We have the right to culturally affirming food.

We demand the preservation, protection and reconstruction of traditional farming, cultural history and significance of food and agriculture. We demand that indigenous peoples have the right to establish their own autonomous food systems should they choose.

Most of the food thats sold in the US is made of just a few ingredients that get processed into things we see commonly - things like burgers, mashed potatoes, and chips. In reality, there are thousands of varieties of crops like corn, rice, potatoes, and many ways to cook them that are parts of the culture and habits of people in different parts of the world. We were able to grow them for thousands of years because our traditional farming techniques cared for the soil. In many places, foods that are important for survival are considered sacred. The kinds of foods that our families have eaten for generations, and the ways that they are prepared and grown tell a story about who we are as a people. For most of us, our traditional foods arent served at the school cafeteria or sold in the corner store, and even foods that are commonly considered healthy often dont include our traditional foods. But when we cant access our traditional foods, we lose a part of our culture. Culture is the way that we are with each other. Its the knowledge, beliefs, customs, and habits a group of people share: it includes the ways we greet each other and the ways we dance. These are behaviors we learn from our surroundings our families, and our communities. Each ethnic group has its own culturally based foods and food habits. These traditions have been influenced and changed through contact with the mainstream culture. Today, grocery stores sell produce that looks the same: you usually will find one kind of lemon or tomato at the store. Many farmers now use machines to harvest their crops, and the machines usually can only harvest one variety of a crop (big round tomatoes that can be shipped for days in a truck, for example). As a result, we are losing the genetic diversity of crops and seeds, and as we lose that genetic diversity, we lose our cultural diversity and traditional knowledge as well.

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/article/corn:-spiritual,-nutritional,-cultural,-and-in-danger-63768 http://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/content/22/4/190.full http://julianagyeman.com/2011/10/new-agricultures-cultural-diversity-and-foodways/

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We have the right to sustainable food.

We demand an end to the mistreatment of animals and the environment that is caused by our current food system.

Sustainable: Capable of being maintained and continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment

Our current food system is made up of huge industrial farms! Factory farming now accounts for 99% of the animals grown for slaughter in the US. On factory farms, an unnaturally large number of animals are confined closely together. This makes it easier for them to get sick, so they are often pumped full of antibiotics and other drugs to keep them from getting sick. In many cases, animals are kept in cages that are too small for them to move freely. Sometimes, they cant turn around their whole lives. They often get no sunshine or fresh air. The huge amounts of manure from these factory farms runs off into our waterways, and neighbors of Confined Animal Feeding Operations have higher rates of asthma from poor air quality.

Crops are often grown on very large parcels of land and usually, a single crop is grown in a wide area for many years in a row. This is called monoculture. It can attract pests, inviting farmers to use more chemical pesticides. It depletes the soil, inviting farmers to add more chemical fertilizers. The runoff from the chemical fertilizers and pesticides goes into our waterways and kills wildlife there. There is currently a deadzone where the Mississippi River empties into the gulf after passing huge industrial farms for many miles. Nothing can grown there. These fields also lose soil at an alarming rate.
In a sustainable farming system, nutrients are recycled back in to the soil (including animal manure) and animal manure is recycled back into the soil to give nutrients. Did You Know? In the last 40 years nearly one third of the worlds farmable land has been lost. Two percent of livestock farms now raise 40 percent of all animals in the US. www.youthfoodbillofrights.com www.rootedincommunity.org/

Learn more at http://www.gracelinks.org/859/industrial-livestock-production

We have the right to nutritional education.

We demand government funding to educate and inform youth and parents about nutrition. a. Education on things such as seasonal eating, organic farming, sustainability, and diet related illness should be provided so that people can make better informed decisions. b. We recommend that schools recognize youth lead fitness programs as tools for success. Nutrition Education is any combination of teaching, media, and activities designed to help students improve their food choices and physical activity. Right now, corporations spend billions of dollars each year marketing their unhealthy products like fast food, soda, and chips to youth, especially youth of color, so its no surprise that most people know way less about what fruits are in season than what shoes are in season.

School-time is the only time most students receive nutrition education. There is no mandatory requirement for nutrition education in schools.

SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's Nutrition Education) is used to educate low- income communities about nutrition and ways to afford healthy diets (including ways to access food stamps) Congress just cut $110 million from SNAP-Ed in 2012. The Farm Bill, which authorizes SNAP-Ed must be passed before September 2013. Call your representative and tell them why nutrition education is important!
Learn more at: http://www.policymic.com/articles/22094/fiscal-bill-cuts-to-education-nutrition-will-increase-spending-on-health-care-in-the-long-run

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We have the right to healthy food at school.

We the youth demand more healthy food choices in our schools, and in schools all over the world. We want vending machines out of schools unless they have healthy choices. We need healthier school lunches that are implemented by schools with the ingredients decided on by the Youth. We demand composting in schools and in our neighborhoods.
Almost of students in the US depend on a free or reduced priced lunch at school. The National School Lunch Program was created in 1946 to help feed students and as a place to send . In 1969, the Black Panther Party created a free breakfast program to make sure that students were nourished before going to school. It became a federal program in 1975. Eating a healthy breakfast is associated with improved thinking ability (especially memory) and improved mood. Students eat about 5 billion meals in schools each year. Schools dont get enough money to cover the actual costs of the free and reduced price meals, and over time, have cut cafeteria staff and kitchen equipment. Most now simply heat up food thats been prepared elsewhere. There are funny rules for school food. Meat is usually lower quality than the meat sold in stores. Schools have to serve a certain number of vegetables with each meal, but ketchup and batter- coated French fries both count as vegetables. This year (2013), the US Department of Agriculture is setting national standards for foods available outside of school meal programsvending machines, a la carte items, etc. Many youth groups across the country are organizing to get better food in their schools. Students are the ones who are leading the change and winning salad bars, scratch cooking, and tastier, better foods in schools.

Recent Victories! The USDA has set new rules for school lunch! These are the first major changes to school breakfast and lunch standards in 15 years and, and for the first time, set a maximum number of calories allowed per meal. The new rules will require schools to take out cheaper enriched grains and instead serve whole grains, a wider variety of fruits and vegetables, and low-sodium proteins. Schools that follow these rules will receive an extra six cents per meal to help cover increased costs. School food rules will be debated again in 2015. Join the fight for real food in schools!
Learn more at: http://life.familyeducation.com/lunch/school/6497 7.html#ixzz2PLQwxVFO http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/New-school- food-guidelines-mean-healthier-fare-2698952.php http://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/5-weirdest-policies-school-lunches-unhealthy1.htm

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We have the right to genetic diversity and GMO-free food.

We the youth, call for the Labeling of Genetically Modified seeds, plants, and produce. We demand a policy from the government that labels all GMOs..

http://thumbnails.visually.netdna-cdn.com/gmogenetically-modifiedorganism_50290d5e92a11.jpg http://yugivn.deviantart.com/art/GMO-Foodinfographic-351237949

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We have the right to poison-free food.

We the youth absolutely dont want any chemical pesticides in our food! Chemical pesticides are used to get rid of bugs on crops. But if their poison kills bugs, they can hurt other things too, including people and wildlife. Traditionally, farmers have used herbs that keep bugs away, and created habitat for birds and other creatures that eat bugs. But chemical pesticides are on almost all of our foods today. .

http://visual.ly/fruit-veggies-and-pesticides www.youthfoodbillofrights.com www.rootedincommunity.org/

We have the right to beverages and foods that don't harm us.
We the Youth demand a ban on High Fructose Corn Syrup and other additives, and preservatives that are a detriment to our communities health. This must be implemented by our government, and governments around the world. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sweetener made from corn. Enzymes are added to the corn syrup to turn it into fructose.. Because we grow so much corn in the US, it is cheaper than sugar, and helps preserve food. It is a common ingredient in many different types of processed foods, including breads, sodas, condiments and cereals. A lot of the corn used to make HFCS is genetically modified.

www.youthfoodbillofrights.com www.rootedincommunity.org/

We have the right to local food.

We demand food to be grown and consumed by region to cut the use of fossil fuels and reduce the globalization of our food system.

http://www.kcet.org/socal/departures/Industrial%20Food%20System.jpg

Local food or the local food movement is a "collaborative effort to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies - one in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution, and consumption is joined together to enhance the economic, environmental and social health of a particular place." United States Department of Agriculture explains local food as "related to the distance between food producers and consumers,"

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We have the right to fair food.

We the youth demand that everyone working in the food system must be treated with respect, treated fairly, and earn at the minimum, a just living wage. For all those that are working in the food system we demand a model like the Domestic Fair Trade Association to be implemented.

Right now, the people that pick, process, and serve our food get some of the lowest wages in the country. Many are forced to live in poor conditions, are treated badly on the job, and many are dependent on food stamps because their wages are so low. Groups like the Food Chain Workers Alliance and the Domestic Fair Trade Association organize workers across the food system (including farmers, farm workers, restaurant workers, retailers, meat processors, and others) to win better wages, better conditions, and respect in the workplace. This year (2013), two Senators introduced a Bill called the Fair Minimum Wage Act. If passed, it would increase wages for most food workers, and tipped restaurant workers would receive their first raise in close to 30 years (right now, they get paid $2.13/hour) Call your Senator to ask them to co- sponsor the bill!
Learn more at http://www.thedfta.org or foodchainworkers.org www.youthfoodbillofrights.com www.rootedincommunity.org/

We have the right to good food subsidies.

We demand an end to the subsidy of commodity crops, including corn and soy beans. Rather than our tax dollars going to subsidies for industrial farming, we demand financial support for small organic farmers. An agricultural subsidy is a support payment that the federal government makes to farmers, often to large agribusiness. It is supposed to support farmers during crop disaster and control the supply of food. The money comes from our tax dollars.

Most subsidies go to growers of foods such as wheat, corn, rice, soybeans, cotton, and sugar not fresh fruits and vegetables. The subsidies make it possible for farmers to sell their food cheaply. Many farmers sell their crops to processors who turn it into other products like high fructose corn syrup or animal feed (60% of corn grown in the US is for animal feed). Because the subsidies allow US farmers to sell their products at such a low price, farmers in many other parts of the world cant compete with their prices. Farmers in Mexico, Haiti, and other countries have been forced out of business because of the dumping of grains from the US.

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/access-analyze-act-economy/curriculum/sugar-supply/the-cultivation-of-agriculturalsubsidies; http://www.academia.edu/403705/Subsidies_and_Specialty_Crops_An_Analysis_of_the_Current_State_of_U.S._Agricult ural_Policy www.youthfoodbillofrights.com www.rootedincommunity.org/

We have the right to organic food and organic farmers.

We demand a restructuring of the process of being certified organic and fair trade to improve the thoroughness and accessibility of these programs.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic label is an important tool to help people decide what to buy. The strict guidelines and paperwork often make it extremely expensive and hard for small farms to get certified, even if their practices are organic.
USDA Certified Organic means: Foods must be grown or raised without the use of chemical herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers, sewage sludge, and genetically modified organisms. Animals raised organically must have access to land, and farmers cant regularly feed the animals antibiotics or growth hormones. Animals can't be fed grain derived from genetically modified crops or non- organic crops In general, all-natural (non-synthetic) substances are allowed in organic production and all synthetic substances are prohibited.

Organic certification requires about three years of supervision of growing land, to ensure no banned pesticides or fertilizers are used. The organic foods sector is doing great economically it has grown 20% every year for over 10 years. But in the process, many big corporations have gobbled up small organic businesses. Fair Trade USA enables sustainable development and community empowerment by cultivating a more equitable global trade model that benefits farmers, workers, consumers, industry and the earth. They achieve their mission by certifying and promoting Fair Trade products.

Learn more at: www.usda.gov/?navid=ORGANIC_CERTIFICATIO; http://www.fairtradeusa.org/ www.youthfoodbillofrights.com www.rootedincommunity.org/

We have the right to cultivate unused land.

We demand that a policy be enacted allowing for unused land to be made available for communities to farm and garden organically and sustainably.

A vacant lot is a neglected piece of property that has no buildings on it. In many cases, houses were on these lots, but as they fell into disrepair they were burned or demolished. Issues associated with abandoned vacant lots:

illegal dumping of litter and other solid waste home for rats unsafe conditions- children can get hurt there crime (drug dealing, prostitution) a wasted resource disrupt a neighborhood's sense of community lower neighborhood property values

There are more vacant lots in lower income neighborhoods. Lower income areas also have reduced access to green space and urban parkland. If properly cared for and made productive, vacant lots can become a valuable resource for the community!

http://www.brown.edu/Research/EnvStudies_Theses/summit/Briefing_Papers/Vacant_Lots/ http://www.thenatureofcities.com/2012/08/21/vacant-land-in-cities-could-provide-important-social-and-ecological- benefits/

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We have the right to save our seed.

We believe farmers and all people should have the freedom to save their seed. Any law that prevents this should be reversed; no law shall ever be made to prevent seed saving. Saving seeds is a historical and ancestral practice to grow crops ever since the beginning of agriculture to feed ourselves It is a process used for selecting the best seeds or other plant parts from already grown plants to replant them It has produced hundreds of thousands of cultural and ancestral varieties of fruits, vegetables, and plants adapted to many different environments. As food production has become more industrialized, seeds enhanced through technology have been created to grow at a larger amount and look the same Intellectual property rights (IPR) applied to seeds give whoever claims to have discovered or developed a new plant variety, complete control over the seed. Under patent law, it prevents anyone from using, selling or growing the seed without the patent holder's permission. If you break this law, you will have to pay economic or legal consequences. For nearly two decades, Monsanto, a transnational corporation that manufactures pesticides used across the planet, has been expanding over the global seed market with genetically modified (GM) seed.

From Monsanto website: We [sue farmers who have seeds] for three main reasons. First, no business can survive without being paid for its product. Second, the loss of money from not being paid would harm our ability to spend money in research and development to create new products to help farmers. We currently spend over $2.6 million per day to develop new products. Third, it would be unfair to the farmers that honor their agreements to let others get away with getting it for free. Farming, like any other business, is competitive and farmers need a level playing field.
Sources: http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/062403_saving_seeds.cfm http://www.monsanto.com/newsviews/Pages/why-does-monsanto-sue-farmers-who-save-seeds.aspx http://www.cipamericas.org/archives/9029

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We have the right to an ozone layer.

We the youth demand a 20% decrease of industrial farms every 5 years, to decrease the high levels of greenhouse gas emissions associated with industrial farming. What is the ozone layer and why is it important?
The ozone layer is a concentration of molecules on the outer edge of earth that filter the suns ultraviolet (UV) radiation. A diminished ozone layer allows more UV radiation to reach the Earth's surface. Overexposure to UV rays can lead to skin cancer, eye impairment, and weakened immune systems. Increased UV can also lead to reduced crop yield and disruptions in the marine food chain.

How does ozone depletion occur?

It is caused by the release of molecules that have been widely used in refrigerators, insulating foams, and solvents. These molecules ( chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and other ozone-depleting substances (ODS)) are eventually carried into the stratosphere in a process that can take as long as 2 to 5 years.

When CFCs and HCFCs reach the stratosphere, the ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes them to break apart and release chlorine atoms which react with ozone. One chlorine atom can break apart more than 100,000 ozone molecules. Other chemicals that damage the ozone layer include methyl bromide (used as a pesticide and was 100% phased out in 2005) and halons (used in fire extinguishers). As methyl bromide and halons are broken apart, they release bromine atoms, which are 60 times more destructive to ozone molecules than chlorine atoms.

Will the ozone layer recover? Can we make more ozone to fill in the hole?
If we stop producing ozone-depleting substances, ozone will be created through natural processes that should return the ozone layer to normal levels by about 2050.

Our current food and farming systems contribute to 1/3 of all greenhouse gases. This is because of the chemicals we use, and our highly concentrated animal feeding operations. Last year, the Environmental Working Group release a Meat Eaters Guide to Climate Change with more information on making climate-friendly food choices. Did you know? If everyone in the US ate no meat or cheese just 1 day a week for a year, it would be like not driving 91 billion miles or taking 7.6 million cars off the road. Learn more at http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/q_a.html. www.youthfoodbillofrights.com www.rootedincommunity.org/

We have the right to support our farmers through direct market transactions.
We demand that the number of farmers markets be increased every year until there are more farmers markets than corporate super markets.
Farmers market: A public market at which farmers and often other vendors sell produce directly to consumers. It is organized for the purpose of making personal connections that benefit local farmers, shoppers, and communities. At a farmers market, you hand your money to the person who grew or made the products in front of you. The majority of the money spent at markets, and the jobs that come with it, stay in the communities where the markets are located, preserving and creating local jobs. The produce at the farmers' market is not always more expensive than at the supermarket. During peak season (July and August), local produce costs equal to or less than the equivalents available in supermarkets. Supermarkets are the biggest buyers of food. Because of this, they can decide how, where, when and for how much their food is produced, packaged, stored and delivered. To provide customers with the huge variety of inexpensive food, supermarkets exploit their power. They make sure they make the most profit by paying the least amount they can for food which make all those involved in the food production, including farmers, weak and barely making any money. Studies have shown that produce loses nutritional value as more time elapses from the time of harvest.
http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/joinus/faq http://corporate-rule.co.uk/drupal/node/203 www.youthfoodbillofrights.com www.rootedincommunity.org/

We have the right to convenient food that is healthy.

We want healthy options in corner stores while empowering the community to make better food choices. We demand more jobs for youth to work with our communities to make this happen and help them control their food systems.
A corner store is a small-scale store that sells a limited selection of foods and other products not always located on a corner. It is also know as a convenience store, neighborhood store, and bodega. Some healthy corner store standards require stores to advertise healthy foods, or to eliminate ads for tobacco and alcohol. Some require stores to follow health and environmental standards. In general, existing healthy corner store standards are fairly low, showing that most corner stores sell

mostly unhealthy items. Corner store owners tend to favor items that are easy for them to order, store, and sell, which are usually unhealthy items that can last a long time. Alcohol and tobacco products are very easy to store, can make high profit, and are distributed almost everywhere. It can be hard for small-scale stores to identify distributors that sell healthy foods. Storing perishable items also requires more labor and equipment. And sometimes storeowners may assume that their customers are not interested in buying healthy food and that residents dont expect to find healthy items at the corner store. Youth can be great allies in changing the corner store environment. Many are regular customers, stopping by stores on their way to and from school.

Learn more at http://www.healthycornerstores.org.

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We have the right to leadership education.

We the youth demand that there be more school assemblies to inform and empower more youth with the knowledge of food justice. The continuation of the movement for Food Justice, Food Sovereignty and cultivation of future leaders is necessary for feeding our youth, our nation and our world.
Education is the property of no one. It belongs to the people as a whole. And if education is not given to the people. They will have to take it. Che Guevara Food Justice: Asserts that food is a right and no one should live without enough food because of economic constraints or social inequalities. Food justice reframes the lack of healthy food sources in poor communities as a human rights issue. Food justice is inspired by historical grassroots movements and organizing traditions such as those developed by the civil rights movement and the environmental justice movement. The food justice movement advances self-reliance and social justice by acknowledging that community leadership is the way to authentic solutions. The food justice movement is evolving and welcomes your participation.

Food Sovereignty: A term originally created in 1996 by members of Via Campesina, a group of farmers, peasants, pastoralists, fisherfolk, Indigenous Peoples, women, rural youth and environmental organizations. It meant the "right of peoples to define their own food, agriculture, livestock and fisheries systems," in contrast to having food largely subject to international market forces.
Find out more about food justice and the principles of food sovereignty at Growing Food and Justice for All (GFJI). http://www.growingfoodandjustice.org/Glossary.html

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In the News! Student- and youth-led food organizations like Real Food Challenge (RFC) and Live Real are making serious waves in the world of institutional food service and beyond. Just over a year after the launch of the Real Food Campus Commitment, RFC students at eight major colleges and universities have secured their administrations pledge to purchase at least 20% real food by 2020. Thats hundreds of millions of dollars shifting towards local, sustainable food economies in the next 7 years. What could be done at your school?