{"id":57720,"date":"2024-12-30T10:35:13","date_gmt":"2024-12-30T18:35:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/?p=57720"},"modified":"2026-09-15T00:59:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T07:59:20","slug":"year-in-review-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/blog\/year-in-review-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Revolution Network\u2019s 2024 Year in Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every December, when I prepare to write FRN\u2019s Year in Review, I look back at the previous year\u2019s entries for inspiration and perspective. And every year, it seems, I have begun my year-end review by commenting on how the past 12 months have been challenging for many people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2024 was, of course, no exception. I don\u2019t have to tell you about the serious problems we face. Climate chaos is already compromising global food production, leading to increased hunger, food insecurity, and political instability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Already, 343 million people in 74 countries are facing high levels of <\/span>acute food insecurity<\/span><\/a> \u2014 a 10% increase from last year. Two-thirds of that is due to a combination of climate and conflict.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2024, an <\/span>unprecedented<\/span><\/a> number of refugees, numbering in the tens of millions, fled war and hunger. Their migrations have, in turn, triggered political turmoil in North America, Europe, and many other parts of the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Through it all, big ag, big food, and big pharma have continued to make a killing, even while rates of chronic illness and the costs of treating it continue to rise. Medical care <\/span>now costs<\/span><\/a> nearly $5 trillion per year in the US alone. And <\/span>90%<\/span><\/a> of that money is spent on treating the symptoms of chronic diseases that are largely preventable with a healthier diet and lifestyle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In such times, it can be overwhelming to think about everything that is out of our control. And it can be tempting, in the face of so much that we can\u2019t control, to just throw up our hands and give up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So what can we do when so much is out of our control? We can focus on what is in our control: our actions.<\/span><\/p>\n

In my experience, apathy begets cynicism, while action begets hope.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This highlights for me how crucial and powerful our food is. What we put in our mouths is one lever we control, which can have a profound and ongoing impact. Every bite we take shapes the course of our future \u2014 and the future of our world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Need for a Food Revolution<\/h2>\n
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As chronic disease rates and healthcare spending continue to rise\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

As environmental deterioration continues to accelerate\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

As climate chaos continues to be a concern for agriculture and the future of our food\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

The need for a Food Revolution is more urgent than ever.<\/span><\/p>\n

The cost of chronic disease worldwide is estimated to reach $47 trillion by 2030. Up to 80% of these chronic conditions are <\/span>preventable<\/span><\/a> and can be modified by addressing four key factors: exercise, tobacco use, alcohol use, and, perhaps most significantly, nutrition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Imagine how many lives could be saved and how much human capacity, not to mention money, could be unleashed through healthier diet and lifestyle choices.<\/span><\/p>\n

At FRN, we\u2019re passionate about helping as many people as possible to make food choices that support their wellness. We seek to educate and empower actions and policies that move us toward healthy, ethical, and sustainable food for all.<\/span><\/p>\n

And in 2024 we definitely made progress toward that end.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lives Changed by the Food Revolution<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes progress can be measured in individual lives transformed for the better. Here at Food Revolution Network, we have a number of courses and other programs that are changing the way people live and eat.<\/span><\/p>\n

WHOLE Life Club member Moni B. from Houston, TX, USA, wrote about her experience:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWHOLE Life Club has become part of my family. The weekly Zoom meetings, the cooking demos, and the Coaching Q&As are so helpful in staying connected, as are the weekly emails of encouragement and direction. And the Member Center is amazing. Since becoming a WHOLE Life Club member, I have given myself permission to eat. Food is not the enemy. REAL food feeds the mind, body, and spirit.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

WHOLE Life Club member Shawner E. told us in a WLC Tea Party:<\/span><\/p>\n

“My mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney disease. They put her on the kidney transplant list and (since going plant-based) within eight months, her kidney levels have increased over 10 points. They totally removed her from the kidney transplant list. She’s lost almost 60 pounds and has gone from a size 20 down to a size 12, knocking on the door of a size 10. We’re so excited!”<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

And from our Plant-Based Coaching Certification (PBCC) program, Melinda Franceschini of Hatfield, MA, USA wrote:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter finishing the Plant-Based Coaching Certification, I feel ready to move toward being a voice for the whole foods plant-based movement. The quality and quantity of information was invaluable. As someone new to coaching, I especially appreciated learning about coaching from a range of wise, experienced, and heart-centered coaches. I also loved being in a community of like-minded people.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Inspiring words!<\/span><\/p>\n

Progress Toward a Healthier Future<\/h2>\n

FRN is part of a broader movement toward healthier and more plant-based food systems, and this year, progress has been made on many fronts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Victory for Nature: Genetically Engineered Salmon Production Ends and Court Restores Oversight on GMO Crops<\/h3>\n
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iStock.com\/brightstars<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In good news for fans of Mother Nature: AquaBounty, the world leader in introducing genetically engineered (GE) salmon into the marketplace, <\/span>announced<\/span><\/a> in December 2024 that it was shutting down its last production facility.<\/span><\/p>\n

A growing body of science has shown that GE salmon pose serious environmental and public health risks, including potentially irreversible damage to wild salmon populations. These populations are critical to the livelihoods, cultural heritage, and well-being of Indigenous and fishing communities. However, AquaBounty ignored these realities and pushed to sell these \u201cFrankenFish\u201d to the public.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Campaigns led by Indigenous peoples and environmental groups compelled the largest grocery retailers, food service companies, and major restaurants to commit to not selling genetically engineered salmon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Also, in December of 2024, in a <\/span>landmark decision<\/span><\/a>, a US federal court ruled that GE crops and organisms must undergo proper regulation, striking down a 2020 rule that removed oversight. The court found the USDA had acted unlawfully by exempting most GE crops from regulation, ignoring evidence of their environmental and agricultural risks. This victory, achieved through a lawsuit led by the Center for Food Safety and allied organizations, ensures that GE crops are now subject to stricter evaluation to protect farmers, biodiversity, and public health. The decision also highlights the critical role of oversight in addressing the proliferation of pesticide-resistant \u201csuperweeds\u201d and the harmful impacts of increased pesticide use driven by GE crop systems. Advocates celebrate this ruling as a win for food safety and environmental justice while calling for continued vigilance to uphold strong regulations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Increasing Popularity of Plant-Based Diets<\/h3>\n

Interest in plant-based diets continues to rise. According to Google Trends, a historical look at what people are searching for online, the phrase \u201c<\/span>plant-based diet<\/span><\/a>\u201d hit an all-time high in January 2024.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Searches tend to peak in January thanks to the efforts of the non-profit <\/span>Veganuary<\/span><\/a>, which encourages and empowers people to try completely plant-based diets for the first month of the year. According to their <\/span>6-months-later survey<\/span><\/a> of participants, over a quarter of people who went meat-free in January maintained a vegan diet. And more than 80% reported reducing their consumption of animal products by at least half.<\/span><\/p>\n

Food producers and marketers are taking notice; it\u2019s estimated that the <\/span>global plant-based food market<\/span><\/a> is \u201cset for substantial growth\u201d and will reach US$113 billion by 2031. While North America leads this market, it\u2019s also making significant inroads in Asia and Europe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, plant-based diets are getting excellent press as a strategy for improved health. The magazine U.S. News & World Report <\/span>ranked<\/span><\/a> the plant-forward <\/span>Mediterranean-style diet<\/span><\/a> as the best diet type overall in 2024, edging out the plant-forward DASH diet and the plant-forward MIND diet. So that\u2019s three plant-forward diets on the podium \u2014 a triple win!<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more: <\/span>How to Create Vegan Mediterranean Recipes for Well-Being and Longevity<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s getting easier to make budget-friendly plant-based food choices, too. Many plant-based meat and dairy analogs have now achieved <\/span>price parity<\/span><\/a> or are even cheaper than their animal-based equivalents.<\/span><\/p>\n

Plant-Powered Cities and Schools<\/h3>\n
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It\u2019s not just individuals and corporations who are advancing the plant-based movement. Municipalities around the world are getting in on the act. <\/span>The Plant-Based Cities<\/span><\/a> Movement started in Canada in response to a UN declaration of a \u201cCode Red for Humanity ” and <\/span>data<\/span><\/a> that climate change could cost Canadian cities $5.3 billion every year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

New York City also launched a <\/span>Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge<\/span><\/a> after an audit revealed that food was the third-biggest contributor to its carbon footprint. The goal is to lower the city\u2019s food-based emissions by one-third by 2030. To do that, the city is making fresh plant-based food more affordable and available, including in hospitals, schools, and other agencies that provide food for residents.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The city of West Hollywood, California, looked at New York, said, \u201cHold my smoothie,\u201d and began <\/span>requiring plant-based dishes<\/span><\/a> at all city events.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAcross the pond,\u201d <\/span>eight UK Councils<\/span><\/a> (local governments) have chosen to serve only plant-based food at their official events, both to cut costs and address the \u201cclimate emergency.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the biggest food programs is meals for schoolchildren. US schools serve meals to almost <\/span>30 million students<\/span><\/a> every day, and the impact of those meals is multiplied by the fact that what kids eat in school can influence their dietary habits for the rest of their lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s awesome that the USDA also recently introduced <\/span>substantial changes<\/span><\/a> to its school meal standards, <\/span>expanding access to plant-based meal options<\/span><\/a> for students nationwide.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

New Scientific Research on Plant-Based Diets<\/span><\/p>\n

New science about the health benefits of plant-based diets is emerging all the time. In 2024 alone, multiple studies supported plant-based eating for disease prevention and improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the University of Rochester Medical Center and Wilmot Cancer Institute, whole food, plant-based diets were found to improve health and biometrics in women with <\/span>stage 4 breast cancer<\/span><\/a>. This study was noteworthy because patients like these are rarely included in diet and lifestyle studies. The fact that women with advanced breast cancer not only lost excess weight and improved their lipid profiles but also reduced inflammation and IGF-1 (both implicated in cancer progression) gives hope that diet can improve the lives and prospects of those with cancers that are currently considered incurable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another study found that the more plants in the diets of <\/span>serious athletes<\/span><\/a>, the better their antioxidant status, which the researchers suggested could help them repair damage and improve both their health and athletic performance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An observational study published in the prestigious <\/span>British Medical Journal<\/span><\/i> found that those who ate plant-based or vegetarian diets were 40% less likely to <\/span>get COVID-19<\/span><\/a> than omnivores.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains might also help reduce the risk of <\/span>sleep apnea<\/span><\/a>. Researchers looked at the quality of a person\u2019s diet and were able to show that healthy plant-based diets helped a lot, while unhealthy plant-based diets didn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another 2024 study related to sleep found that eating a healthy plant-based diet could reduce the risk of <\/span>insomnia<\/span><\/a> by up to 53%.<\/span><\/p>\n

A major <\/span>\u201cumbrella\u201d analysis<\/span><\/a> of more than 20 years of research found that eating a vegan, vegetarian, or lacto-ovo vegetarian diet significantly reduces the overall risk of developing cancer or heart disease and also lowers your chances of dying early from cardiovascular disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, in a huge study <\/span>published<\/span><\/a> in December 2024 in <\/span>The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition<\/span><\/i>, researchers reported on following over 200,000 volunteers for an average of 30 years. They found that the more protein people get from plants compared to animal sources, the lower their risk of cardiovascular and coronary artery disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re Officially a B Corp<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve had big developments over here at FRN as well! I\u2019m thrilled to report that in 2024 FRN officially became a recognized <\/span>B Corp<\/span><\/a> organization. (<\/span>Here\u2019s proof<\/span><\/a> \u2014 I\u2019m sharing this like a new dad\u2019s baby photos.)<\/span><\/p>\n

What does that mean, though?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, B Corps (Benefit for All Corporations) are mission-driven companies that aim to improve the world. B Corp Certification is a third-party standards certification for businesses that are leading the way in changing our economic system to positively impact all stakeholders \u2014 including groups not always considered, such as workers, communities, customers, and our planet \u2014 in addition to financial shareholders.<\/span><\/p>\n

FRN also became a <\/span>social purpose corporation<\/span><\/a> (SPC) as part of this process.<\/span><\/p>\n

SPC is a business designation showing that FRN is structured as a for-profit organization actively pursuing and prioritizing social and environmental objectives.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m proud to announce that Food Revolution Network earned an overall score of 87.9 on the B Impact assessment. To put this in perspective (here\u2019s where my competitive nature comes into play without hurting anyone), businesses need an 80 to qualify for B Corp status, and the median score for businesses that complete the assessment is 50.9.<\/span><\/p>\n

We are incredibly proud of these recognitions and the work it has taken to get here.<\/span><\/p>\n

Introducing the Food Revolution Alliance<\/h2>\n

While B Corp status is fantastic, it doesn\u2019t reflect the full impact we aim to have on the world. We have also created the non-profit <\/span>Food Revolution Alliance<\/span><\/a> to pursue that impact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Like FRN, FRA\u2019s mission is healthy, ethical, and sustainable food for all. However, since FRN is a B Corp with a network of millions of members, it cannot accept tax-deductible donations. Enter FRA, a nonprofit focused on creating systemic change in food systems through education, public awareness, media production, policy advocacy, and coalition-building. FRA seeks to increase access to nutritious foods in low-income and traditionally marginalized communities, integrate food-as-medicine into healthcare, and promote plant-based eating and higher nutritional standards in schools.<\/span><\/p>\n

As of this writing, FRA is just getting started. While we apply for charitable status, the nonprofit YES! functions as a fiscal sponsor. Early donations can make a huge impact as we seed this endeavor. If you\u2019d like to donate to support FRA\u2019s work as we get rolling, <\/span>here\u2019s the link<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our 2024 Highlights<\/h2>\n

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It\u2019s bullet point time! Here\u2019s what we were up to in 2024:<\/span><\/p>\n