The Sustainable Food Alliance is a left-of-center organization that advocates for “sustainable agriculture” as well as transitioning towards using “sustainable food and farming systems.” ¹ The group works alongside the Sustainable Food Trust, a UK-based charity group founded in 2011 by environmental advocate Patrick Holden, CBE. ^{2 3} The Alliance has received funding from left-of-center organizations including the Prince of Wales Foundation, Women Forward International, the Tides Foundation, and the California Endowment. ^{4 5}

Activities

According to its website, the Sustainable Food Alliance promotes “sustainable agriculture” as well as transitioning towards using “sustainable food and farming systems” through fundraising and providing grants to similar organizations advocating for “sustainable food and agriculture.” ¹ The group has also collaborated through developing partnerships with like-minded groups, supporting food and agricultural policy change “backed by good science,” and increasing communication towards using public opinion to promote said policy change. ¹

On its website, the group lists a series of projects it oversees and manages. These includes activities in promoting “Harmony, A New Way of Looking at Our World,” a novel written by King Charles III on climate and public health challenges; ⁶ supporting the development of a “Sustainability Metrics Report” to help measure food system sustainability; ⁷ supporting the Sustainable Food Trust’s work in organizing symposiums that promote changing methods of grazing livestock; ⁸ supporting conferences in London and Kentucky discussing how to use “True Cost Accounting” in transitioning to sustainable food systems; ⁹ an annual “MAD Symposium” of chefs to discuss topics of food quality and health in regard to sustainability; ¹⁰ supporting research initiatives on how certain agriculture chemicals impact human health; ¹¹ and providing support to the Sustainable Food Trust through “general support grants.” ¹²

Funding

Sustainable Food Alliance has received grants from left-of-center organizations and grantmaking foundations including the Tides Foundation, the Gordon E. and Betty I. Moore Foundation, the Kattom Foundation, the California Endowment, the Seattle Foundation, the National Philanthropic Trust, Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Prince of Wales Foundation, Tomkat Charitable Trust, and the Atlantic Foundation. ^{4 5}

Leadership

Owsley Brown III is the president of the Sustainable Food Alliance. He is also listed as a shareholder in his family’s spirits and wine company Brown-Forman, a documentary filmmaker, and has been involved with several firms including Night Waltz as well as Music Makes a City and River City Drumbeat. He sits on the boards for the University of Virginia’s Center for Contemplative Sciences, the Center for Interfaith Relations, the Roxie Theater, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, the Mind and Life Institute and the Tsoknyi Humanitarian Fund. ¹³

Patrick Holden, CBE is the executive director of Sustainable Food Alliance, as well as the founder and CEO of Sustainable Food Trust. He is also the founding chairman of British Organic Farmers, and is a Patron of the UK Biodynamic Association. In 2005, he was awarded the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for “services to organic farming” in 2005. ¹⁴

1. “About us.” Sustainable Food Alliance. Accessed January 09, 2026. https://www.sustainablefoodalliance.org/about-us/.
2. “About Us.” Sustainable Food Trust, accessed January 22, 2026. https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/about-us/
3. “Projects.” Sustainable Food Alliance. Accessed January 12, 2026. https://www.sustainablefoodalliance.org/projects/.
4. “Filings Text Search: ‘Sustainable Food Alliance’ Page 1.” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, accessed January 12, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?form%5B%5D=IRS990PF&form%5B%5D=IRS990ScheduleI&q=%22sustainable+food+alliance%22&sort=best&submit=Apply
5. “Filings Text Search: ‘Sustainable Food Alliance’ Page 2.” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, accessed January 12, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?form%5B%5D=IRS990PF&form%5B%5D=IRS990ScheduleI&page=2&q=%22sustainable+food+alliance%22&sort=best&submit=Apply
6. “Harmony and Education.” Sustainable Food Alliance, accessed January 22, 2026. https://www.sustainablefoodalliance.org/projects/principles-of-harmony-health-and-education/
7. “Sustainability Metrics.” Sustainable Food Alliance, accessed January 22, 2026. https://www.sustainablefoodalliance.org/projects/sustainability-metrics/
8. “The Role of Livestock.” Sustainable Food Alliance, accessed January 22, 2026. https://www.sustainablefoodalliance.org/projects/the-role-of-livestock/
9. “True Cost Accounting.” Sustainable Food Alliance, accessed January 22, 2026. https://www.sustainablefoodalliance.org/projects/a-single-project/
10. “MAD Symposium.” Sustainable Food Alliance, accessed January 22, 2026. https://www.sustainablefoodalliance.org/projects/mad-symposium/
11. “Research.” Sustainable Food Alliance, accessed January 22, 2026. https://www.sustainablefoodalliance.org/projects/research/
12. “General support to the SFT.” Sustainable Food Alliance, accessed January 22, 2026. https://www.sustainablefoodalliance.org/projects/general-support-to-the-sustainable-food-trust/
13. “Owsley Brown III, President.” Sustainable Food Alliance, accessed January 22, 2026. https://www.sustainablefoodalliance.org/team/owls-brown-iii/
14. “Patrick Holden.” Sustainable Food Alliance. Accessed January 12, 2026. https://www.sustainablefoodalliance.org/team/patrick-holden/.