Decolonizing agriculture in the United States: Centering the knowledges of women and people of color to support relational farming practices.

While the agricultural knowledges and practices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and women have shaped agriculture in the US, these knowledges have been colonized, exploited, and appropriated, cleaving space for the presently dominant white male agricultural narrative. Simultaneously, these knowledges and practices have been transformed to fit within a society that values individualism, production, efficiency, and profit. The authors use a decolonial Feminist Political Ecology framework to highlight the ways in which the knowledges of Indigenous, Black, and women farmers have been and are being colonized; a tradition that makes alternative agriculture a predominantly white space. The authors interviewed 10 BIPOC and women farmers in Colorado to understand what values and knowledges were shaping their often-appropriated agricultural practices. Three themes emerged: people, place, and patterns. By centering these values, farmers create relational agricultural practices that support the well-being of human and more-than-human beings. To support the widespread implementation of these practices, food systems practitioners must elevate the voices and knowledges of historically excluded farmers. Only then can truly just and equitable alternative agricultural practices be realized in the US.

Food Waste: Ethical Imperatives & Complexities.

We identify multiple ways in which food waste matters ethically: because of its direct negative environmental effects, because of the environmental impacts of excess food production, and because of the foregone benefits that could have been achieved if wasted food had been consumed. The issue of food waste is complicated by competing views on how to define food waste; we suggest that food waste could be defined as edible and nutritive plant, animal, mineral, or fungal materials used in ways that do not provide sufficient benefit and value. We also consider ways of reframing the issue of food waste, such as shifting the focus from food "waste" to food "conservation," allowing our emphasis to be redirected toward the resources that ought to be treated with greater care. Finally, we discuss ethical concerns with food waste-reduction efforts, which may have unintended consequences or may be minimally effective.

How Should Physicians Help Patients Who Are Ill Because They Work in Agriculture?

Occupational health issues are not just common for farmworkers; they are practically unavoidable. Farmworkers who seek treatment for work-related injury or illness are often unable to meaningfully reduce their exposure to risk factors without further jeopardizing their already fragile well-being and tenuous livelihoods. This case commentary addresses why and how physicians presented with patients who are ill because they work in agriculture should adjust their clinical practices to better meet the unique challenges faced by this patient population. In recognition of physicians' ethical duty to participate in activities to protect and promote the health of the public, this commentary also recommends specific actions that medical professionals can take to support systemic change that would improve farmworker health and well-being.