During a recent event hosted by New York University Steinhardt and Food Tank, food advocates and policymakers discussed the challenges and opportunities New Yorkers face in building a nourishing, equitable, and resilient food system.

Keith Carr, Senior Policy and Government Relations Manager for City Harvest, explains that conversations that avoid the root causes of hunger result in the persistence of inequitable and unsustainable food systems.

Carr also argues that the current charitable model of addressing hunger fails to work. Instead, he says, they contribute to the vulnerability of the city’s food system. “We should not be paid to do what the government should do.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic shed light on the fragility of and challenges in the food system, speakers also identified points of optimism.

Naama Tamir, Co-Owner of the Brooklyn restaurant Lighthouse, believes the pandemic forced the hospitality industry to address issues that have always existed. For many years, Tamir says, the sector has not done “right by its employees, by its communities, [and] farmers.”

Kate MacKenzie, Director for the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, agrees, noting that more people understand the nuances of food policy. It “became more than just making sure that kitchens and pantries were stocked,” MacKenzie says. Stakeholders began to consider the roles that restaurants, grocery store workers, truck drivers, and more play in the food system.

To build on this growing awareness, the speakers argue for a number of solutions, including better support for farmers.

Read the full article about resilient food systems by Elena Seeley at Food Tank.