Sustainability and scale

I've really been looking forward to sharing some thoughts on Michael's question about bringing sustainable foods to a larger market because it's such an important and challenging issue. I definitely agree that making sustainably grown food available to as many people as possible is a very good thing. The proliferation of organic produce, packaged food, and consumer products at supermarkets (and even Walmart) means that millions of acres of farm land are no longer being doused with chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides. Also, as organic food becomes more mainstream, efficiencies of scale make it more affordable and less of the "food of the elite". And the simple fact that there is growing demand for and awareness of organic products is a very encouraging indicator that our society is taking issues related to food production seriously (whether individuals are motivated by social, environmental, or health issues).

And yet organic does not necessarily mean sustainable (and sustainable food is not always certified organic--a topic for another post), especially under the current federal regulations. Certified organic basically means that the food or product was made without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and that no GE (genetically engineered) crops were used. Organics produced on a mass scale can be almost as unsustainable as conventionally grown crops, requiring massive amounts of energy to cultivate, harvest, cool, and transport. Large scale organic farms are still typically monocrop systems and present most of the same environmental issues that conventional agriculture does. And as organic begins to increase its market share, vendors are looking to larger farms to fill the demand. Consequently, smaller farms (which are generally more sustainable) can't compete and are forced out of business.

When we talk about the sustainability of food systems, we're looking at a number of factors. How much fossil fuel is required to grow the food, cool it, preserve it, and transport it? Are the cultivation practices contributing to soil erosion? Is crop biodiversity (and therefore food security) encouraged? Is the local community beneffiting from the presence of food production? Are food animals treated humanely? How is human health affected by heavily processed food? Is the local ecosystem negatively affected by agricultural runoff (either chemical or organic)? Does the food system result in foreign policy that is destabilizing? When all of these factors are taken into consideration, there is strong evidence to suggest that optimal sustainability in large part means moving towards food systems that are small and local.

The thorny issue remains price. Small scale and conscientious agricultural practices mean higher prices, and sustainable food systems don't currently enjoy an equal playing field in the market. While the federal government annually gives upwards of $20 billion in agricultural subsidies, organic growers are inelligible to receive such funds. Instead of trying to make sustainable food cheaper, I believe the more important task is to educate people about where their food comes from and what the ramifications of their food systems are. The more we understand and appreciate our food, the more we enjoy it, the less we waste, and the more likely we will be to spend a bit extra on food that is locally grown. Americans spend a smaller percentage of their incomes on their food than ever before, which suggests that food is currently lower on our collective priority list. A shift in priorities could have enormous positive impacts in so many facets of our society.

Of course, there will always be a percentage of the population that cannot afford to pay more for sustainable food. But if awareness continues to increase, and the connections between poor nutrition, processed foods, diabetes, childhood obesity, skyrocketing medical costs, etc. are more widely acknowledged, it is within the realm of possibility that government policy will begin to support local food.

I think that's enough for today. Thanks again, Michael, for your thoughts and questions. For those of you who are interested in this subject, I highly recommend Michael Pollan's excellent (and very enjoyable) book "The Omnivore's Dilemma". You'll definitely notice I've gleaned some of my info and ideas from him. Next week, I'm planning to write about the joys of seasonal eating. Until then, take care!