Giving Compass' Take:

• Food Tank writers compiled a list of food and agriculture organizations that we should pay attention to in 2019.  All are working to build a better food system through various avenues. 

• How is funding a sustainable food system different from other causes? What are the challenges for some of these organizations when trying to access capital? 

• Read about some successful food organizations Food Tank identified last year. 

2018 was a great year for Food Tank. We hosted ground-breaking Summits, innovative events, and global discussions about the food system in Senegal, Italy, Russia, and across the United States. We published the book Nourished Planet, and met many of our members and readers in person! And we started the Food Talk podcast.

We’re excited about 2019! Our plans are amazing, starting our greatest expansion ever—including new Summits, more podcasts, special events, and an off-Broadway play. If you are not already, it’s not too late to become a member this year and support our mission of bringing all sides to the table.

To start off the year, we’ve compiled a list of 119 organizations to keep an eye on in 2019 that are working towards a more sustainable food system. Here are few from that list:

  1.  Acre Venture Partners: Acre Venture Partners is a venture capital fund investing in the future of food by offering financial support to start-ups in health, nutrition, or food-focused tech companies.
  2. AgFunder: AgFunder is an online investment marketplace that both allows venture capitalists to invest in new technologies and invites agricultural companies to seek out investors who back their product.
  3.  American Farmland Trust (AFT): AFT began after farmers and conservationists in 1980 discussed how developing arable farmland would impact the food supply. Today, AFT is dedicated to protecting farmland, those who work on it, and the environment through sound agricultural practices.
  4.  Arava Institute: Located in the Middle East, The Arava Institute is an academic hub for those looking to research and solve the most pressing environmental concerns of the day.
  5. Arcadia Center for Food and Agriculture: Based in Alexandria, VA, this nonprofit fosters equity and sustainability in the Washington, D.C. area food system through a multi-faceted operation.

Read the full article about food and agriculture organizations by Danielle Nierenberg at Food Tank