About this Course

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A food system encompasses the activities, people and resources involved in getting food from field to plate. Along the way, it intersects with aspects of public health, equity and the environment. In this course, we will provide a brief introduction to the U.S. food system and how food production practices and what we choose to eat impacts the world in which we live. We will discuss some key historical and political factors that have helped shape the current food system and consider alternative approaches from farm to fork. The course will be led by a team of faculty and staff from the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future. Guest lecturers will include experts from a variety of disciplines, including public health, policy and agriculture.

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Beginner Level

Approx. 24 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 24 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.77/5 (24 Ratings)

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(1,127 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

4 hours to complete

Is Climate Change Vindicating Malthus? Food Security and the Right to Food

Welcome to our short course on the U.S. food system. In this first series of lectures, we dig into the very important concepts of food systems, food security and intergenerational equity and begin to explore what we eat, how that food is produced, and how our dietary choices impact our health and the health of the planet. This broad overview lecture lays the foundation for the rest of the course.

4 hours to complete

14 videos (Total 110 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz

14 videos

Welcome from Course Faculty6mThe Vicious Spiral and Center for Livable Future (CLF) Concept Model, Part 17mThe Vicious Spiral and Center for Livable Future (CLF) Concept Model, Part 26mThe Vicious Spiral and Center for Livable Future (CLF) Concept Model, Part 315mThe Vicious Spiral and Center for Livable Future (CLF) Concept Model, Part 45mFood Production, the Ecosystem, Diet, and Public Health, Part 1 (Lawrence)8mFood Production, the Ecosystem, Diet, and Public Health, Part 2 (Lawrence)4mFood Production, the Ecosystem, Diet, and Public Health, Part 3 (Lawrence)7mFood Production, the Ecosystem, Diet, and Public Health, Part 4 (Lawrence)9mFood Production, the Ecosystem, Diet, and Public Health, Part 5 (Lawrence)5mIntergenerational Equity and the Right to Food: Part 1 (Lawrence)8mIntergenerational Equity and the Right to Food: Part 2 (Lawrence)10mIntergenerational Equity and the Right to Food: Part 3 (Lawrence)5mIntergenerational Equity and the Right to Food: Part 4 (Lawrence)8m

4 readings

Course Syllabus10mOptional Textbook, "Intro to US Food System: Health, Environment and Equity"5mPre-Course Survey10mWeek 1 Readings and Resources30m

1 practice exercise

Week 1 Quiz (required)30m

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Food System Sustainability and Resilience

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 81 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Ecological Perspectives on Food Production

3 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 79 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Food Animal Production and Public Health

We will now examine the livestock and seafood industries, which we have touched on in previous modules as a key driver of the global food system. As incomes rise around the world, so too does the global collective appetite for meat. Some of our greatest challenges and debates of the 21st century are rooted in the rising demand for animal protein in an era of dwindling resources and climate change. NOTE: This lecture refers to other lectures offered in this or related full for-credit courses at the Bloomberg School of Public Health.

3 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 99 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

7 videos

An Introduction to Industrial Food Animal Production9mWhat Are We Feeding Food Animals?17mAntibiotic Use in Industrial Food Animal Production22mInternational Food Animal Production4mHow Much Seafood Do People Eat, and Which Do We Eat Most?12mHow and Where Is Seafood Caught and Produced?6mHow Does Seafood Production Impact the Environment and Public Health?25m

1 reading

Module 4 Readings and Resources15m

1 practice exercise

Week 4 Quiz (required)30m

Week5

Week 5

3 hours to complete

Food and Farm Policy Perspectives

In the next set of lectures, we begin to explore food and farm policy, a huge and complex topic. Roni Neff returns with an overview of the history and content of the current farm bill and why it really should be called a ‘food bill’, considering the magnitude of its impact on public health. Then Mark Winne will share his experiences as an advocate for community food security and regional food systems here in the U.S. For those of you interested in the international perspective of food policy, we have provided in the readings list a link to a terrific talk by Olivier deSchutter, the former UN special rapporteur on the Right to Food.

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 149 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week6

Week 6

9 hours to complete

Improving Food Systems: Stories from the Field

In this final module of the course you will hear from real people working to build a healthier, more sustainable food system. First, Michael Heller of Clagett Farm in Maryland will share his farming philosophy and how he links his farm to the local community near Washington DC. Then you’ll hear about Meatless Monday as an example of using health communication campaigns to change the food system from the demand-side. The optional Honors lesson includes two short films produced by CLF showcasing projects and people around the U.S. that are improving the food system from field to plate.

9 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 142 min), 5 readings, 2 quizzes

8 videos

Introduction20mCriteria7mLocal Food Systems10mAdvocacy for Better Health and a Smaller Footprint: The Meatless Monday Campaign22mCommunity Food Systems, Business, and the Green Economy19mFunctions of a Food Policy Council13mWhy the Food Movement is Spreading38mFood as Part of a New, Broader Concept of Health9m

5 readings

Week 6 Readings and Resources (**includes a Required Reading)1hOptional Video: Meatless Monday -- a simple idea sparks a global healthy food movement: Peggy Neu at TEDxManhattan (YouTube)20mPost Course Survey10mVIDEO: Out To Pasture: The Future of Farming40mVIDEO: Food Frontiers40m

1 practice exercise

Week 6 Quiz (required)30m

Reviews

4.7

33 reviews

5 stars
77.77%
4 stars
18.95%
3 stars
2.61%
1 star
0.65%

TOP REVIEWS FROM AN INTRODUCTION TO THE U.S. FOOD SYSTEM: PERSPECTIVES FROM PUBLIC HEALTH

by RDApr 28, 2018

Loved it! I recommend it to anyone new to public health, horticulture, agriculture, farming, agroecology and the like. I wish I took this course sooner. A+

by GRApr 10, 2018

life changing subject matter - excellently presented. highly recommended

by KKDec 16, 2021

This course I took has enlightened me so much as someone who has a bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Food Science from the University of Ghana and has plans for a career in the food industry.

by RBNov 20, 2017

A great foundation for thinking about food systems.

View all reviews

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An Introduction to the U.S. Food System: Perspectives from Public Health