Center for Policy Research

Policy Brief

Why Are Food System Workers Excluded from Local Food Policy Councils?

Frank Sarfo, Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern and Jonnell A Robinson

August 2025

Frank Sarfo

Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern

Jonnell A. Robinson

Geography & the Environment Department

Sociology Department

Center for Policy Research

United States

Frank Sarfo

Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern

Jonnell A. Robinson

One in seven workers in the United States is employed in food labor jobs, yet these jobs are among the lowest paid and least regulated in the country. Food Policy Councils (FPCs) have emerged to expand the benefits of food systems, but few FPCs have prioritized food system labor concerns. This brief summarizes findings from a study that examined the challenges and barriers that have limited FPCs’ engagement with labor issues. The authors find that internal tensions, limited capacity, and weak ties to labor groups hinder FPC engagement in food labor advocacy.

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