Grassroots organizing for food systems change in the San Joaquin Valley, California

Abstract

California’s San Joaquin Valley (SJV) is the wealthi­est agricultural region in the United States, yet it has among the highest rates of concentrated pov­erty and food insecurity in the nation. Despite a growing movement to change the food system nationwide and around the world, wealth and health disparities linked to the dominant agricul­tural industry in the SJV are growing. This study draws upon critical philanthropy scholarship to understand the opportunities and limitations of grant funding for the food justice movement. This qualitative research contributes a regional case study of grassroots organizing to change the food system from within a region dominated by industrial agriculture. To understand the challenges and potential for change from the perspectives of SJV grassroots organizers, this research draws on semi-structured interviews with 14 SJV organizers working for food systems change. Interviews were thematically analyzed and complemented with a review of activities across all identified organiza­tions’ websites to provide a snapshot of the food justice movement across the SJV. Particular atten­tion is paid to how funding structures may influ­ence organizing activity and discourse. The findings demonstrate how grantmaking influences the dominant narrative in the SJV and shapes organizing priorities and activities. I argue that philanthropic funding may divert the food justice movement away from directly challenging powerful political and economic interests. This study advances a critical conversation in food movement scholarship to change the conditions under which structural inequality is growing.