On July 22nd, Roots of Change (ROC) had the pleasure of joining the Los Angeles Food Policy Task Force to present their report "Good Food for All Agenda: Creating a New Regional Food System for Los Angeles" to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

 Michael Pollan’s latest article, “The Food Movement, Rising” in the New York Review of Books , is well worth careful reading. He offers both  an overview of the movement’s evolution and musings on its possibilities. He suggests that the food movement could become a political force of profound influence.

As he clarifies, the context is perfect. The growing sophistication of reform organizations regarding the nuance and necessities of making change indicates more unity within the movement. The impulse to reconstitute a sense of community and viable regional economies is evident in the young adults who are often forced to be nomadic. They are underemployed and deeply concerned about their futures. 

The ROC Fellows are a diverse group of CA food system leaders working together to develop strategies to create a sustainable food system for CA by 2030. This year ROC decided to focus the Fellowship in the Fresno area. Fresno is the leading  agricultural county in the United States. As the same time the area experiences some of the highest rates of hunger and obesity in the state. This year's class of Fellows will focus on finding common solutions to this region's challenges.