Around the world, food is becoming a lightening rod of concern about the changing economy. The necessity of food to daily human life, its centrality to shared family experiences, its connectional and ceremonial importance in social and cultural life, and the sacredness of its symbolic spiritual value to people of every faith separate it from other sectors of the economy. Women s lives are often entwined with food production and preparation. From the time they first helped set the table, prepare a meal, plant a garden or shop for groceries, food has been key in their lives. Food is much more than a commodity.
Food is spiritual.
How food is produced has become a major moral, ethical and social justice issue for people of faith. U.S. farmers and ranchers are being forced off their land by low commodity prices and structural changes. Many who remain are consuming their equity and struggling. Despair is palpable in many rural places. Farmers are being told they are not needed because their land has higher market value for recreational, commercial or other purposes.