Colorado State University Extension
SafeFood Rapid Response Network
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FROM FARM TO TABLE, YOUR FOOD HAS A STORY TO TELL
By: Shelley Prior, CSU Dietetic Intern - Spring 2007
Over the last several decades, food production has become increasingly industrialized and depersonalized. The U.S. family farm industry has witnessed the loss of 1.25 million farms since the early 1960s. Produce now travels an average of 1,500 miles from farm to table. Americans no longer have the relationship with the food producer they once enjoyed. The endless array of neatly packaged food products bear the required government labeling about nutrition facts and ingredients, but little about the product or its source. As a result, consumers know little of the story behind the food that has reached their dinner tables. While not bothersome to many shoppers, an emerging group of consumers is voicing concern about the real story behind their food.
Increasingly, consumers are asking questions about our foods like where and how was it produced, if workers or animals were treated fairly, what were the environmental impacts of the production process, and how far the food had to travel. These questions are fueling a new food movement of persons who believe that providing such information could have a profound impact on consumer food choices. According to grassroots activists, these questions can and should be answered through product labeling. They say consumers have a right to know and are uniting with farmers and other food activists to initiate efforts in making this type of labeling information on foods a reality.
Several groups have already found themselves at the forefront of this effort. Companies like leading organic food provider Whole Foods Market are already selling foods bearing such labels. The Association of Family Farms (AFF) and Organic Valley have added seals to food products ensuring that social responsibility and environmental care were taken during the production of their foods. Social responsibility encompasses the practice of fair trade standards, including a safe and fair environment for workers. Environmental care involves conservation of soil, water resources, and wildlife, along with reduced use of pesticides and avoidance of hormones, antibiotics, and genetically modified crops. Groups like AFF, Organic Valley and Food Alliance also consider it a top priority to promote the purchase of locally produced foods and certification of organic family farms.
Many consumers already purchase organic foods as one answer to their health, environmental, and economic concerns about the food they consume. Local farmers markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) are also gaining popularity as a means for the food buying public to connect with how their food is grown. By making a financial commitment to a farm, people become "members" (shareholders or subscribers) of the CSA and in return receive a weekly basket of fresh produce.
Further efforts to bring about change towards greater consumer social consciousness in making food choices include the concept of "eating seasonal," or more radically, joining the 100 Mile Diet Group, which challenges individuals to purchase only foods grown within a 100 mile radius of their home. Other groups, such as Slow Foods USA, encourage consumers to take time to enjoy rich flavors and the careful preparation of real food. Farmers, food processors and policy makers were among attendees who recently convened in Chicago for the FamilyFarmed.org Expo 2007 to discuss ways to make further headway with these efforts.
Although today's global marketplace allows us to buy foods grown virtually anywhere in the world all year round, these options are not the most sustainable. Combined with increasing concerns over the safety of our food supply, the impetus certainly exists for this new food movement to take roots and expand. While the days of early farming with families producing all their own food are gone for good, moving back toward more local production of foods could prove worthwhile. Education is key for consumers to understand the nutritional and environmental benefits that their purchasing power can help achieve in terms of quality and sustainability of our planet.
Sources:
- Mammoser, Alan. "The New Rules of Food," March 21, 2007. AlterNet website, available at: www.alternet.org/story/48930/
- Local Harvest at www.localharvest.org/csa/
- Sustainable Table. Available at: www.sustainabletable.org/issues/buylocal/
- FamilyFarmed.org EXPO 2007. Available at: familyfarmed.org
- Organic Valley Family of Farms. Available at: organicvalley.coop/
- Smith, Alicia; MacKinnon, J.B. The 100 Mile Diet: A year of Local Eating. Available at: 100milediet.org//li>
- Slow Food USA. Available at: www.slowfoodusa.org/
