Workers in the US food supply chain perform some of the most essential work in our country: producing and processing the food on our tables.

The people keeping farms, food and meat processing facilities, restaurants, grocery stores, and delivery and trucking running are a lifeline for us all. Despite the importance of this work, conditions in these industries are marred by low pay, dangerous conditions, and other job quality challenges, including a lack of paid time off and restrictions on the right to organize. Despite working around food all day, workers in our food supply chain, who are disproportionately immigrants, people of color, and women, often struggle with hunger and food security. But there is momentum for change.

Some states are enacting new policies to support farmworkers, and workers across the food supply chain are organizing to demand better working conditions. New business models that promote higher job quality in the food sector are becoming more common. Consumers and actors throughout the food supply chain are increasingly engaged in promoting a more fair and just food system.

In this three-part limited series, hosted in partnership by the Aspen Institute’s Food & Society Program and the Economic Opportunities Program, we explore the challenges food workers face and opportunities to create a sustainable food system where workers, businesses, and consumers can grow together.