Just Food

Berkeley Food Institute

4.8 (11)
SOCIETY & CULTURE

Just Food

The Berkeley Food Institute is an interdisciplinary research center at the University of California, Berkeley. Through our research, policy, and education programs, we seek to transform food systems to expand access to healthy, affordable food and promote sustainable and equitable food production. We empower new leaders with the capacity to cultivate diverse, just, resilient, and healthy food systems.

06/14/2018

SNAP in the Age of Political Chaos

Many individuals eligible for SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, are now fearful of using the program because ever-changing statements about proposed Federal rules put them in fear of their status as legal residents. Fear of retaliation by Washington has hurt children the most. This episode examines those proposed changes in SNAP, the largest part of the Farm Bill, and California's commitment to finding moral high ground. The esteemed Maria Echaveste, a BFI affiliate, weighs in on the obligations of government and its citizenry. Berkeley alum Christina L. Laird describes her experience helping program recipients as a volunteer administrator for SparkPoint Marin, and as a participant.

14 min
05/31/2018

Small Farms And Land Access - Farm Dreams Deferred

Farmland prices have doubled since 2004. Seventy percent of U.S. farmland is expected to transition to another owner over the next 20 years. Many new farmers and small farmers rent land like other folks rent homes. What happens when their landlord doesn't renew the lease after a season? How can new and aspiring farmers gain access to land they can control long-term for farming? Will new farmers survive the pinch? We delve into these issues and more. UC Berkeley doctoral student Adam Calo and farmer and Berkeley graduate Mai Nguyen discuss.

17 min
05/17/2018

JustFood RethinkingSchoolLunch

More than 900 million meals are served to children in California schools each year. Some children consume as much as two-thirds of their calories at school. But school meal programs have suffered over the last 10 years from major budget cutbacks, declining quality of food, and disconnection with community food needs. Oakland Unified School District, through innovative efforts, is changing how children are nourished. Now other districts are looking toward Oakland’s example.

16 min
05/03/2018

JustFood - EcoLiteracy: Teaching Children About the Origins of Food

With or without a large kitchen, children can be taught about real food, our food sources—indeed, the complete food system. In a school with as diverse a population as one could find anywhere in the U.S., Mary Schriner, an ecoliteracy instructor at Cleveland Elementary School in Oakland, teaches children about everything from eggs to wheat to cooking it all, with the support of principal Peter Van Tassel and an army of volunteers.

13 min
04/19/2018

For Those Who Serve: the Restaurant Professionals

We learn that 90% of restaurant workers report experiencing sexual behavior that is scary or unwanted. We find that the system that allows this behavior to fester is rooted in concepts from feudal Europe and slavery. We then learn about solutions, personified in the subjects of our interview.

16 min
11/16/2017

CalFresh on Campus: Breaking the Stigma of Food Insecurity

California consistently has one of the lowest enrollment rates for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as CalFresh at the state level. This issue of low participation extends to college campuses, where food insecurity levels are disproportionately high. We learn about recent measures taken by the California government and UC Berkeley to get more students enrolled in CalFresh. Please provide feedback here: food.berkeley.edu/podcast-feedback/

12 min
11/02/2017

Healthy Soil in Richmond's Concrete Jungle

A common and significant challenge for urban agriculture is the health of the farm’s soil. Often, the land has been used for different purposes over the years, possibly contaminating the soil or stripping its nutrients. We follow the journey of UC Berkeley soil scientists and Urban Tilth—a nonprofit based in Richmond, California—as they work together to transform a vacant plot into a working farm. Update: Urban Tilth leases the plot for $500 per year, not $10 per year. Please provide feedback here: food.berkeley.edu/podcast-feedback/

14 min
10/19/2017

The Changemakers of CHAMACOS: Pesticides and Public Health

A longitudinal UC Berkeley study called CHAMACOS has been measuring the impact of pesticides on the development of children for over 15 years. We hear from high school students in Salinas, California who are working with UC Berkeley scientists to learn more about how agricultural chemicals affect the health of their community. Please provide feedback here: https://food.berkeley.edu/podcast-feedback/

14 min
10/05/2017

Leveling the Playing Field: The Berkeley Soda Tax

We follow the story of the nation’s first sugar-sweetened beverage tax here in Berkeley—from how the measure came into law in 2014 to how the tax and the revenue it generates are shaping the health of Berkeley residents today. Please provide feedback here: https://food.berkeley.edu/podcast-feedback/

12 min
09/21/2017

Feeling the Sting: What Can Be Done to Protect Pollinators

We learn about how California agriculture has been impacted by dwindling bee populations and what farms can do in response—not only to protect honeybees, but also to restore native pollinator species. Please provide feedback here: https://food.berkeley.edu/podcast-feedback/

14 min
04/18/2017

Pilot: Harvesting Equitable Food

In this first episode, we explore a new, opt-in certification program for farms. The Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) is a unique collaboration between workers, growers, and retailers that improves working conditions, pesticide management, and food safety—producing better fruits and vegetables while providing farm workers with higher pay and greater protections. Please provide feedback here: https://food.berkeley.edu/podcast-feedback/

16 min

11 Episodes

4.8

out of 5

11 Ratings

The Berkeley Food Institute is an interdisciplinary research center at the University of California, Berkeley. Through our research, policy, and education programs, we seek to transform food systems to expand access to healthy, affordable food and promote sustainable and equitable food production. We empower new leaders with the capacity to cultivate diverse, just, resilient, and healthy food systems.

Creator

Berkeley Food Institute
Years Active

2017 - 2018
Episodes

11
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© All rights reserved
Show Website

Just Food