WOMEN, FOOD AND AGRICULTURE NETWORK

WFAN's goal is to empower women to build a world in which food systems and communities are healthy, just, sustainable, and promote environmental integrity.

We achieve our goals by having our values guide all that we do, including:

Ecological Relationship with the Land
-WFAN values human and non-human species diversity, habitat restoration, and ecosystem-centric approaches to land use.
-WFAN believes in the core restorative and agricultural principles of soil building, natural habitat revival, and holistic land stewardship approaches grounded in respect for natural systems and cycles.
Interconnectedness
-WFAN values the interconnection of ecological justice and gender equity and believes that we cannot address one without addressing the other.
-WFAN values relationship building over transactional partnerships.

Storytelling
-WFAN values the power of story as a means of connection, communication and knowledge sharing.
-WFAN values diverse ways of learning and information exchange which are critical to shifting the dominant narratives in food and agriculture systems.

Ecofeminism
-WFAN values an ecofeminist approach to inclusive community (plant, animal, human, soil, water, air) regeneration which grows from a space beyond gender-normed definitions.
-WFAN values a relationship with ecological systems that is rooted in reciprocity and compassion.

Justice
-WFAN values an anti-racist approach to food and agriculture systems from the ground up, including food and land reparations.
-WFAN supports policies that are drafted and implemented by, for and with Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color (BIPOC) communities.
-WFAN believes that a relationship with healthy food and clean water is a right, not a privilege.
-WFAN believes equity is requisite to creating a respectful, responsive, and inclusive approach to food systems.
-WFAN values ensuring animal welfare as an intrinsic part of a just and healthy food system.

We will provide networking, education, and leadership development opportunities to women engaged in healthy food and farming. Some examples include a resource-rich website, periodic publications, and local, regional and national meetings for women on topics including farming, land management, and leadership development.

Our staff and board are composed of women with a great deal of passion for and experience in developing healthy localized food systems, and working toward gender equity for women. We work with our funding partners to provide programming to achieve our goals.

We have built the network from fewer than 300 members, allies and co-conspirators in 1997 to more than 9,000 in 2022. We have increased our budget from $30,000 in 2008 to $487,061 in 2022. We have increased from one to four staff members. We have attracted investments for program funding from a variety of foundations, as well as state and federal agencies. Evaluations of our programs from our constituents continue to be positive, and we have been able to respond to emerging concerns and areas of interest.

Perhaps most importantly, we have codified our values, clarified our vision, and strengthened our resolve to our mission, moving forward as a progressive, inclusively feminist, anti-racist organization committed to building just and ecological food and agricultural systems.