The following are the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of LWVNCSDC
Sustainability Report on Food and Their Birthplace, Soils
"Once you pull on something you find it attached to everything else in the universe. Sustainable food production is in that web and just now going through a slow birthing process. Without sustainable food production the human population is doomed." -- Jack Paxton, BS in Chemistry, PhD in plant pathology, presents a brief look at soil, its role in agriculture and what we must do as humans to lessen our impact on the planet through our eating habits and agricultural practices.
The US made some changes in soil conservation after the dust bowl disaster in 1935 when the Soil Conservation Service was set up. In 1994 the SCS name was changed to the Natural Resources Conservation Service. They recognize most of our natural resources, including soil and water need to be conserved, but the NRCS is underfunded and incapable of producing the results needed in today's world as the population grows past nine billion and resources are damaged by human activity including agriculture.
The state of Illinois in 1980 created a program, T2000, which tried to reduce soil erosion to less than five tons/acre/year by the year 2000. <http://www.agr.state.il.us/Environment/LandWater/tby2000.html>
Erosion is a major factor in sustainable agriculture, when erosion occurs the soil loses productivity and concurrently causes environmental pollution. Erosion is caused by water, wind and tillage. Once a crop is harvested, there is nothing left to hold the soil in place until the next planting. Use of low tillage and cover crops helps to some degree, but this requires an investment in new equipment and techniques.
In 1988 the U.S. Department of Agriculture created the concept of LISA, Low Input Sustainable Agriculture. LISA was stillborn because Agribusiness wants high inputs and profits from farming; not prophets!
Globally food prices are up, especially in Africa where they are up over 30 per cent. Some of this is due to supply and demand and bad weather. But, when people earn more money, they tend to eat more food and more meat. Increasing costs of fuel and transportation also push prices higher. In order to increase production, we have increased irrigation, built more roads (the average food item on U.S. plates travels 1,500 miles to get there, and use more inputs such as pesticides and fertilizer). In the US the costs are up 3 per cent but most of that increase is due to packaging and handling. Food prices are driven by intensive lobbying by Agribusiness. <http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-241.html>>
American agriculture is driven by the huge corporations that supply the chemicals, equipment and seeds needed by farmers to grow their crops. Agribusiness supplies the fertilizers, pesticides and food additives whose residues (nitrates and others) pollute our groundwater, streams, rivers, lakes and even rain water. <http://fooddemocracynow.org>
The challenge now is to produce more, safeguard the environment and develop sustainable food and energy resources. The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service covers these topics, and offers in-depth publications on production practices, alternative crop and livestock enterprises, innovative marketing, organic certification, and highlights of local, regional, USDA and other federal sustainable agriculture activities. (Taken from their website.) <http://attra.ncat.org/fundamental.html>
Organic farming requires greater management and effort but can produce a greater yield with much lower environmental impact.
Consumers need to take charge of their food system and this starts with education. For example read the labels on food items you buy and understand food components and quantities. Many of these labels are unintelligible to consumers and even downright misleading. Advocate for comprehensible, honest food labeling.
Recommended action:
Buy fresh food from local sources that sustainably produce pesticide-free foods.
Recommended publications:
The Price of Bounty,1990 - A University of Illinois video on Agriculture ethics
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, 2007, by Barbara Kingsolver
The Omnivore's Dilemma, 2006, by Michael Pollan
World on the Edge, 2011 - An Earth Institute Publication
<http://www.sunset.com/home/natural-home/zero-waste-home-0111-00418000069984/page2.html>
There are NO simple solutions to the mess WE have created with our food system.
Everyone's participation is required if we are to leave a better world for future generations!
Here are five simple, inexpensive ways to promote food and soil sustainability:
1 - Xeriscape with native plants or drought tolerant plants (eliminate watered yards). Landscaping uses more than 50 per cent of water usage.
2 - Grow your own foods as much as possible (Remember Victory gardens in the WWII?). Read: Diet for a Small Planet - <http://www.smallplanet.org/>
3 - Eat lower on the food chain or become vegetarian or even vegan. Read: The Omnivore's Dilemma
4 - Educate yourself as to where your food comes from and what is in it. Demand labels that give you this information.
5 - Act sustainably by reducing your footprint in all you do and demand it from Agribusiness. <http://www.footprintnetwork.org>
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