Photo Courtesy of Ali Edwards

In 1999, a group of California-based foundations came together to explore the challenges facing the current industrialized food system and to discover a means to maximize the impact of their investments in pursuit of a healthier system. In 2000, they commissioned and released Roots of Change: Agriculture, Ecology, and Health in California, a report that consolidated information from policy makers, farmers, scientists, and activists, as well as data from numerous state agencies. The report made the case that multiple environmental, social, and economic problems in California can be addressed simultaneously by a comprehensive transition to a sustainable food system.