The Reality Behind Our Foods: Strawberries
“Unjust labor conditions for immigrants in the US and Destruction of livelihoods in Gaza”
We don’t always think about how the food we eat gets to us. We may not think about where it came from, the environment it grew in, or all the hands it passed from, before getting to our plates. If we did, we might lose our appetites.
The foods we eat are largely produced in ways that exploit people and the environment. Complex and consolidated supply chains have removed us from our sources of food. We’re often left unaware of the negative practices during the production and distribution of food. This distance keeps us complicit — and the lack of transparency in the food industry keeps us uninformed. We are disconnected.
Solving the injustices embedded in our food system requires massive change. The transformation begins when we understand the system and its issues. Given how expansive food systems are, we’ll illustrate these problems by examining one crop at a time. Finally, we will spotlight connections to Islamic principles and the Muslim community.
Welcome to “The Reality Behind Our Foods” a series of articles dedicated to exploring environmental and social issues tied to the foods we eat. Join us as we examine various crops to highlight these challenges and potential solutions. We cannot solve these injustices instantly or alone, but we know — as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) teaches — the least we can do is be informed and know something is wrong in our hearts, before speaking or acting on it:
“Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.” (Sahih Muslim)
Strawberries
If you’re in New England, you may have just enjoyed the beloved seasonal activity of strawberry-picking. I have a love-hate relationship with ‘pick-your-own’ as an activity.
On one-hand, I appreciate that it connects people to where and how their food grows; provides diversified income for farmers; and, simply, offers a fun — and delicious — activity for the whole family. Now here comes the downer.
When I go fruit-picking, I’m preoccupied with the harsh reality farmworkers face, as they are barely paid to pick the same produce under grueling conditions. They labor under intense heat and hot sun, exposed to agrichemicals, without breaks, shade, or access to drinkable water. Given these harsh conditions, US citizens rarely take agricultural jobs and the sector depends on immigrant labor. The vast majority — about 70% — of US farmworkers are immigrants (Moriarty, 2022, FWD.us: “Immigrant Farmworkers and America’s Food Production”) — a minority of which are citizens. Many enter on temporary work visas or are undocumented. This vulnerability pulls them into farm labor and keeps them from advocating for better working conditions.
It’s difficult to get past the irony of us paying about twice the market-rate — say $8 — to pick our own quart of strawberries when a farmworker would get paid about $0.27 to fill the same container. We take our sweet time, snap cute photos, and make a whole day out of it. Meanwhile, farmworkers paid per container, rush to pick quickly in an attempt to fill enough flats per hour to only potentially earn a wage that still won’t cover even the most basic living expenses (Bacon, 2024, CivilEats: “Strawberry Farmworkers Fight for a Living Wage”). It’s great to support local — often small — farms by buying into the experience. However, I caution us not to romanticize farmwork. It’s hard labor, made even harder for the immigrant workforce on which our food systems depend.
This year’s strawberry picking experience was particularly unsettling. One look at the fields brought me to Gaza, where the strawberry industry thrived, employing thousands of people and supporting so many livelihoods. Gazans call strawberries “red gold”. But Israel has always made work difficult for Palestinians. For strawberry farmers, the Israeli occupation’s economic blockages disrupt imports of necessary supplies. Now, Israel’s most recent and fervent attacks have decimated Gaza strawberry fields — along with over half of Gaza’s croplands (Hussein and Haddad, 2024, Al Jazeera: “How Israel destroyed Gaza’s ability to feed itself”) Israel is starving Gaza, and depriving Palestinians of enjoying the fruits of our land.
Chances are you weren’t getting your strawberries from Gaza. But what can we do about the strawberries we do eat?
Returning to the point about the lack of transparency in our food systems — in general, the closer you can get to the source of the food you eat, the better. Purchasing organic foods when you can means you contribute to reducing environmental pollution, minimize farmworkers’ exposure to harmful fertilizers and pesticides, and decrease the risk of you eating these toxins yourself. All of this is far easier said than done.
Massive reform is needed to protect farmworkers and improve their livelihoods. Support farmworker rights campaigns and efforts by following groups like the HEAL Food Alliance, Fair Food Program, United Farm Workers, and the Food Chain Workers Alliance.
Try to eat strawberries in season, when you can get them from more local sources — such as farmers’ markets, farm stands, or grocers that supply local produce. Hey, this could even mean you visit a local farm and opt for picking-your-own.
As for supporting Gaza, keep talking about the genocide and boycotting Israeli products and services that support the occupation. Moreover, you can support The Arab Group for the Protection of Nature (APN’s) project “Revive Gaza’s Farmland,” which seeks to rehabilitate Gaza’s farms and restore the local food systems to fix destroyed lands and feed people. You can learn more and donate to their project at https://apnature.org/en/gaza
Disclaimer:
Views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views, policy or position of the organization.
