Food Sustainability

The dietary choices we make affect not just our health but also the environment and the well-being of future generations. The global food system may need to change to adapt to future economic and environmental conditions. 

Sustainable agriculture is a way of growing plants or raising animals in an ecologically and ethically responsible manner. Eating sustainably means eating food that is grown or raised according to these principles. 

Sustainable Farming Practices---

• protect the environment 
• can lead to higher yields over time with less need for fertilizers 
• are an integral part of the local economy, creating new jobs, and investing in the   community 
• are humane to farm animals permit them to roam around, root in the dirt and peck the
  ground. 
• focus on raising food that is healthy for consumers and 
• safeguards human health • provide fair treatment to farm workers 
• produce food that is more delicious and taste better 
• Sustainably raised animals are given antibiotics only when sick, not to promote growth or
  other prophylactic reasons. 

The mechanization of agriculture in the 20th century brought about the production of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. This in turn increased food production to feed the growing population worldwide. However, advances in technology came at a heavy price. The widespread use of toxic herbicides and pesticides cause pollution, harm wildlife, and most importantly they cause long term human health problems such as respiratory problems and cancer. 

We have also become more dependent on foreign oil and international trade in order to support this industrialization. From production to processing (preservatives and additives) to packaging to transport (long distances) and distribution, the global food system has become complex. Yet food is shipped faster, farther and cheaper anywhere in the world. A wide array of food is readily available at any time of the year. These have contributed however to the greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Our diets consist of unprecedented amount of processed foods and the number of genetically modified foods that are patented have increased. Even organic foods have been industrialized. All these support large corporations not local economy.

Industrial crop production relies on monocropping. It is a process of growing only one crop in a large area of land. This reduces genetic diversity of plants and makes them more susceptible to disease, causing potential for pests to easily destroy an entire crop. Industrial or factory farms consume large quantities of fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, natural gas) due to heavy use of commercial fertilizers and pesticides that are damaging to the environment, communities and farm workers. These fertilizers have been linked to birth defects, infertility, cancer and potentially neurological problems. When crops are bred for high yield, fast growth and ease of transport the nutrient content of food is compromised. 

Ways for Consumers to contribute to Food Sustainability---

• Cook more often at home using locally grown produce and pastured animal products. 
• Support the independent family farmer by buying produce from local farm markets. This will help save family farms. The more farms are forced to go out of business the more we will lose food security because we will have to rely on industrial agriculture and food imports from other countries. 
• Eat foods in season. During peak season prices of produce from local farm markets are
  comparable with non-local markets found in supermarkets. 
• Try canning, freezing, or dehydrating produce.  Grow your own vegetables and herbs. You can even do container gardening indoors. 
• Minimize purchasing convenience foods. Make your own sauces such as spaghetti sauce, gravies, soup, granola, cook old fashioned oatmeal instead of instant. 
• Buy Fairtrade for their stable prices. By doing so consumers also support producers who are struggling to improve their lives.

                                            

• Locally grown animal products are sustainable. Compared to animals raised in factory farms they have higher levels of omega 3 and vitamins A and E. Grass-fed beef is lower in fat and has higher ratios of HDL (good) cholesterol to LDL (bad) cholesterol. Eggs from cage-free chickens have higher levels of omega 3 fat and vitamin E. 
• Try to avoid foods produced on foreign land. These foods are non-sustainable and are costly to our health, soil, and environment.