people. Luli, a five-year-old, uses a tea party to bridge language barriers, and as they share tea, they celebrate the importance of food and farming in their lives. The book, inspired by the author’s own experiences, emphasizes how shared experiences create a sense of community.

14. My Baba’s Garden by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith

Author Jordan Scott tells the story of a boy and his grandmother, Baba, who share a deep connection through gardening and meals, despite their language differences. As time passes, the boy has the chance to care for Baba, reflecting the universal emotions tied to family and cherished moments together. This beautifully illustrated book, emphasizes the role of gardening and food in fostering these connections.

15. Nell Plants a Tree by Anne Wynter, illustrated by Daniel Miyares

Nell Plants a Tree is a picture book that highlights how a little girl nurtures a pecan tree, which becomes the center of her family. This story, inspired by author Anne Wynter’s memories, highlights the tree’s growth and its significance in food and family. As Nell watches the tree flourish and bear pecans, it connects her to her family’s history and teaches her the valuable lessons of patience and the joy of reaping the fruits of her labor.

16. Noodles, Please! (A To Z Foods of the World) by Cheryl Yau Chepusova

This alphabet book takes readers on a flavorful journey through 26 noodle dishes from around the world. With vibrant illustrations and cultural insights, it explores the rich diversity of noodle-based dishes, providing a delightful introduction to global cuisines for readers of all ages. From Ash Reshteh in Iran to Zaru Soba in Japan, this book celebrates the culinary universality and versatility of noodles, inviting readers to savor the cultural tapestry woven with every slurp and bite.

17. Ramen for Everyone by Patricia Tanumihardja, illustrated by Shiho Pate

In this charming picture book, Hiro dreams of making the perfect ramen like his dad. But his first attempt doesn’t go as planned, and he worries he’ll never become a real ramen chef. With his father’s advice and his own creativity, Hiro learns that perfection is unique to each person, embracing the values of family and individuality.

18. Spicy Spicy Hot! by Lenny Wen

Lenny Wenn tells the story of Lintang as she eagerly tries her grandmother’s spicy sambal but finds it overwhelmingly hot. Determined to embrace her heritage, Lintang explores different types of sambal with her grandmother’s guidance, hoping to connect with her Indonesian roots. This book highlights the relationship between food, culture, and identity.

19. Thank You, Mama! by Linda Meeker

Grey, a popular TikTok star, expresses his gratitude for healthy foods in this picture book, teaching kids about manners and the joy of sharing meals with family. The book is playful, encourages children to try various foods, emphasizes respect and thankfulness, and helps build vocabulary and early reading skills with colorful food illustrations.

20. The Tree and the River by Aaron Becker

The Tree and the River, a captivating wordless picture book, explores the evolution of human civilization alongside nature. Through compelling illustrations, it follows a family’s journey from a small farm to a thriving town, emphasizing the growing influence of people on the environment.

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