Lessons from NYC: Day 1

Every-other-day journal entries chronicling my reflections & recollections from my class at Barnard College, which examines the food system of NYC and the broader region through a sustainable farming, policy-forward lens.

07.22.2026

Today, as the first day of class, lectures focused on defining the key players in America's food system. In three teams, we participated in an activity where each group was presented a set of questions from the perspective of a different supplier of the apple product, as pertaining to their own motivations, goals, desires, etc. While my group was a local, organic farmer; other teams played from the perspective of larger coorperations differing in scale.

"I found the simulation activity where selected groups were asked to pose as different corporations involved in the food system interesting because it presented situations which forced the class to think about consequences beyond the traditional "big-picture" approach. Through the lens of individual actors in the larger defined American food system, I was able to understand how individual values, goals, morals, and incentives may work as the primary drivers in decision making.

Residing within a capitalistic system, it poses the question of what is the extent to which community good can outweigh the financial incentives and bottom-line demands? While I acted as a local farm in the activity, I've also considered how economic incentive can influence larger companies. With investors on Wall Street, the pressure for companies to monetize systems solely for profit is undeniably aggressive. I'm excited to explore how reformed policy frameworks can alleviate market stress and shift from maximizing shareholder value to prioritizing the consumers consuming the food!

It was especially intriguing to compare how these desires may play out in different scenarios, taking into account international perspectives, too. For instance, my family often tells me of a paradox regarding food safety in India. Despite the romanticization (and undeniable positive impacts) of community gardens in the West, large, highly-centralized systems are the safest option in other regions, in part due to regional corruption.

Looking forward, I am eager to interview actors involved in the NYC food system to explore said "drivers" and how policy [could] betters their pursuits towards their goals."

That said, expect some interview-forward pieces soon with the insightful people at the forefront of agroecological systems who I hope to meet whilst in the city for the summer.