Equity and Justice in Agriculture

Because this module covers a lot of information, we highly encourage you to take your time to read it. Consider reading it over a couple of sittings rather than all at once.

Module 1 explored different types of livestock production and the ways in which confined feedlot operations and intensive crop production impact human and environmental health. It also covered how, in many ways, regenerative grazing provides a solution to these problems.

This begs the question: if regenerative grazing is so much better, than why isn’t it the norm in the U.S.?

The answer lies in a suite of U.S. agricultural policies and social structures that have shaped both how we farm and who can be a farmer. This has created disparities in power and resources, constructing a food system that privileges a few at the expense of most farmers, communities, and the environment. To support regenerative grazing systems and the next generation of graziers, it is important to understand and address these inequities.

The fact that we have such inequitable social structures can feel daunting, but it also offers hope. It means that it is possible to build regenerative agriculture movements in ways that provide opportunities for everyone. In this module, we will discuss how inequity is built into the food system and explore how we can move toward a more just, equitable, and inclusive future.

Certain pieces of this module may be familiar to you based on your lived experiences. If the material is already familiar, feel free to skip to the parts that are most useful to you.

Our goals are to:

• Highlight some of the ways inequity is built into the U.S. food system
• Inspire you to reflect on how your identities and assumptions may influence your ways of talking, thinking, and acting around agriculture and food
• Identify actions that you and others can take to further equity and justice within the regenerative grazing movement

Note: The content presented in this module draws upon material from the report, “Just Transitions to Managed Livestock Grazing: Needs and Opportunities for Change in the Midwestern United States” by Erin Lowe and Ana Fochesatto. We encourage you to explore and cite the original report for more in-depth information.