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Welcome to Roots of Change

Roots of Change (ROC) is a collaborative of diverse leaders and institutions unified in common pursuit of achieving a sustainable food system in California by 2030. ROC is an emerging alliance; its purpose and beliefs will continue to evolve as the community of allies grows.
Why California?
Why The Food System?
Why Now?

Learn more about ROC's history and structure .

Join the ROC Changemakers Network!

Across California, farmers, eaters, health advocates, chefs, business owners, policy makers and many more are forming an alliance to create a sustainable food system for our state in one generation. Be informed. Be invited. Be involved. If you would like to join the Changemakers Network, sign up here…

The Declaration for Healthy Food and Agriculture

has been endorsed by 200 national leaders of the sustainable food movement. Your endorsement will increase the influence of these reform leaders and thousands of others who are working to speed the transition to a more sustainable food and agricultural system across the USA.

Read, endorse, or comment on the draft Declaration here.

Reactions: Nomination of Tom Vilsack for Secretary of Agriculture

Though the President Elect did not choose one of our favored candidates for the top spot at USDA, he did choose Tom Vilsack, former Iowa Governor, with whom we know we will constructively work. We were heartened that sustainable agriculture, family farms, rural economic development, and nutritious food were mentioned in the opening remarks at the announcement event. We are very glad that the President Elect said he looks forward to a USDA that helps "family farms to feed our communities." That is a key statement that will support interesting links between urban and rural, city and country, producers and eaters, NGOs and governments. We plan to reference that statement in our work ahead.

We are now hoping that Karen Ross from the California Association of Winegrape Growers and the State Board of Food and Agriculture will be tapped for the Deputy Secretary position. Karen will represent well the diverse crops of our nation's largest agricultural state. We know she will be a voice of innovation and adaptation that will support full expression of a sustainable agriculture over time. She did a great job shepherding the State Board's recent visioning process for agriculture that rendered what we see as a very constructive vision for our future. Karen has also been a defining and constructive voice in the ROC-funded California Roundtable for Agriculture and the Environment. ROC is rooting for Karen and for California as the Obama transition team moves forward.

Click here to post your response to the nomination and see what others are saying.

Link to fooddemocracynow.org to show your support for sustainable candidates for Under Secretary of Agriculture.

California Agricultural Vision Framework Open for Comment

December 15, 2008

SACRAMENTO, The California State Board of Food and Agriculture and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) are releasing the California Agricultural Vision framework for public comment. This “Ag Vision” will help craft long term policy priorities for California’s food system that will bring together various stakeholders with the common goal of advancing innovation and the sustainability of California’s agricultural future. This includes perspectives from farmers, ranchers and processors as well as nutrition, conservation, environmental and rural development groups.

The Ag Vision’s framework is centered on three policy priorities for a sustainable agri-food system:

Better Health and Well-being: Meeting the nutritional needs of California’s diverse population
A Healthier Planet: Agricultural stewardship of the natural resources upon which California food production depends
Thriving Communities: Food production is a driver of sustainable California economic growth

The complete Ag Vision framework is available at www.cdfa.ca.gov/agvision

Changemakers Day

On Friday, August 29th over 600 people came together for the first-ever Changemakers Day . Through a collaboration with Roots of Change and Slow Food Nation, the day explored the challenges and opportunities we face as we build a movement for a good, clean, and fair food system. The goal of the day was to spur deep dialogue, initiate action, expand networks, and ultimately to inspire lasting change in the sustainable food systems movement. The event was a great success.

The day consisted of over 30 panels ranging from: the future of farming, the ways we must encourage leadership development and diversity within the food system, to the nuts and bolts of how we can better link the health and food system movements.

We've begun to post reports on the panels and will add more in the coming weeks for those of you who weren't able to join us. We encourage you to weigh in, pose provocative questions to the experts who sat on the panels, and to add any thoughts that you might have.