Vanessa Zajfen is the Farm to Institution Program Coordinator at the Center for Food & Justice, at the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College. Vanessa works closely with local farmers, distribution firms and other farm to institution practitioners to develop market based solutions and local food programming opportunities to increase access and flow of good food in low-income communities across Southern California.

Vanessa has a BA from UC Santa Cruz, a MS in Sustainable Agriculture from Iowa State University and formerly owned and operated, Beyond Organic Produce Company that specialized in sourcing and selling locally grown foods.

Vanessa also worked at South Coast Farms, the last 100% organic farm operation in Orange County. Vanessa was their CSA manager, for over a year and a half. South Coast Farms is 28 acres large and farms organic starwberries, cucumbers, bell peppers and so much more! They have a vibrant and active CSA with about 400 memebers in a single season. South Coast Farms and CFJ partner on a number of farm to school projects in Orange County and they are quickly becoming an avid farm to school advocate in South Orange County!