Food Justice and Neoliberalism

 When the term "Neoliberalism" first appeared in the essay and is defined by Alkon, I viewed it as a fairly simple concept that seemed like a good solution to the issues that plague food justice.  However, as I read the essay, the concept of Neoliberalism became more complicated than I expected, and I became confused on whether it was the right answer to the issues of the food industry.  Shifting control of the food industry (farms, grocery stores, restaurants, etc.) away from state intervention and into the hands of the people may sound like a potential solution.  That is, however, until you realize that "the people" does not refer to a group where everyone has the same resources and advantages.  A select few have the ability to dominate and exploit, creating a seemingly endless list of new problems that must be dealt with.  So, what exactly is the answer?  In her essay, Alkon discusses the various strategies and organizations already working to alleviate the economic, environmental, racial, and social injustices that we see in the food industry, one of which I found particularly interesting.  

  Alkon discusses the idea of worker cooperatives where "workers own, work in, manage, and share in the profits of the enterprise."  I found this method of combating Neoliberalism very intriguing as it not only promotes a tighter sense of community between producers and consumers, but also makes sure that the worker-owners are only benefitting financially if they contribute directly through labor.  This method also provides opportunities for low-income communities to have easier access to unprocessed, organic food while creating job opportunities for members of the community.  The idea of worker cooperatives is also heavily related to last week's discussion topic, "radical empathy."  By using the worker cooperative method, owners and laborers are not nearly as disassociated with each other when compared to large food corporations.  Owners and laborers work very close together and are most likely assigned with very similar tasks, creating a very strong sense of empathy between members of the cooperative and their unique experiences and ideas.