Solar Futures

From the Co-Executive Directors

Dear Living Roots Readers,

As our farming communities navigate a time of profound uncertainty, we are reminded of farmers’ extraordinary ability to adapt, persist, and keep moving forward.

Extreme weather, rising costs, shifting federal policies, and longstanding inequities in our food system shape the decisions farmers make every day.

Throughout this issue, we look at the many ways farmers are navigating systems that can be complicated, costly, and difficult to change. Sometimes that means adapting a farm business or trying a new approach. Sometimes it means sharing knowledge, building greater independence, or joining with others to advocate for something better.

We also look beyond the farm itself at the stories that shape our food system. How we talk about hunger, public assistance, and who is “deserving” has helped shape food assistance policy for generations. In this issue, we turn the familiar Welfare Queen narrative on its head: Why are struggling families so often scrutinized while big-box corporations benefit from public subsidies, tax breaks, and a workforce that relies on public assistance? And how can we move beyond the stigma of conventional narratives to build a food system rooted in fairness and dignity?

Thank you, as always, for your commitment to nurturing a food system that serves growers and eaters alike.

Kavita Koppa & Mo Murrie
Co-Executive Directors