New National Food Policy Report Offers Real World Food Justice Model As Federal Cuts Hit Schools

National Food Policy Brief Meets the Ground in MO: A Call to Feed, Fund and Fix invites sponsors and schools to invest where national systems pull back.

FERGUSON, MO, UNITED STATES, April 8, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As more than $1 billion in federal education and nutrition funding disappears from schools nationwide, a new national policy brief offers bold, community-rooted solutions—and the woman behind it is already putting those solutions into practice.

Erica R. Williams, Executive Director of A Red Circle, co-authored “Food Pricing and Consumer Choice: Recommendations for Improving Affordability for Fresh Produce in Missouri,” published April 2, 2025, in the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development. The brief outlines actionable strategies to improve food access, fund small-scale farms, and stabilize prices—ranging from increased state subsidies and upfront grant funding to expanding programs like Double Up Food Bucks and implementing broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE).

“Access to fresh, healthy food is not a privilege—it’s a right,” said Williams in the journal. “When national systems fall short, local communities must lead.”

That leadership will be on display during the launch of A Red Circle’s Farmhouse: Food Justice & Education Hub, one of Missouri’s first Black-led agritourism and environmental education sites. A Red Circle's Farmhouse located on the edge of North St. Louis County, serves families throughout the region, including those displaced from Kinloch—Missouri’s first Black town, uprooted by radioactive waste and airport expansion in the 1980s.

Admission: Courtesy of a federal grant from the Missouri Department of Agriculture
RSVP required
A Red Circle's Urban Farmhouse Open House Tickets
Thursday, April 10, 2025 | 4:00–7:00 PM
North County Agricultural Education Center
4521 Hamilton Ave, St. Louis, MO 63120

A Red Circle's Farmhouse Open House at the North County Agricultural Center will feature:
- Farm-to-table demonstrations and tastings
- STEM-based gardening and nutrition education for families
- A sponsor opportunity to support A Red Circle’s 'Sponsor a Row,' connecting donors directly to youth-driven agriculture and education
“A Red Circle's Farmhouse brings the journal to life,” said Williams. “This is where policy becomes practice—where families can learn, grow, and advocate for the future they deserve.”

Real Programs, Real Policy in Motion:
Williams policy work is matched by real-time programs that reflect the brief’s most urgent recommendations:

- A Red Circle’s Good Food Fridays: Weekly fresh produce distribution with recipes and nutrition education—responding directly to food insecurity caused by federal SNAP and school meal rollbacks.
- A Red Circle’s People’s Harvest: A forthcoming Black-led grocery store and farmers market serving North County families and supporting local growers.
- A Red Circle’s Nexus: A comprehensive health, wellness, and workforce hub featuring a community grocery, commercial kitchen, cold storage, garden classroom, and co-working space for food entrepreneurs.
- A Red Circle’s Parent Cafés: A space for families to share their needs and insights, which directly inform A Red Circle’s advocacy and policy development.
- A Red Circle’s Education Advocacy Coalition: A platform for students and parents to influence local and state education policy.

A Quiet Challenge to Washington:
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), in March 2025, tweeted, “It’s time to help the people the government poisoned get healthy again.” He has since invited U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to visit environmental sites across Missouri.

“We challenge them to come to A Red Circle’s Farmhouse, strategically located on the border of North St. Louis County and the city of St. Louis, to provide full access to the underserved population,” said Williams. “This is what justice looks like. This is where investment belongs. But we know they’ll skip us. That’s why we need sponsors who won’t.”

Sponsorship Opportunities:
A Red Circle invites national sponsors to:
- Fund transportation for school groups and families
- Provide healthy meals, learning kits, and signage
- Support youth employment, internships, and classroom gardens
- Invest in North St. Louis County’s food sovereignty through A Red Circle’s Sponsor a Row

About Erica R. Williams:
Erica R. Williams is the founder and executive director of A Red Circle. A nationally published policy author, quoted in Fortune magazine, and racial equity strategist, she holds an M.B.A., is a Ph.D. candidate in public policy, and has helped secure over $3 million in regional investment to advance food access, education, and equity in North St. Louis County.

About A Red Circle:
A Red Circle is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in North St. Louis County, founded in 2017, as part of the Ferguson movement in the aftermath of the killing of Mike Brown, to address racial and economic disparities in historically underserved communities. With a mission centered on food access, education, community wellness, and the arts, A Red Circle develops sustainable, community-based solutions that strengthen families and restore legacy.

Ni'Cole Gipson
NGPR
+1 314-824-8311
nicole.gipson@rprdepartment.com
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Erica R. Williams on Advancing Food Justice Through "A Red Circle" Community-Based Solutions