All posts of HEAL Staff

These are some of the Black-led orgs leading our fight against racism in the food and agriculture system

By fighting white supremacy and capitalism in our food and farm system, the following organizations undoing centuries of oppression and exploitation, of people and the land.  We are grateful to count among our membership, partners and allies, and School of Political Leadership cohort, Black-led organizations that are at the forefront of fighting for racial equity […]
5 years ago

Here’s how you can support farmers and food workers through COVID19

Our nation’s farmers and food workers have remained hard at work to provide for our survival— without them, few of us will eat. Yet many are facing dangerous conditions, and have little access to protective gear. That is morally wrong, dangerous, and unsustainable. HEAL Members have always known that small-scale farmers and food workers are […]
5 years ago

Worker Organizing in the Era of ICE Raids

The first plank of our Platform for Real Food calls for dignity for food all workers and their families. Brandworkers, a member organization of HEAL, is a worker-led organization that is moving the solutions in our Platform forward by organizing the people who work in New York City’s food production industry.  Running through the 5 […]
5 years ago

Food, Race and Labor: A brief explainer

    History and background: A timeline of Race, immigration and labor in the food system  Any conversation about the food system in the United States, must be grounded in acknowledging America’s colonial and racial history.  The United States is the result of colonization, beginning with  the arrival of European colonizers and subsequent seizure of indigenous […]
5 years ago
Covid-19 stimulus package

Invest in food workers, farmers and local communities first: Our response to Congress’ COVID-19 aid package

Yesterday, the Senate approved a COVID-19 stimulus package—the largest aid package in modern American history. Out of the $2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package, merely $9.5 billion is allocated to agriculture provisions. The USDA’s Commodity Credit Corp (CCC) is set to receive an additional $14 billion boost in funding authorization that would allow them to provide […]
5 years ago

The People Providing Our Food Are Essential. We Must Treat Them That Way

We’re joining Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance(NAMA), National Family Farm Coalition(NFFC), Why Hunger, Farm Aid and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy(IATP)  in calling on Congress to ensure that their response to this pandemic prioritizes farmers, ranchers, fishers and food workers of color who are most burdened by the systemic inequities of our food system. […]
5 years ago
Workers Protests

Why does the food industry still pay poverty wages?

The food industry is one of the most profitable sectors in the US and the largest private employer in the country. Yet, 80% of industry workers earn poverty level wages. The median wages for frontline workers in the industry is just $10 an hour, as opposed to the $17.53 in all other industries. In addition […]
5 years ago