In April, the Food Studies program co-sponsored a screening of the documentary, Food Chains: A Revolution in America’s Fields with The Labor Studies Working Group (an interdisciplinary group of scholars from across campus) and the Workers Center of Central New York, to highlight labor issues in the food system. Over 70 people came to the event, which included a discussion with local farmworkers in the CNY region. According to assistant professor of food studies, Dr. Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, “the film opened many people’s eyes to the ways that immigrant workers are both exploited by and resisting our industrial food system.” The film focused on changes motived by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers movement for Fair Food, a program where big buyers of tomatoes, such as Taco Bell and Wal-Mart, have agreed to pay a penny more per pound that goes directly to the workers. Although the film takes place in Florida, our guest speakers discussed their experiences, which reflected those in the film.
Students active in the new Food Studies club, Brainfeeders, announced they will also be working on farmworker issues, and collected names of other involved in taking action.