On Monday, July 15, the James Beard Foundation (JBF) and the Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) Chefs for Healthy Soil hosted a policy roundtable in Minneapolis, Minnesota with chefs and farmers to discuss regenerative and climate-smart agriculture.
This event was a part of a series of activities for JBF’s Climate Solutions for Restaurant Survival campaign and took place at The Buttered Tin, a local eatery founded by JB Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership program alum Alicia Hinze.
USDA Undersecretary Jennifer Moffit, staff members from Senator Tina Smith’s and Congressman Dean Phillips’ (MN-3) offices, chefs and farmers from Minnesota and South Dakota, and representatives of farm and food policy nonprofits, including the National Young Farmers Coalition and the Minnesota Farmers Union, discussed priorities and pain points in creating a more sustainable food system. The Foundation’s vice president of Programs Dr. Anne E. McBride and NRDC’s agricultural soil carbon scientist Dr. Daniel Rath led the discussion.
Chefs and farmers spoke of the impact that extreme climate events have had on the economic viability of their operations. The group highlighted the need for key funding for programs that center conservation and climate solutions, notably through the farm bill and historic investments made by the Inflation Reduction Act.
“Access to land and market stand as two key obstacles for conservation-minded small farmers in Minnesota, reflecting sentiments JBF hears across the country,” McBride said. “It is key that programs be in place to provide this kind of access to guarantee a strong, climate-resilient supply chain. Chefs and farmers depend on each other’s sustainability for the success of their respective business models.”
To learn more about the Climate Solutions for Restaurant Survival campaign, visit the campaign’s page. To get involved immediately, fill out this form.
