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Welcome to Roots of Change

Roots of Change (ROC) believes that the best way to make the food system sustainable is to connect and support the people and parts within the system that have the knowledge, roles, relationships and commitments required to successfully manage a rapid transformation.
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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 and nearly 20,000 supporters 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.

Developing Sustainable Foodsheds to Enhance Food Access and Nutrition

Roots of Change, USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, and Platinum Sponsor Visa, Inc. are hosting a special summit meeting.

One hundred and thirty leaders from across the nation will gather for just over two days in order to accelerate the nation's development of sustainable foodsheds that offer fresh, healthy, regional and sustainable food to all people regardless of income level or location. You can follow the summit via Facebook, Twitter , and ComFood.

Click here for more info.

San Francisco Urban-Rural Roundtable’s Final Recommendations to Mayor Gavin Newson

May 26, 2009

In September of 2008, Gavin Newsom, Mayor of the City of San Francisco, invited 50 leaders from city and country, including California's Secretary of Food and Agriculture, AG Kawamura, to convene three times over five months in order to prototype urban and rural collaboration in the development of a "foodshed" for the City. On May 26, 2009 the final recommendations from the San Francisco Urban-Rural Roundtable were published and delivered to Mayor Newsom and the City of San Francisco.

Download a copy of the Final Recommendations

Check back here or sign up to be notified about upcoming news of a formal response from the Mayor.

Top News - Sustainable Food

Urban farming movement 'like a revolution' - CNN.com - June 29, 2009
Urban farming: not just for hippies anymore. The revolution continues to spread across all sorts of communities, rich and poor.

For the Farm Lobby, Too Much Is Never Enough - The Washington Post - June 26, 2009
Op-Ed piece by Steven Pearlstein addressing the demands of farmers to be exempt from the climate-change bill.

17,000 Restaurants Must Provide Nutritional Info on July 1st - LAist.com - June 26, 2009
New law tackles obesity in California by forcing chain restaurants to provide nutritional information starting July 1st.

Farm Groups Prevail as House Climate Bill Puts USDA in Charge of Ag Offsets - The New York Times - June 24, 2009
Congress decides that the USDA-not EPA- will be in charge of monitoring ag carbon offsets under the House climate bill.

Films:
We Have a Bad Feeling About Our Food - The Washington Post - July 1, 2009
Ezra Klein, food politics writer for The Washington Post, reviews "Food, Inc."

Lettuce From the Garden, With Worms - The New York Times - June 20, 2009
Op-Ed columnist Nicholas Kristof reviews "Food, Inc.", praising its accurate illustration of American agriculture.

Click here for more top stories:

Kathleen Merrigan: Member of the Sustainable Dozen Chosen for #2 Spot at USDA

Feb. 26, 2009

If you, like ROC, are committed to creating a sustainable food system, the Obama administration is shaping up nicely. The nomination of Kathleen Merrigan to be the USDA Deputy Secretary is the latest evidence. Although, not a Californian like our hometown favorite Karen Ross (another of the "Sustainable Dozen" endorsed by ROC), Dr. Merrigan is the only alternative to Karen that could have made us this happy. She is a truly terrific choice!

A seasoned champion of organics, she is also clearly committed to social justice and economic viability. Dr. Merrigan embodies sustainability principles and has a track record of embedding these principals into government policy. During her previous tenure at USDA, she worked very closely with ROC's man in Washington DC, Gus Schumacher, and former Under Secretary and ROC Stewardship Council member, Richard Rominger.

We applaud the President, Secretary Vilsack, and all those across this state and the nation who worked with Food Democracy Now, and others to promote Dr. Merrigan.

Link here to see other reactions from the good food community.

Please, take a moment to add your thoughts about what this could mean for the good food movement

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