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March 5, 2021
Written by Jane Coghlan, Sustainable Food Systems Undergraduate Student
Did you know that ASU Tempe campus is a food forest? There is a diverse community of trees all throughout campus that grow edible fruit such as oranges, grapefruits, peaches, pecans, kumquats, lemons, and more.
February 24, 2021
By Kana Miller, Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Certificate student
This blog is part of a series from the December Arizona Immersive program of the Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Graduate Certificate Program. Students virtually toured the state, meeting with farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, government staff and non-profit leaders.
February 24, 2021
By Stu Lourey, Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Certificate student 
This blog is part of a series from the December Arizona Immersive program of the Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Graduate Certificate Program. Students virtually toured the state, meeting with farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, government staff and non-profit leaders.
February 20, 2021
By Wesley Conner, Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Certificate student
This blog is part of a series from the December Arizona Immersive program of the Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Graduate Certificate Program. Students virtually toured the state, meeting with farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, government staff and non-profit leaders.
February 17, 2021
By Eric Hemphill, Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Certificate student 
This blog is part of a series from the December Arizona Immersive program of the Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Graduate Certificate Program. Students virtually toured the state, meeting with farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, government staff and non-profit leaders.
February 10, 2021
By Dory Cooper, Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Certificate student
This blog is part of a series from the December Arizona Immersive program of the Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Graduate Certificate Program. Students virtually toured the state, meeting with farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, government staff and non-profit leaders.
February 8, 2021
By: Fran Alvarado, Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Certificate student
This blog is part of a series from the December Arizona Immersive program of the Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Graduate Certificate Program. Students virtually toured the state, meeting with farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, government staff and non-profit leaders.
February 4, 2021
By Marcus Miller, Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Certificate student
This blog is part of a series from the December Arizona Immersive
program of the Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Graduate Certificate Program. Students virtually toured the state, meeting with farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, government staff and non-profit leaders.
January 14, 2021
By Isabel Yoder, Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Certificate student
This blog is part of a series from the December Arizona Immersive program of the Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Graduate Certificate Program. Students virtually toured the state, meeting with farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, government staff and non-profit leaders.
January 9, 2021
By Cam Petersen, Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Certificate student
This blog is part of a series from the December Arizona Immersive program of the Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Graduate Certificate Program. Students virtually toured the state, meeting with farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, government staff and non-profit leaders.
August 19, 2020
This blog post was written by Arizona State University graduate student Karli Moore. In addition to studying Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership at ASU, Karli is an Associate Program Officer at the Native American Agriculture Fund.
As an avid traveler, I’m always interested in how people outside of the United States conceptualize our country. It’s certain that US popular culture is overrepresented on the global scene, but the predominate picture of the nation is heavily skewed to NYC, LA, and Miami. In truth, it’s not just people across oceans who have this urban-centric view; a sizeable (and growing) population within our borders has no realistic perception of rural America today, much less what the future holds for people like my family living on a farm.
August 5, 2020
This blog post was written by Arizona State University graduate student Cindy Farlee. In addition to studying Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership at ASU, Cindy is the Program Officer for the Native American Agriculture Fund.
July 22, 2020
This blog post was written by Arizona State University graduate student Kathleen Yetman. In addition to studying Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership at ASU, Kathleen is the Executive Director of the Prescott Farmers Market.
On our second full day in Washington D.C., we heard from food policy experts from all kinds of backgrounds. I was particularly interested to hear the stories of representatives from nonprofit organizations who have been working on food policy. Our nonprofit food policy panel included Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, Kumar Chandran, policy director for FoodCorps, and Michael Fernandez, director of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues. Because I work in the nonprofit sector myself, I was especially curious to learn how nonprofits advocate for better food policies while also maintaining a program-centered mission.
July 15, 2020
This blog post was written by Arizona State University graduate student Ali Kelley. In addition to studying Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership at ASU, Ali is the Marketing Manager for Annie's.
July 1, 2020
This blog post was written by Arizona State University graduate student Paige Mollen. In addition to studying Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership at ASU, Paige is the Co-founder and President of the Mollen Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention of childhood obesity.
“Don’t give up” and “never take no for an answer” were words that resonated throughout the office of the Honorable Rosa DeLauro, Democratic Congresswoman representing the 3rd District of the great state of Connecticut. These words of wisdom from her mother were passed down to ASU Food Systems and Sustainability Leadership cohort during our week-long immersion in Washington D.C. They have served her well.
June 3, 2020
This blog post was written by Arizona State University graduate student Brandee Kitzmiller. In addition to studying Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership at ASU, Brandee is a garden educator for the nonprofit Island Grown Schools.
During our time on Capitol Hill our cohort was able to have a meeting with the chair of the Committee on Rules, Jim McGovern. This was our only meeting in the Capitol building and, as our badges stated, it was official business. We rode the connecting tram from Rayburn building into the Capitol and headed to the Committee on Rules.
April 25, 2020
By: Kathleen Yetman, ASU Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Certificate student.
Just before we left Tempe to tour farms and ranches in Southern Arizona, we were honored to have breakfast with Mark Killian, Director of Arizona Department of Agriculture. Director Killian shared his passion for agriculture, which stemmed from generations of his family ranching in Arizona. He told us his experiences working for the State of Arizona, first for the legislature, then the AZ Department of Revenue as well as the Arizona Board of Regents, and finally as the Director of the AZDA. Throughout his 36-years in public service, he has continued to stay connected to his roots through his family’s ranching operation.
March 20, 2020
By: Nakasha Shoyinka, ASU Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Certificate student.
The leafy green city of Yuma, AZ was a sight to see and provided so much information about agriculture practices in southern Arizona. The ASU Food Policy and Sustainability cohort was given the honor to have a panel discussion with four amazing individuals who work for the USDA in different capacities. After having a filling breakfast, we had an up close and personal chat with Mike Stevens (FSA), Raney Embree (FSA), Valentino Reyes (NRCS), and Godfrey Hinds (Rural Development). We asked questions and gained insight about the different roles and positions the USDA has on impacting farmers, the land, and conservation.
February 10, 2020
By: Katie Poirier, ASU Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Certificate student.
On Wednesday December 4th, a couple students and professors of the Food and Farm Immersion branched off during the morning and early afternoon to table at the newly opened Whole Foods Market in downtown Tempe, Arizona. The tabling event took place in the lobby of the market and intended to promote the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems. A high rise sits over the Whole Foods Market and an escalator from the building leads right into the lobby. Many people were in and out with prepared lunches and beverages, as the hours we were there spanned lunch. Students, business people, and families passed through the lobby’s automatic doors, adorned with small pines and holiday wreathes.
