Food and Agriculture Law Society (FALS) released this statement on Friday:

The Food and Agriculture Law Society stands with Black communities, organizers, and protesters. FALS stands in support and solidarity of Black lives because Black Lives Matter.

We see that the Black community is grieving. We are grieving with you. We are appalled by the inexcusable murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many more.

The US food system was founded on stolen land and cultivated by the hands of enslaved people. American agriculture was built on indigenous knowledge and the labor of marginalized people. Our current food system continues to perpetuate racism through the lack of equitable access to resources, land, food markets, and funding. FALS is devoted to educating ourselves to address these issues in our food system.

2020 is not what any of us imagined. However, one thing is certain – things cannot go back to “normal.” We know this statement alone is not nearly enough. FALS is committed to efforts that work to end systemic racism. To start the conversation, we have compiled resources that discuss the intersection of race and the food system. FALS further commits to incorporating these resources and principles into our community outreach, event planning, and recruiting. We call on the VLS community to collaborate and explore ways to address these issues.

We hear you. We see you. We stand with you. And, we are committed to building a food system—and a world—that is equitable and just.

In solidarity,

Paige Beyer

Christopher Bonasia

Lindsay De May

Johanna Doren

Jeremy Evans

Jessica Griswold

Kimberly Mitchell

Ashely Monti

Lauryn Sherman

Clay Thomas

Emily Whittier

Lauren Wustenberg

If you are in the area, we encourage you to attend Rally to End Violence this Saturday from 6pm to 8pm. Please see Dean Jefferson’s email for more information and COVID-19 precautions.

Published with permission from FALS Co-chair Jeremy Evans.