Food Systems Integrity consults at the interface of science and policy for social justice, ecological integrity and community-serving food systems.  Its principal, Dr. Molly D. Anderson, has conducted research, managed projects and evaluated programs for several domestic and international organizations.  Recent clients include the Boston Collaborative on Food & Fitness as a Strategic Advisor and Food System Consultant, for whom Molly mapped and surveyed corner stores in low-income neighborhoods of Boston with youth teams, facilitated meetings, and assisted in developing the strategic plan.  Previously, Molly managed the Charting Growth project at Winrock International's Wallace Center, developing indicators of sustainable food systems.  She also worked as Research Coordinator with the Farm & Food Policy Project, a national convening of more than 300 non-governmental organizations to identify and support policies for the 2008 Farm Bill that enhance economic opportunities for farms, ranches, and rural communities; reward environmental stewardship; promote new markets and rural entrepreneurship; and end hunger and increase access to healthy food.  Molly was a Coordinating Lead Author on the North America/Europe section of the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science & Technology for Development (IAASTD), an international project bringing together scientists from universities, public agencies, and non-governmental organizations to evaluate and make recommendations on the application of agricultural science and technology. 

Between 2002 and 2005, Molly was employed by Oxfam America as Senior Program Officer and then Interim Director of the US Regional Office, supporting programs and policy that help poor rural communities in the United States. Prior to Oxfam America, Molly worked at Tufts University for 14 years as a professor, administrator, partnership builder, and researcher. She directed the Tufts Institute of the Environment (TIE), coordinating environmental education and research across all departments of Tufts University. She co-founded and for five years directed the Agriculture, Food and Environment Graduate Degree Program in the School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts. She was a Faculty Fellow in the University College of Citizenship & Public Service, and served on the Steering Committee of the Mystic Watershed Collaborative, a partnership between Tufts University and the local community-based watershed organization.  She was awarded a national Food & Society Policy Fellowship in 2002-2004, and is currently a Senior Fellow at the Wallace Center.

Molly is Vice-President of the Governing Board of the Community Food Security Coalition and served as President of the Board from 2008-2009, during which CFSC finalized its Strategic Plan for 2009-2014.  She also serves on the Advisory Boards of the Henry A. Wallace Chair in Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, the Toward Tomorrow Project at the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, and the One Tray Coalition (advising on research strategies for farm to school and school gardens). She is on the Editorial Boards of Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems and the Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition.

Molly's primary professional interests are sustainability and resilience in food systems and how these can be promoted through behavioral changes, measurement of progress toward sustainability, human rights in food systems, and effective multi-stakeholder partnerships. 

Education

Ph.D. in Ecology, University of North Carolina
M.S. in Range Science, Colorado State University
B.S. in Range Ecology, Colorado State University

Recent Presentations

How do we know if the food system is sustainable?  Invited presentation for the Food System Stakeholders Group, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, December 2009.

Answering to the poor:  Right to food and
sustainable models of agriculture.  Panel presentation for Interactive Thematic Dialog on the Global Food Crisis and Right to Food.  UN General Assembly, New York, April 2009.

Outlook 2028:  Critical Factors in the Next 20 Years - Adaptability.  Plenary panel, Agri-food Outlook Conference, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs.  Toronto, ON. November 2008.

Defining sustainable food systems through indicators and standards.  Invited presentation, Toronto Food Policy Council, November 2008.

Food systems and climate change. Plenary panel, Community Food Security Coalition Conference, Cherry Hill, NJ. 8 October 2008.

The future of food:  Contributions of the IAASTD. Commission on Sustainable Development Learning Event, New York, NY. 11 May 2008.

Indicators and standards for more green and equitable food systems.  Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funders Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.  28 June 2008.

The state of the art of food system sustainability metrics.  Agriculture, Food & Human Values Society Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.  7 June 2008.

Improving food security and nutrition in Massachusetts. Social Innovators Forum, Boston, MA.  3 April 2008.

Challenging assumptions about food safety.  FoodMed Conference, Boston, MA. 28 June 2007.

Changes in the food system:  Global to state and local.  Keynote presentation, Montana Governor's Summit, Helena, MT. 22 March 2007.

Recent Publications

Anderson, Molly D. 2010.  Women, hunger and food sovereignty.  Forthcoming in Resurgence Magazine.

Anderson, Molly D. 2009.  A Question of Governance:  To Protect Agribusiness Profits or the Right to Food.  Prepared for Agribusiness Action Initiatives and presented at the NGO/CSO Parallel Forum to the World Food Summit,  November 2009.

Anderson, Molly D. 2008. Rights-based food systems and the goals of food system reform.  Agriculture & Human Values 25: 593-608.

Anderson, Molly D. 2008.  Sustainable agriculture and rural development in the United States:  Progress and priorities.  Supplement to Non-governmental Organization Major Group Paper for the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)-16, 5-16 May 2008.

Francis X Mangan; Raquel U de Mendonça; Maria Moreira; Samanta del Vecchio Nunes; Fernando L Finger; Zoraia de Jesus Barros; Hilton Galvão; Gustavo C Almeida; Rachel AN Silva; Molly D Anderson. 2008. Production and marketing of vegetables for the ethnic markets in the United States. Horticultura Brasileira 26(1).

Anderson, Molly D., Les Firbank, Sergey Alexanian and Dorota Metera. 2008. Setting the stage. Chapter 1 of the North America/Europe Regional Assessment of the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development. Washington, DC: World Bank. 

Anderson, Molly D. 2007. The Case for Local and Regional Food Marketing. Issue Brief for Farm & Food Policy Project. http://www.farmandfoodproject.org

Anderson, Molly D. (Ed.) 2007. Making Healthy Food More Accessible for Low-Income People. Report for Farm & Food Policy Project. http://www.farmandfoodproject.org 

Starmer, E. and M.D. Anderson. 2007. Agribusinesses consolidate power. Vital Signs 2007-2008. Washington, DC:  Worldwatch Institute.

Anderson, Molly D. 2004. Grace at the table. Earthlight 14(1): 10-13.

Anderson, M.D. 2000. The politics of the plate. Conservation Matters VII (2): 8-11.

Anderson, Molly D. and John Cook. 2000. Does food security require local food systems? Pp. 228-248 In: Jonathan M. Harris (ed.) Rethinking Sustainability: Power, Knowledge and Institutions. Ann Arbor:  University of Michigan Press.

Ross, Nancy J., Molly D. Anderson, Jeanne P. Goldberg and Beatrice Lorge Rogers. 2000. Increasing purchases of locally grown produce through worksite sales: An ecological model. Journal of the Society for Nutrition Education 32(6): 304-313.

Anderson, Molly D. and John T. Cook. 1999. Community food security: Practice in need of theory? Agriculture & Human Values 16(2): 141-150.

Anderson, Molly D., Craig S. Hollingsworth, Vicki Van Zee, William M. Coli and Marla Rhodes. 1996. Consumer response to integrated pest management and certification. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 60(2-3): 97-106