A food justice analysis of Oregon farm to school and school garden network

The U.S. food system operates under a capitalist model dominated by large, for-profit corporations, creating structural inequities that disproportionately harm communities of color and those with low socioeconomic status. Limited access to healthy food undermines health and perpetuates systemic disparities across generations. Farm-to-school (FTS) programs have emerged as a strategy to address these inequities by connecting local farmers with school cafeterias to provide fresh, nutritious food. This paper examines Oregon’s FTS efforts through the Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Network (OFSSGN), analyzing whether these initiatives advance food justice and evaluating the programs implemented to achieve their goals.