As the state of the world continues to evolve more rapidly than ever, I have to make efforts to stay plugged in to the solutions that I want to be a part of. Tuesday, I attended the first annual Food & Agriculture Policy Summit at the Global Food Institute at the George Washington University hosted by Food Tank, José Andrés Group, and The Culinary Institute of America, and I think everyone left feeling both inspired and challenged. Well done Danielle Nierenberg & Bernard Pollack.
José Andrés opened the day reminding us that food policy doesn’t live in spreadsheets or speeches; it lives on people’s plates. With humor and honesty, he pointed out that “people and cars are now eating the same sh*t,” a sharp jab at the ethanol mandates that feed corn to engines instead of humans.
Then Robert E. Jones of the CIA followed with a statement that hit home: “We have to lead with delicious.”
Because no matter how smart our solutions are, if they aren’t enjoyable, people won’t embrace them. He laid out how the CIA is positioning itself to lead into the future of food education.
Throughout the day, voices from across the food system echoed one theme – interdependence. From land to farmer, from policy to plate, every piece matters. Through thoughtful conversations about how hunger and obesity are linked, success stories of regenerative farming, farm to school programs and other truly scalable solutions, the layers were examined.
And as Representative Jim McGovern put it bluntly:
“Hunger is a political condition. We have the food. We lack the will.”
It was a powerful reminder that feeding people isn’t just about supply, it’s about empathy, creativity, and collective responsibility. I got home feeling recharged and ready to keep up the good food fight.