Jack Bobo: Why we should embrace the future of food, not fear it

From food waste to climate change, diet-related disease to agricultural innovation, the way we eat is under scrutiny. But for Jack Bobo, executive director of the UCLA Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies, the path forward isn’t about restriction or blame – it’s about optimism and innovation.

“Instead of asking people to sacrifice for the future, we should be asking them to embrace the future,” Bobo said. “That’s more hopeful, and it reflects a hundred years of innovation and advancement.”

Speaking to UCLA Newsroom, Bobo acknowledged that messages about healthy and sustainable eating often feel overwhelming. Whether it’s buying local, avoiding ultra-processed foods, or choosing the most eco-friendly diet, many people feel they’re being told they’re doing it wrong. But, he said, this narrow framing misses the bigger picture.

Bobo, who previously advised the US State Department on global food policy, believes that viewing farming practices as simply “good” or “bad” oversimplifies reality. “There’s not one definition of sustainability,” he explained.

He pointed to the example of agricultural systems: those that use fewer inputs like fertilizers and pesticides may appear more eco-friendly locally but might yield less food, placing greater pressure on land elsewhere. Conversely, intensive farming may have more localized environmental impacts but feed more people, possibly sparing forests in other regions.

“We need to look at sustainability as a continuum,” Bobo said. “There are always trade-offs, and we need to decide where to take a lighter touch and where we can afford to be more intensive.”

Agriculture is already one of the most resource-intensive sectors globally. Around 40% of Earth’s land is used for farming, and 70% of freshwater withdrawals go to agriculture. Meanwhile, agriculture and deforestation combined account for up to 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with much of the latter driven by food production.

The paradox, Bobo said, is that even as our knowledge of health and nutrition improves, public health outcomes are worsening. The USA spends about US$1.1 trillion a year treating diet-related diseases, and globally, the food system’s hidden costs are estimated at US$10 to US$12 trillion.

“We’ve never had more nutrition labeling or more choices in the grocery store, and yet the problem has never been worse,” he said. “It’s not a failure of individuals. It’s the food environment.”

For many, particularly those on fixed incomes, preparing whole, healthy foods is a daily stress. “Going to the grocery store becomes math,” Bobo said, citing the pressure to calculate price-per-ounce and nutritional value at every turn.

He cautioned against framing ultra-processed food as something that must be entirely eliminated. Instead, he advocated for a more realistic hierarchy – starting with whole foods when possible, then moving toward frozen or canned foods that are still nutritious, with ultra-processed options playing a smaller role.

UCLA is also investing in long-term solutions. The university’s Future of Food Fellows program is supporting research into cellular agriculture, including cultured meat. Led by faculty director and biophysicist Amy Rowat, the program recently secured state funding to advance these technologies.

Bobo sees these innovations not as replacements but as additions. “We need 25% to 75% more food by 2050. We're not going to get there by doubling the livestock population,” he said. “Alternative proteins help ensure more people around the world have access to the protein they need.”

While locally produced food offers socioeconomic and cultural value – especially in California, which grows over 75% of US fruits and nuts – Bobo warned against overemphasizing “food miles” as a catch-all sustainability measure. “The bigger picture is more complex,” he said. “Sustainability isn’t only about emissions or distance – it’s about the full impact of our choices.”

Ultimately, Bobo emphasized the need to avoid stigmatizing individuals doing their best in a difficult system. Whether people are choosing canned beans over fresh produce or opting for fast food out of necessity, the conversation must remain grounded in empathy and realism.

“What we don’t want to do is stigmatize individuals who are doing the best they can for their families, often with limited time and money,” he said.

The goal, Bobo argued, is to continuously improve – making the food system healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable with each passing year. Not by casting judgment, but by building a future that more people can access, afford, and believe in.