M. Jahi Johnson-Chappell

M. Jahi Johnson-Chappell is a Professor and W.K. Kellogg Endowed Chair at Michigan State University's Center for Regional Food Systems. He has held leadership roles in academia, nonprofits, and grassroots movements, including Executive Director of SAAFON (2020-2022) and Senior Scientist at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. His career bridges agroecology, social justice, and food system policy across international and local scales.

• B.S. in Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan
• Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan

His research focuses on participatory approaches to food system transformation, emphasizing racial equity, ecological sustainability, and sociopolitical agency. He has advised on USDA programs, analyzed structural racism in U.S. agriculture, and advocated for farmer-led solutions globally.

Key trends in his recent publications include critiques of agricultural policy, frameworks for regional food systems, and analyses of structural inequities in food production. His 2025 work on USDA program closures highlights disruptions in Midwest farmer support networks.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Gerald L. Young Book Award (2018) for Beginning to End Hunger

He mentors through roles in the Agroecology Fund and as Vice Chair of Thousand Currents, a grassroots foundation. His leadership in the Great Lakes Midwest Regional Food Business Center and Open Source Seed Initiative underscores his commitment to equitable, resilient food systems.