In exploring the story of food, you’ll encounter a rich lexicon relevant to food, farming, and sustainability. Terms in italics can be found elsewhere in the glossary.
A-C | D-F | G-M | N-R | S-ZNext »
DNA (deoxyribo- nucleic acid) | a compound of large molecules found inside the nucleus of a living cell containing genetic information | ||
Ecosystem | a community of plants and animals coexisting and interacting with their environment | ||
Edible education | school curricula and programs that promote experiential learning about food in the garden, kitchen, and classroom; see School garden | ||
Environment | the natural world, including living and nonliving things | ||
Extensive farming | a method of farming that uses low inputs of money, labor, and resources relative to the land area, as in sustainable farming; in contrast to Intensive farming | ||
Factory farming | the practice of raising large numbers of livestock in densely packed, confined spaces; see CAFO | ||
Fair trade | arrangements between agricultural producers and sellers based upon principles of fair exchange and respect for workers | ||
Fair Trade Certified | a label indicating that an agricultural product meets global fair trade standards set by FLO International and has been certified by FLO-CERT | ||
Farm Bill | the major agricultural and food policy tool of the US government; it is updated approximately every five years | ||
Farm to school |
| ||
Farmers market | a market, usually outdoors, where local farmers and artisanal food producers sell directly to customers | ||
Fast food | food that is prepared and cooked quickly, often using precooked ingredients, and served for fast consumption | ||
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) | the US government agency that regulates industries and labels for food, medicines, cosmetics, and other products | ||
Feedlot | an animal feeding operation used in factory farming; see CAFO | ||
Fertilizer | an organic or synthetic substance that adds nutrients to the soil to help plants grow | ||
Flexitarian | a person who eats mainly vegetarian food but makes occasional exceptions for cultural, practical, or nutritional reasons | ||
Food access | the ability of a person or group of people to obtain healthy food, depending on factors such as physical access, financial access, knowledge, or cultural attitudes | ||
Food chain | a web or series of relationships whereby one organism eats another and is in turn eaten by another; the expression “eating lower on the food chain” means eating fewer animals and more plants | ||
Food culture | shared values, traditions, and practices surrounding food; food culture expresses itself within society, community, organization, school, and family | ||
Food desert | an area of low food security, where residents have limited or no access to healthy foods and fresh produce, and are served mainly by fast food restaurants | ||
Food justice | an approach that advocates for fair distribution of food and that views food security as a basic human right | ||
Food literacy |
| ||
Food miles | the distance food travels to get from farm to fork; considered in assessing the carbon emissions and environmental impact of transporting food | ||
Food movement | a broad term describing individuals and groups who are taking initiative to ensure sustainable, fair, healthy, and delicious food for all | ||
Food policy | principles and guidelines related to production, distribution, and consumption of food | ||
Food politics | the political aspects of the production, regulation, and distribution of food | ||
Food security | availability and access to safe, nutritious food for sustaining an active and healthy life, without risk of hunger or starvation | ||
Food sovereignty | the right of people to define their own food system | ||
Food system | the interdependent ecologies, people, and processes that bring food to a community; this includes a cycle of producing, storing, processing, transporting, marketing, retailing, preparing, and eating food | ||
Foodshed | a defined area in which food is grown, processed, purchased, and eaten; a local foodshed is typically defined as food grown within a 150-mile radius | ||
Free-range |
|
A-C | D-F | G-M | N-R | S-ZNext »
Sources: CUESA, Merriam-Webster, Nourish Curriculum Guide, Presbyterian Hunger Program, Sustainable Table, The Nibble, Wikipedia