The Cooperative Food System We Need Today

The global food crisis is—according to most available indicators—just getting warmed up.

Half Past Capitalism host Dru Oja Jay spoke with Shylah Wolfe about what kinds of cooperative systems for food production, distribution and processing are already being built and how we'll probably have to expand them pretty rapidly to feed ourselves.

Wolfe has participated in many cooperatives in the food sector in Montreal. This includes the Hive Solidarity Café and the Concordia Food Coalition (CFC). The CFC is involved in the establishment of a non-profit food institution at Concordia University. Her work is focused on improving the food system and that work spans cooperative development participatory action research and multi-stakeholder.

A large part of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions stem from transit – which our food system relies on. Wolfe has researched and promoted for patronizing local farmers for food sourcing at the university she works at. 

Relying on a local food system would not only change long term crises, such as climate change, but also short term crises. Wolfe explains how our food supply in Montreal and the rest of the country has been affected by the war in Ukraine, resulting in shortages in some products and also an increase on gas usage that creates higher food prices. 

Food waste is another issue within our food system that needs to be addressed. Many are experiencing food scarcity, especially as inflation rises and the use of food banks have increased. At the same time, food waste persists.

Wolfe also explains entrepreneurship in food systems, farming, and how we can remodel our food system to benefit our health, economy, environment and access to food.