Dear friends, 

During the 2010s, the world was forced to take stock of the threat of climate change and the decade ended with immense momentum to bring about radical change to our way of life. And suddenly, we are catapulted into a global pandemic that has sped up our confrontation with questions like what it means to have a globalized society, while giving us a glimpse of the revitalization of ecosystems that can still come about if we pare down our consumption-based economy. The centrality and fragility of our food systems have come into focus; some calling for a transition to small-scale, resilient food systems, others for an end to animal agriculture.

For more than a decade, Seed the Commons has spread the message that a more just and sustainable society can only come with the transformation of our food systems. We have been unique in approaching liberatory food politics with an animal liberation ethic and in so doing, we have been pivotal in kicking off a movement for veganic farming.

After the revolutionary Climate March of 2018, where veganic farmers led the farmers’ contingent, we had to put most of our work on hiatus to focus on fundraising. Nonetheless, we have continued to advocate for vegan agroecology, by attending local conferences and sharing information where possible. As many now look to map out a Just Recovery from COVID-19, it is essential that we bring our vision for the radical transformation of our food systems to the discussion.

Radical has become an overused buzzword, so let’s remember that it means at/of the root. A transition to veganic farming entails a shift of some of our deepest and most enduring paradigms. For the past years, Seed the Commons has not only spoken against the false solutions of the corporate food system—but also against those that are popular in many activist circles. We brought a fundamentally different model—ecological farming without animal exploitation—to the environmental movement, to the animal rights movement and to the mainstream.

The corporate control of food systems is a driver of social inequality and environmental devastation, but the problems we face today also have older origins. Our webinar will delve into these with a remarkable glimpse into Pre-Columbian North America, where urban density existed without the levels of inequality and disease seen in the Old World.

Please join us tomorrow (register for the webinar here), and consider making a donation to support this work.

Wishing you health,

Nassim

Webinar Topic: Food Systems and Pandemics: Lessons from Native Cities
When: Saturday, May 30, 2020 10-11:30AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)