WASHINGTON, D.C. (FPC) — On October 28th, 2025, Food Tank held its first-ever Food and Agriculture Policy Summit at the George Washington University Global Food Institute in collaboration with Chef José Andrés and the Culinary Institute of America. The event offered a series of panel discussions that showcased the state of food policy around the United States and discussed ongoing nutritional research. Those in attendance included congressmen, scientists, chefs, farmers, educators, and social workers, as well as other policy influencers who determine how and what we eat. The first few panelists emphasized the idea that the goal of the Summit was to shift efforts away from smaller, short-term solutions such as pantries and soup kitchens, and make it clear that governmental policy-making was the only actionable, reliable, and scalable solution to food insecurity.

Topics ranged from climate justice to food insecurity, from “ethical” philanthropy to alternative proteins, and even included stories about food-related ancestral trauma. Overall, these conversations addressed many of the most popular themes in current food policy discourse.

The majority of panelists were leaders in their respective fields, which meant that the Summit took a top-down approach to the problem, featuring the voices of policy makers and researchers rather than listening to those whom policy affects (e.g., farmers, K-12 public school teachers, SNAP recipients, etc.).

As a result, much of the dialogue was difficult for those not involved in the world of food policy to understand. But, having said that, the panelists clearly intended to inspire positive, evidence-backed political action.

Below is a detailed recap of what I believe were the most important conversations—both addressed and missing—from the first Food and Agriculture Policy Summit.