Social Justice
In general it is vulnerable, marginalized, and impoverished communities that stand to suffer the most from the effects of an unpredictable climate, unreliable access to clean water, and severe natural disasters (EPA 2021). Reducing our common pollution footprint therefore aids those who need it most. Eating less meat is only a tiny part of the overall action required for a more equitable food system, but it could play a role to help that cause.
The social justice aspects of the US food system are immense and complex (FoodPrint 2022). As the article linked below from FoodPrint.org explains, “food justice efforts (which are generally led by indigenous peoples and people of color) work not only for access to healthy food, but for an end to the structural inequities that lead to unequal health outcomes.”
These problems take many forms. On farms, workers are exposed to harsh and dangerous conditions, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria (Mercy For Animals 2014). In addition, the communities living close to factory farms are more likely to be “low-income communities or communities of color … these farms pollute the surrounding areas so much that residents suffer a host of illnesses from breathing in the many harmful gases these facilities emit” (Mercy For Animals 2017).
Pollution is unequally distributed in our food system, and so is food insecurity. Black and Latino households are significantly more likely to experience food insecurity than white households (FoodPrint 2022). Food deserts are regions where “a substantial number or share of residents with low levels of access to retail outlets selling healthy and affordable foods” (USDA 2011). The USDA’s Food Access Research Atlas (https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/) helps to map food deserts by tracking access to grocery stores and healthful food (USDA 2021).
“Food insecurity and high rates of diet-related disease correlate with poverty, which disproportionately impacts people of color. This is no coincidence — a long legacy of discriminatory and inequitable policies has left historically-oppressed peoples to start off with less wealth, property and opportunity than white people. In addition to the racialized roots of poverty, the food system itself is built on centuries of exploitation of people of color. The roots of today’s hunger and health inequities run deep.”
FoodPrint.org
These food justice issues are complex, and they do not have a simple solution. Progress will require shifts in policy, shifts in understanding of how “race motivates policies and culture today", and shifts in understanding the connection between historical inequalities and today’s food access inequality (Food Print 2022). These are long-term shifts on a national level, but there are some actions individuals can take.
“As individuals, we can:
grow and support community gardens
support local farms and businesses that treat their employees fairly and invest in our communities
get informed and tell others about food deserts
support companies and political leaders that invest in a more equitable world”
- Food Revolution Network
Eating less meat alone will not solve the issues discussed above. However, if it can be done as a part of a larger shift in mindfulness and willingness to address these issues, eating less meat can be a small step in the right direction.
Sources
(FoodPrint 2022) https://foodprint.org/the-total-footprint-of-our-food-system/issues/social-justice-and-food-production/
(Mercy for Animals 2014) https://mercyforanimals.org/blog/factory-farm-workers-carry-dangerous-bacteria/?_ga=2.160447229.1130846495.1643751524-911907878.1643751524
(Mercy for Animals 2017) https://mercyforanimals.org/blog/heres-how-veganism-is-undeniably-linked-to/
(EPA 2021) https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-report-shows-disproportionate-impacts-climate-change-socially-vulnerable
(Food Revolution Network 2020) https://foodrevolution.org/blog/food-deserts-food-oasis-healthy-food-access/
(Mayo Clinic 2020) https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/meatless-meals/art-20048193
(USDA 2011) https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2011/december/data-feature-mapping-food-deserts-in-the-us