The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future is celebrating more than 25 years of advocating for food system change and protecting the public’s health. The Center’s contributions in research, education, and practice support our mission to be a leader in building a healthy, just, equitable, and sustainable food system. In addition to bringing attention to the food system’s negative impacts on public health, the environment, and social equity, it also promotes policy actions to address such impacts and advance solutions.

As CLF moves forward, we continue to build on our history and strengths with a commitment to identify and integrate new and innovative approaches that foster real food system change.

Enjoy these stories and quotes commemorating the Center’s 25+ years as a leader in food systems change:

The Long View on Food System Reform. In this essay from our Global Thought Leader series, CLF’s founding director, Bob Lawrence, reflects on the Center’s success and the work still ahead of us.

 

"There's a lot of climate-friendly technology where we can be more sustainable right now... It's not just a fantasy. It's possible."—Jess Fanzo, 2020

 

 

 

 

"The producers who bring us traditional foods can never compete with the big corporations on price,they will always lose on price—but they can compete on quality."—Paolo di Croce, 2022

 

 

 

 

"Nature always functions with plants, animals, and fungi—the three pillars. In soil biology, all three are incredibly important."—Nicolette Hahn Niman, 2022

 

 

 

 

"Making the food system work and establishing a food system that produces the right things, in the right way, is a priority."—Francesco Branca, 2020

 

 

 

 

"We need to urgently and radically move toward [localized food production, agroecology, and accountability]."—Olivier De Schutter, 2011

 

 

 

 

"Ecology has to be at the center of everything we do."—Jay Naidoo, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

"If you can grow good soil, you can grow good food."—Will Allen, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

"Biodiversity is necessary, as climate change wreaks havoc with food systems."—Winona LaDuke,2012

 

"We need larger coalitions that take in more points of view, even if we disagree with some of them. We need bigger tents, more tribes." —Alfred Sommer, 2020