Making Food Systems Change Possible in 2025

Danielle Nierenberg

Danielle Nierenberg

I am incredibly proud of all that Food Tank has done to transform our food and agriculture systems over the last year. Through original daily storytelling, weekly podcasts, Summits spanning the globe, and more, we have championed solutions that empower farmers, nourish communities, and heal the planet.

Our work is fueled by small donations, and none of what we do would be possible without our grassroots members. Thanks to their generosity and shared passion, we have been able to turn our bold ideas into action. 

I hope you will become a part of this work to help us transform our food and agriculture systems by supporting Food Tank as a member today. You can join us by going to foodtank.com/join or clicking HERE.

Members receive exclusive access to Food Tank Summits, even when they are sold out to the public. And if you sign up before the end of the year, you will receive a beautiful Food Tank branded cutting board shipped straight to your door. Your membership also means that we can continue to make most of our programming completely free to attend and livestream these events for our global audience. 

Before 2024 ends, I want to share what our community has allowed us to accomplish over the last year—and what we can build on with your support in 2025 if you join us today. I hope it leaves you feeling as inspired as I do. 

Food Tank’s year began with two Summits to celebrate the intersection of food, environment, and the arts at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT, and SXSW in Austin, TX. These events brought together celebrity chefs, filmmakers, policy experts, food systems and climate advocates, business leaders, and more for film screenings, interactive panel discussions, delicious food, and live entertainment.

In the spring, we continued our series of programming in support of the White House’s National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. In Durham, NC, we partnered with Duke University’s World Food Policy Center, and in Atlanta, GA, we partnered with Spelman College and Emory University to organize Summits focused on solutions to end hunger, reduce diet related diseases and health disparities, and improve eaters’ wellbeing.

June marked Food Tank’s first annual Summit at London Climate Action Week, where we put food and agriculture systems at the forefront of climate conversations. We explored the ways that chefs and food businesses are building more sustainable food systems, the links between the climate and biodiversity, and the finance that is needed to scale solutions.

This activation in London was only possible thanks to our members’ support—and I hope you will join us by clicking HERE so that we can deepen our engagement in the UK next year! 

In July, we held a special luncheon event on Capitol Hill to build on our Summits in support of the White House’s National Strategy. Together with members of Congress, we discussed policy solutions to improve food access and affordability, scale Food is Medicine initiatives, and end food loss and waste.

In August, we returned to Des Moines, IA, for the annual Hog Farmer Appreciation Celebration, an event that brings together hundreds of family farmers from across the Midwest in the U.S. Our Education Summit uplifted the work of these producers while diving into the role that advocates, food businesses, researchers, and other stakeholders can play in supporting them and rural communities.

During Climate Week NYC in September, Food Tank organized seven Summits and two dinner events that positioned food and agriculture systems as a solution to the climate crisis. This programming broke down silos between sectors and encouraged honest conversations about the challenges and opportunities we face as we work collectively to create more resilient, nourished communities.

With the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Arrell Food Institute, Food Tank hosted the official 2024 North America World Food Day Celebration—our first Summit in Toronto. Expanding our work in Canada, we focused on the rights that all eaters have to healthy, affordable, culturally relevant food and the changes that can make this a reality.

In the leadup to the general election in the United States, we traveled to San Diego for our next Summit, held as part of the San Diego Food + Wine Festival. Conversations focused on the future of the good food movement as speakers discussed workers’ rights, the advocacy of chefs, and the programs and policies that can help us build resilience in our food systems.

Food Tank then headed to Baku, Azerbaijan, for the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP29), where we organized a full week of programming and nightly dinner events. Engaging with agricultural ministers, negotiators, farmers, climate journalists, civil society and business leaders, funders, and more, we continued our efforts to ensure that decision-makers see food and agriculture systems as a solution to the climate crisis.

This is just a snapshot of our programming from the past year. In addition, we also publish daily articles, deliver our weekly newsletter straight to your inbox, and release weekly episodes of our podcast “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg.”

I want to express my deepest gratitude for the support of our members who made this year possible. And if you want to join us and help us dream even bigger in 2025, I hope you will become a Food Tank member now by clicking HERE.

(Danielle Nierenberg is the President of Food Tank and can be reached at danielle@foodtank.com)