Just Foods program promotes a systems-based approach to a more sustainable food and fiber system both nationally and internationally. The program is led by Michael Sligh, a long-time activist and farmer who has spent his career advancing the sustainable agriculture movement.
The program takes a multi-pronged approach to the issues at hand, leveraging relationships, partnerships and coalitions to achieve greater results. Through research, analysis, education, advocacy and coalition-building we:
- educate farmers and consumers about important of agricultural biodiversity,
- emphasize how genetically engineered or modified foods could jeopardize long-term food security and farmers’ livelihoods,
- evaluate new technology based on economic viability, environmental soundness, and social justice,
- work to ensure and expand farmer, business and consumer choice of more diverse and improved public seed variety options
- develop and expand production, marketing and research opportunities for sustainable and organic farmers, and
- promote federal policies that will support and strengthen sustainable agriculture.
Projects:
- Seeds and Breeds for 21st Century Agriculture
- Breeding for Organic Production Systems (BOPS)
- Organic Integrity & the National Organic Action Plan
Publications:
Agricultural Biodiversity / Seeds & Breeds
- Proceedings of the 2014 Summit on Seeds & Breeds for 21st Century Agriculture (2014)
- 2003 Summit Proceedings: Summit on Seeds & Breeds for 21st Century Agriculture (2003)
Organic Agriculture
- Who Owns Organic? The Global Status, Prospects, and Challenges of a Changing Organic Market (2003)
- From the Margins to the Mainstream; Advancing Organic Agriculture in the U.S. The National Organic Action Plan (2010)
- North Carolina Organic Grain Guide (2013)
- 2014 Farm Bill Analysis: Organic Agriculture (2014)
Social Justice
- Agricultural Justice Project: Social Stewardship Standards in Organic and Sustainable Agriculture (2003-2008)
- Proceedings: Social Justice Workshop, Bangkok, Thailand, Nov 2003
Biotechnology
- Economic Implications of Plant-Made Pharmaceutical Production in North Carolina (2008)
- Farmers’ Guide to GM Contracts Brochure (2007)
- Farmers’ Guide to GMOs (2004)
Press Releases:
- RAFI Partners with Burt’s Bees to Plant 1 Billion Seeds and #BringBackTheBees (8/1/2016)
- Report Calls For Action to Address Loss in Seed Biodiversity (10/31/2014)
- Press Release: More Than 150 Businesses, Groups Call for Improved Oversight of GE Field Trials (8/21/2013)
- Press Release: More than 100 groups urge Congress to support Tester Amendment in 2013 Farm Bill (5/22/2013)
- Press Release: RAFI-USA encouraged by new USDA initiatives for organic crop insurance (5/15/2013)
- Press Release: Public Variety Research a Priority, Farm Groups, Researchers Say (6/12/2012)
Just Foods Blog Posts:
- A Friend to Farmers in All Seasons (12/21/2016)
- Bringing (Burt’s) Bees to the Farm (10/31/2016)
- RAFI Partners with Burt’s Bees to Plant 1 Billion Seeds and #BringBackTheBees (8/1/2016)
- Sustainable Agriculture Wins in 2016 Federal Budget (12/17/2015)
- A Renewed Call To Action (9/21/2015)
- Action Alert: Stop the GE “Dark” Act (7/21/2015)
- USDA Stakeholder Workshop on Coexistence of GMO and Non-GMO Crops Held in Raleigh, NC (3/12/2015)
- Growing the Movement in 2015 (12/23/2014)
- Deep Losses Suffered by Sustainable Ag: The 2015 “Cromnibus” (12/17/2014)
- Have We Reached a Tipping Point on the Loss of Seed Biodiversity? (11/4/2014)
- Report Calls For Action to Address Loss in Seed Biodiversity (10/31/2014)
- RAFI featured in Lexicon of Sustainability (6/17/2014)
- FY 2015 requests to USDA (4/4/2014)
- Cary Fowler explains the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (4/3/2014)
- [Guest Post] Swanton Berry Farm: Bringing Justice to the Table (4/2/2014)