Conference 2023 Panel Recap - "Rethinking Governance for Transitioning Food Systems"

Panel: Rethinking Governance for Transitioning Food Systems

Speakers: Charles Levkoe, Catherine Littlefield, Abra Brynne and Don Buckingham

This panel discussed how governance will need to adapt to keep pace with the ever-changing realities of food systems. This panel was divided into three groups of speakers.

Charles and Catherine’s recent work catalogued existing civil society groups working with food systems.  Catherine’s presentation specifically focused on how civil society groups interact with Indigenous people.  Their work can be found in an upcoming paper.

Abra’s presentation was about the need for scale-appropriate regulations in food systems. She raised interesting points about how scale is defined and how the pre-existing bias of decision-makers can prejudice certain producers compared to others.

Don Buckingham concluded the panel with a discussion on the importance of resiliency to overcome seemingly highly improbable adverse events that have historically interfered with food systems.

The common theme of this panel was ensuring that certain components of the food system are not forgotten.  Abra made it clear that the needs of small-scale producers are often not considered by policymakers, exemplified through the definition of ‘farms’ in British Columbia flood relief legislation, which excludes huge numbers of small farmers who also work off farm. Charles and Catherine showed how there are existing gaps in the coverage of civil society, such as groups working on national policies or those working with Indigenous people. These forgotten components can result in people without advocates, connections or government recognition in food systems. Don on the other hand flagged how ‘black swan events’ are often overlooked, leaving food systems vulnerable to unlikely, though possibly catastrophic events, such as natural disaster or widespread disease.

Each member of this panel did an excellent job of identifying specific examples that are applicable to each speaker’s particular arguments. This was useful to juxtapose where food law and policy has been against where it seems to be heading, to ensure the lessons learned about scale, unpredictable disasters and gaps in civil society representation are used to better the food law and policy landscape.

The arguments made by the panelists are representative of the need for greater scholarship and collaboration on food law and policy.  The important work of those presenting at this year’s conference needs to be front of mind for those making, interpreting and applying food law.  All too often there are people, whether they be small scale producers or Indigenous communities without representation in civil society, or phenomena such as black swan events, that are downplayed or altogether ignored to the detriment of everyone in food systems.