Interdependence: A Vision for Farms, Food, and Community
I've been thinking a lot lately about the USDA’s recent cuts to farm-to-school programs and other initiatives that connected small farms with institutions like schools and food banks. These programs—Local Food for Schools (LFS) and the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program—were what I would call win-win-win-win-win solutions. A win for farmers, who gained steady customers. A win for schools, which got access to fresh, real food. A win for students, who received healthier, more nutritious meals. A win for the planet, as it reduced reliance on processed food, supported small farms—many of them regenerative and organic—and created pathways for local, sustainable agriculture to thrive. And a win for regional economies, as these programs helped keep food dollars circulating within local communities, supporting small businesses and strengthening rural economies.
Collectively, these initiatives directed over $1 billion to schools and food banks to procure fresh, locally produced foods, fostering a network of support among local farmers, educational institutions, and underserved communities. Their abrupt termination now threatens the stability of these interconnected systems, leaving farmers scrambling to fill the gaps left behind.
As I reflect on these losses, I can't help but connect them to the broader patterns of dismantling happening across our government. Today, I’ve been listening to Senator Cory Booker speak at length (his livestream is clocking at 23hours right now and still going) about the current administration’s systematic efforts to erode programs that benefit everyday Americans. At one point, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse spoke, using the terms 'looters' and 'polluters' to describe the forces actively working to strip away environmental protections, economic safeguards, and community-based initiatives like these farm-to-school programs. What we’re witnessing isn’t just an attack on isolated policies—it’s a deliberate shift away from a system that prioritizes shared well-being toward one that prioritizes profit and power for the few.
As Senator Whitehouse described, it’s the mindset of the 'looters and polluters'—those who win only by dismantling the systems that support the many. In contrast to the win-win-win-win-win nature of programs like LFS and LFPA, this is a model based on a single, narrow win: win for me and me alone. It sacrifices long-term communal health for short-term individual gain, disregarding the interconnected relationships that truly sustain our society and planet.
Impact on Farmers
The abrupt ending of these programs has left many farmers in precarious positions. Over the past weeks, I’ve been on calls and in conversations with farmers across the country who don’t know if their farm business can survive this devastating loss. Where I am, here in New York State, farms that relied on these programs now face an uncertain future with millions in NY food purchase funding for fiscal year 2025 in jeopardy. For example, Brady Farm, a six-acre nonprofit farm in Syracuse, had been benefiting from the New York Foods for New York Families program, which was funded through the USDA’s LFPA initiative. The farm supplied fresh produce to local food banks and schools, ensuring that communities had access to nutritious food while supporting small-scale agriculture. With the termination of these federal funds, Brady Farm now faces financial uncertainty, jeopardizing its ability to serve the community.
Across the state, New York’s local food networks are experiencing similar disruptions. The state currently receives approximately $2 billion in federal funding to support school meal programs, much of which has been directed toward sourcing from local farms. The loss of these programs threatens both the financial stability of small farms and the ability of institutions to provide fresh, local food to students and families in need. Without these partnerships, many farmers now face fewer sales outlets, forcing them to make difficult decisions about scaling back production or shifting to less community-focused markets.
A Call for Interdependence
These developments underscore a critical need to reevaluate our food systems and community networks. The terminated programs are an example of interdependence in our systems, fostering relationships that benefited farmers, schools, and regional economies. Their loss highlights the fragility of systems built on extraction and short-term gains.
At Crown Hill Farm, I think about interdependence every day. It’s present in how I grow food, mindful of the soil and the rhythms of nature. It’s in the way my sheep graze, nurturing the land as they feed. It’s in the farm-to-table dinners I host, where people come together to share a meal and build connections. It’s in the workshops I host and teach, fostering skills, self-sufficiency, and a deeper appreciation for where our food and fiber come from. Every event, every program is about strengthening these relationships—between people, between farmers and consumers, between food and the hands that grow it.
What if we built our world around this principle of interdependence instead of extraction? What if we structured our food systems, our communities, and our policies to nourish rather than deplete?
The work I do on the farm is my small way of contributing to that vision. And I know I’m not alone. There are countless farmers, educators, advocates, and citizens working every day to create a more connected, just, and sustainable world. It starts with how we think, how we choose to engage, and how we build relationships—both with each other and with the land.
And this is exactly why what Senator Booker and Senator Whitehouse were saying is so critical. The forces of extraction—whether they take the form of corporate control over food systems, environmental degradation, or political maneuvers that strip away programs like these—are betting that we remain disconnected. But the more we foster true interdependence, the harder it becomes for extraction-based systems to hold power. And that, I believe, is where real change begins.
So here’s my invitation to you: Consider how you might foster interdependence in your own life, in your community, and in your work. To me, leading with generosity is a key to fostering interdependence. Leading with generosity is not just a personal value—it’s a principle I hold deeply in my business. It calls for radical self-honesty about your motivations, and a willingness to explore the deep-rooted fears that have shaped how you relate to others and the world around you.
What would it look like to lead with generosity instead of from fear?
It’s not always easy work. But if we want to live in a world where the win-win-win-win-win model is not the exception, but the norm, we must each do our part. The path forward can be built not on extraction, but on interdependence—on choosing to see our futures as woven together, honoring the strength and gift that each human inherently is and acting accordingly.
“We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”