Can I Eat?

This episode of "The Knack Attack" explores the historical origins and evolution of anti-foraging laws in the United States, revealing how these laws, often rooted in racism and classism, have systematically restricted access to wild foods for marginalized communities and working-class people. The hosts, Elliott and Andy, trace the shift from a period of relatively open access to foraging in colonial America to the gradual erosion of these rights, driven by the expansion of industrial agriculture and the interests of wealthy elites seeking to control and commodify natural resources.

Early Foraging Rights and the Shift Toward Restriction

The episode begins by highlighting the broad foraging rights enjoyed by American colonists, who could freely gather food not only on common lands but also on private property. This right was even enshrined in the constitutions of some states, reflecting the importance of foraging for subsistence. However, as industrial agriculture gained prominence, the need for and protection of foraging practices declined.

Targeting Marginalized Communities: Native Americans and Freed Slaves

The hosts emphasize how anti-foraging laws were weaponized against marginalized groups. Native American tribes were among the first to be stripped of their traditional foraging rights, driven from their lands as white settlers expanded westward. This dispossession was justified by portraying Native American hunter-gatherer practices as primitive and incompatible with "modern" agricultural practices.

Following the Civil War, newly emancipated African American slaves, who had relied on foraging for sustenance and income, faced similar attacks on their foraging practices. Southern states enacted trespass laws and other measures to restrict access to wild foods, undermining the self-sufficiency and economic independence of freed slaves. This pattern of dispossession, the hosts note, is a recurring theme in American history, with those in power consistently using legal and social mechanisms to exploit and control marginalized populations.

"Conservation" as a Tool for Exclusion

The episode examines how the conservation movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, while ostensibly aimed at protecting natural resources, often served as a cover for excluding working-class people and marginalized communities from access to land and its resources. The hosts cite the example of the Adirondack Park in New York, where wealthy elites, seeking to protect their interests in the region's timber and waterways, pushed for the creation of a protected area that restricted traditional foraging and hunting practices of local residents. This "conservation" effort was driven by a paternalistic view of rural residents as incapable of responsibly managing the natural world.

The Labyrinthine Web of Anti-Foraging Laws

The hosts detail the complex and often contradictory web of regulations governing foraging at the local, state, and federal levels. They point out how the vague and broadly worded ordinances, coupled with the discretionary power granted to park officials, create a system that is easily manipulated to target and penalize foragers, particularly those who are poor or from marginalized communities. The inconsistencies in regulations across jurisdictions, they argue, further highlight the arbitrary and often discriminatory nature of these laws.

The Case of Steve Brill and the Hypocrisy of Enforcement

The episode recounts the story of Steve Brill, a New York City forager who gained notoriety in the 1980s for leading foraging tours in Central Park and was subsequently arrested in a sting operation for picking dandelion greens. This incident, which garnered international attention, exposed the absurdity of criminalizing foraging for common, non-native plants. While the charges against Brill were eventually dropped, the hosts note that this case did little to change the city's restrictive stance on foraging, as evidenced by subsequent incidents where individuals were fined for picking berries and dandelion greens in city parks.

The Contradictory Mandate of the National Park Service

The hosts examine the contradictory mandate of the National Park Service (NPS), which is tasked with both promoting public enjoyment of national parks and preserving their resources for future generations. They highlight how the NPS regulations, while generally prohibiting foraging, grant superintendents wide latitude to set specific rules, resulting in a patchwork of inconsistent regulations across different parks. This discretionary power, they argue, further contributes to the potential for arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement.

Foraging as a Class and Race Issue

The episode concludes by emphasizing that access to wild foods remains largely a matter of privilege and power. They observe that the modern foraging movement, while gaining popularity in recent years, is predominantly white and middle-class. The history of anti-foraging laws, they argue, has created a system that disproportionately impacts people of color and low-income communities, denying them access to a valuable source of food and cultural connection to the land.

For sources, transcripts, and to read more about this subject, visit: www.agroecologies.org

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