How the Next Generation of Farmers Are Reimaginging Our Food Systems

Yeah.

So hi, everyone.

Thank you so much for having me.

Really excited to be here.

Yeah.

I mean, I can't really overstate how intense climate impacts are for young farmers across the country.

There is a lot of catastrophic weather.

There's folks facing challenges due to not only the hottest year on record, but also record farm foreclosures.

We have record land prices soaring this year.

on top of what folks are facing for climate.

So the issues that farmers faced, young farmers faced before this year were hard and they've only been exacerbated.

Farming is starting to feel not only hard, but borderline impossible for some folks.

So that's what we're seeing.

A lot of the stories have gone from a bad season or a couple of bad seasons of farming to years and years of bad farming and maybe for the long term and the long haul, a rehaul of a system that we've lived in for a very, very long time up to this point.

that's it's it's so sad to hear that it's borderline impossible right now because of weather because of geopolitical forces and and so caitlin you know that makes me want to turn to you because you have said to me many many times throughout the years that we really need to be super intentional about what's needed to change our food systems after hearing sort of michelle describe what young farmers are facing what How do you sort of translate that into the work that you do, that intentionality that are really hitting the points that young farmers need from retailers and from all of us as eaters?

Yeah.

First of all, thank you for having me.

And it's always an honor to be on stage with you.

We've had a blast this year, haven't we? Through some of the stuff that we've done together, Michelle.

You know, I think we sit in an incredible place of privilege.

And at least for me, that's been my experience in the food system.

When you peel back the curtain and you really understand what our young farmers or farmers in general are up against, it's impossible to not care.

And it's impossible to not feel a deep sense of urgency.

As a retailer, you know, as an eater, We have such a responsibility to really understand and help support the future of food.

What I am super excited about and sort of how that translates to me is, okay, there's a call to action.