The Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems is dedicated to fostering a community at ASU centered around sustainable food and agriculture. Not only does the Center have many educational opportunities, but they also have various other resources for students to get involved with the sustainable food systems community. Below you will find information on our academic programs, job and volunteer opportunities, student blog posts, and more.
Are you a Sustainable Food Systems undergraduate student?
If you are enrolled in the undergraduate Sustainable Food Systems major, minor or certificate, get involved with the SFS Undergrad Canvas Community for the most up-to-date internships, classes, events, and opportunities!
Our online community is dedicated to providing Sustainable Food Systems students with a communication platform containing important resources to help you through your experience. SFS students are automatically added at the beginning of each semester. However, if you are an SFS undergraduate student having trouble finding/navigating the community, feel free to email Jane Coghlan with your questions.
Academic Programs
Love food systems? Interested in a career in sustainable agriculture? Love to nerd out on food policy and systems change? Then a degree in Sustainable Food Systems is probably right up your alley!
Within the School of Sustainability, ASU offers an undergraduate bachelor’s degree, minor and certificate in Sustainable Food Systems, a master’s degree in Sustainable Food Systems and a graduate certificate in Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership. Questions about becoming a Sustainable Food Systems student? Email foodsystems@asu.edu
Learn moreJob Opportunities
The field of sustainable food systems is multidisciplinary and there are lots of different kinds of job opportunities within the public, private, non-profit, education, and environmental sectors. To aid our students (undergraduate and graduate) in their search for jobs and internships related to sustainable food systems, we’ve put together a list of the best networks to subscribe to and follow. We encourage you to check these networks regularly while you are on the hunt for a job or internship.
Volunteer Opportunities
Looking to make a difference in your community and get more involved with the Phoenix local food system? Look no further. Here is a list of some great places to volunteer in and around ASU.
Eat Sustainably @ ASU
If you’re wondering where to find sustainable dining options around Tempe campus, you’ve come to the right place. Our SFS students have compiled a list of some local restaurants that feature sustainable, local ingredients.
Gardening Club
The Gardens at ASU Club aims to empower students through education, resources, and connections to gain gardening skills, live more sustainably, and increase community wellness. Getting involved is a great way to get your hands dirty, grow food, and meet other students with similar interests. They meet every week on Tempe campus, and they welcome all ASU students of any major and level of study.
Pitchfork Pantry
Pitchfork Pantry is a student-run food pantry that serves ALL ASU students. The Pitchfork Pantry serves to fight food insecurity and promote well-being, sustainability, and food recovery. With the support of local community organizations, they provide packages containing a variety of hygiene products and non-perishable and fresh food items. Any ASU student is able to receive food from any location, regardless of the campus at which the student regularly attends.
Student Highlights
Swette Center student worker and ASU sustainability student, Elora Bevacqua, wrote this exceptional literature review with the assistance of the Swette Center team and the Maricopa County Food System Coalition. It explores strategies for reducing food waste in schools in the US with a focus on Arizona. Approximately 30%-40% of the US food supply chain is never consumed. A pertinent area of this is school food waste. Schools in the US waste an estimated 530,000 tons per year with Arizona, in particular, wasting 24,000 tons per year. Rising to address this issue are a variety of strategies.
Food Systems Student News
Organic Farming in Arizona: A Family Business That Works for the Community
By: Sarah Williams, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.
Nestled in between Buckeye and Goodyear, Arizona, is a 1,200-acre certified organic farm specializing in leafy greens and compost. This farm started in Arizona over 30 years ago with Arnott and Kathleen Duncan at the helm. Arnott, a 4th generation farmer, started Duncan Family Farms on just...
Collaboration is Key to Preserving Arizona Water Supply
By: Kaysey England, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.
Throughout the Sustainable Food Systems graduate program food and farm immersive opportunity in the Fall of 2022, an overwhelming topic was discussed at every stop along the way: water security. During this experience, our cohort got the opportunity to listen to Dr. Dave White share his knowledge...
The Life of a Grass Farmer and Cattle Rancher in Arizona
By: Amy Mattias, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.
When Chuck Backus first arrived at his newly acquired ranch in the Superstition Mountains in 1977, the land wasn’t anywhere close to what it is today. Driving out to Quarter Circle U Ranch is driving through a beautiful Arizona desert with cacti and mesquite lining the roads...