Social value in our food system refers to the notion that there is a social context in which our food system operates, and from our foods’ origination to its consumption, the worth of this food can be measured I how each part of the food process relates to our human society.

Our food system includes all processes involved in keeping us fed: growing, harvesting, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, consuming and disposing of food. Social values in this food system really means the usefulness or standards that we humans place at each point in the process; actually, our social values could actually determine what that food process actually looks like as influenced by what type of interaction human beings want to have at each point in the process.  As the awareness of this process grows, so that from farm to table, each step is evaluated by the impact that the process has on relationships between individuals, and how those individuals relate to the community around them, a change in the food system will occur.  The value of buying locally may mean keeping a neighbor in the business of growing foods; if that neighbor has a loan at the local credit union, the local credit union is able to employ its loan officer, who is usually another neighbor!

Having nutritious food is a health-related value.  Affordable food is an economic value.  Wanting everyone to have access to nutritious, affordable foods is a social value; one that each of us, coming together collectively, has the power to influence at each step of the process.