Going Inside A Local Farm

For this week's element, we visited a farm in Homer, New York and explored how their farm is operated. Below is a link to what we learned.
See what we discovered here, and learn all about the world of CSA- Community Supported Agriculture.

Why food? Why now? An informal survey

       The sheer satisfaction and joy that one experiences after taking a mouthful of a freshly cooked meal is a sentiment that is near universal among humans present and past. Food has long played a key role in social lives, providing families and friends an opportunity to enjoy each other's company while taking a brief break from the bustle of their lives to nourish their body and minds. Foodways,  defined as the patterns that establish where we eat, as well as how and why and under what circumstances we eat, provide individuals and groups critical identity work - activities through which we define for ourselves and others who we are socially and culturally. The blatant differences between a spiced coconut curry with bean curd and a t-bone steak with a loaded potato  highlight just a tiny selection of the vastly diverse cuisines one can experience throughout all regions of the world. Food is both symbolic and material, as it is a cornerstone of both cultural and individual identity.   

     Food is also, however, incredibly complex. Yet within the last century or so, the way we as a society view and treat food has changed massively. In a massively commercial and capitalist world, food is unique in that it is one of the few privatized and mass produced market commodities that every single human requires access to in order to live. Here in America, food production and consumption patterns rely heavily on factory-farmed meat and dairy alongside mass produced agriculture and industrial food products (I use the term 'food' very lightly here). Large scale corporations have done as they do, and have done a thorough job in taking advantage of this demand.  
      Whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, every food purchase we make is supporting some food system here in America (or, in some cases, some country half a globe away). Whether it be toward pesticide-strewn monocrop fields or the farms of your local Community Supported Agriculture program, the purchasing power of every penny you spend provides funding for some agricultural institution, each with their own unique implications. How many of us, however, critically consider the outward impacts of our hurried breakfast on the way to work, or the restaurant we choose to grab dinner from?   
     From my personal experience, I can say not many. It's a sobering realization; So few of my friends and family have much concern for where their food comes from, how it was produced, or even for the ingredients inside that are going directly into their body. For many people, it's likely much more comfortable to remain unaware or unconcerned (I've met so many people with the "well, everything causes cancer, so..." argument), although for many it is in part due to genuine lack of knowledge. As stated, food is heterogeneous, and many people can't find the time to research the multiple facets of  food production, provided they even overcome the initial wall of systematic, culturally induced (yes, it's not your fault!) ignorance. 
     So why should we care? Simply put, what we don't know may kill us. The practices performed by our world's most powerful and prominent food producers and suppliers come with them various "externalities," many of which are detrimental to our environment, jeopardize public health, compromise social justice and individual rights, or yield some other impact on the world around us (Yet they shouldn't be factored into cost, right?). By actively participating in a system which is highly influential on our world, each and every one of us are a driving force behind this ripple of influence, and it is our responsibility as residents of planet Earth, as fellow humans, and as responsible consumers to be aware of it all, no matter how uncomfortable it may make us.


 What do you think?

     I set out to discover, as best as I could, what the average person thinks about when they think about food. To do so, I constructed a very basic, informal survey, comprised of ten questions, ranging from personal opinions, lifestyle choices, or topical points surrounding food. 




I received 160 responses, the first 100 gathered from anyone and everyone who completed it anonymously on the Internet, and the last 60 being distributed physically to students at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. This is important to preface, due to the fact that 160 is obviously not the largest sample size, however I believe the findings followed trends that many would view as reasonable. As important, a considerable portion of the results were obtained from a sample all sharing a similar characteristic, so a bias would be expected, however as I will show, this would prove to be far from the case (Hippie school student body sample had less non-meat eaters than anonymous Internet sample). 

Question - 
    Select any that apply to you


Not surprisingly, that number of meat eaters still greatly outweighs the number of non meat eaters. "A [2008] study, published by Vegetarian Times, shows that 3.2 percent of U.S. adults, or 7.3 million people, follow a vegetarian-based diet. Approximately 0.5 percent, or 1 million, of those are vegans, who consume no animal products at all. In addition, 10 percent of U.S., adults, or 22.8 million people, say they largely follow a vegetarian-inclined diet." This statistic, based on a sample size of 5,050 has likely increased since then (How frequently do you recently hear about food in pop culture, throughout every day life, from activists, or even on the news?).
Hopefully by now many of us are aware of the massive amounts of energy our industrial food system consumes, especially in the case of factory meat. The total summation of greenhouse gas emissions involved in livestock operations for meat and dairy production total 7.1 Gigatons of CO2-equiv per year, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. This represents 14.5 percent of all human-related GHG emissions. Including processing and transportation, it now takes 10 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of food for consumption. This incredibly low energy return on investment highlights the large amounts of energy  necessary to get our food from factory to the shelves. Furthermore, much of the energy and water that goes into crop cultivation is used on growing crops for animals in the meat and dairy industry to feed on.  These crops, which themselves already yield a high energy deficit, are then used to produce even more resource costly meats and dairy products, which in turn leads to an even lower energy return on investment. Most of the crops grown in the United States, both for human consumption and livestock feed, are cultivated using a monocrop system, wherein only one single variety of produce will be grown over a large  spread of land. This comes with many problems; A lack of biodiversity in itself is problematic, but its toll on soil quality and surrounding ecosystems is considerable, especially when paired with the physical toll of agricultural technologies. Those who adopt a vegetarian or vegetarian inclined diet aid in reducing these environmental detriments.

Question - 
     Rank the following factors on which is most important when deciding what you eat (1 highest - 5 lowest)


     This question was done on a point based system, with only 1 point being given to the most important consideration out of those presented, and 5 being the least important. This is important, because it means the smallest bar representation will be that which received fewest points, meaning it was overall the most important factor. What do these results say about our food choices? The majority of this sample simply go for what they're in the mood for.  While it's a great luxury of the modern world to have access to so many different types of food with relatively little effort (pineapples, bananas, tomatoes, olives, grains, foods sourced from all over the world, all in one mega grocery store has become commonplace, if not expected,) is this attitude responsible, or even healthy? Both for the planet and for ourselves? Cost comes in near second, and this is an unfortunate truth. Here in the United States, we enjoy one of the lowest overall prices of  food of any country in the world.
     The average American will spend 9.4% of their disposable personal incomes on food (USDA Economic Research Service 2011a); Compare this to 15% in the average European household (Eurostat 2011), and cripplingly high expenditures of 68% and 71% of personal disposable incomes in Chad and Cambodia, respectively (Food and Agriculture Organization 2011).), and the allure of the incredibly productive food system we adopted emerges. However more often than not, those lowest priced goods you see at the supermarket are artificially attributed, and the food products themselves are frequently those doing the most damage to your body.
  
     Why is it that when we pay so little for food, and have so much of it, we still see so many of our citizens go hungry each night, and observe the poorest Americans as being overweight as opposed to underweight? The answer lies in the products themselves; Sure, we can manufacture bottles of soda and $1 Big Macs fast as lightning, but these highly processed foods, manipulated and tested to set off certain pleasure centers of the brain, inducing a near-addictive phenomenon upon consumption, are slowly killing us. Increased rates of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and a slew of other health problems are directly linked to these food-esque products. For many, it is not as easy as choosing to not eat these products; Food deserts, areas in which entire communities have restricted access to fresh produce and other healthy foods, are highly prevalent in lower class, minority areas. Many working class families cannot afford to buy anything but fast food to feed their families. It is no coincidence that wealthier families have far more access, and more commonly consume, smaller portions of a more diverse, fresher, and more nutritious array of foods. This classist system of food availability leaves many families with a choice they cannot escape; Eat shit food, or eat nothing. This broadens the scope of how problematic industrial food truly is, going beyond individual health concerns into large-scale social, racial, and political systematic oppression.

Question - 
     How familiar are you with GM foods, and which statement best describes your views towards them?

I asked this question, and received these responses; However I feel inclined to dismiss it as illegitimate. I included a section for comments on this question, and only this question, and received various responses, such as the following:

"i am familiar with GM foods, and do no support them but continue to keep eating them anyways"

"I support GMOs for adding to nutritional content but not to allow more pesticide use/only to benefit the growing corporation"

"I'm familiar with GM foods and find their effects on humans to be safe, as far as wet know, but not their effects on the wider ecosystem. So I don't support their widespread use."

"I am familiar wit GM to a limited extent, but I don't care too much, because I must eat what I can afford.

"I just believe they should be labeled."

"I dont support them but eat them out of necessity"
What's more, I received hand written comments on this question on a couple of my physical copies ("Not so black and white" and "This question is pretty biased"). It's clear that GMOs and their implications are incredibly multifaceted, and I believe it may have been naive to attempt to ascertain a sort of blanket pro/con consensus among the public.

Question 
     - How frequently do you prepare and cook your own food?

Cooking - many people who begin to care about food realize the importance of cooking for themselves. Cooking your own food helps restore the tie between acquiring ingredients, preparing a dish, and consuming it yourself - realizing how much labor goes into (and should go into) food. It restores the severed tie between food and nature. These findings were refreshing, as many people do indeed cook frequently, however that number could still (always) be higher. Less pleasing in this data is finding out so many people want to cook, but lack the means to do so! This could largely be attributed to a sample comprised of many young students, but it makes it no less unfortunate. Often times those who cannot cook resort to packaged and processed foods. Many people, however, likely find that they "just don't have time" to cook.

Question - 
   Do you find yourself frequently eating the same/similar foods, or do you prefer a variety of different food?

I mainly implemented this question as a way of determining if people are willing to change up their eating habits or broaden their horizons. If you only eat the same types of things over and over, that habit may lead to an imbalanced diet, or the development of a reliance on cheaper easier food, which is commonly less healthy. However the same could be said for those who are unwilling to change it up, yet have very conscientious diets - diets which may not be optimal to their health either (we've all met the vegetarian who runs on salads and french fries).

Question - 
 How attentive are you to the various factors that result in the end product of the food you eat?

This question was attempting to gauge the average level of attention people give to their food choices. As expected with a question like this, the responses followed a fairly normal distribution, with the data forming a beautiful bell curve. This seems predictable due to the nature of the question; Like with any topic, some people are more aware than others.

Question - 
True or False - In the last two years, I have had access to a farmers market, CSA, or some means of acquiring locally produced foods.

Nearly everyone surveyed had access to farmers markets and/or CSAs! This is great news - farmers markets, CSAs, and other various alternative food systems are incredibly sustainable and come with many less detrimental environmental, social, and political consequences. Benefits of these and other food systems will be discussed in greater detail by my teammates in future blog posts. Stay tuned to find out more.

Question - 
    True or False - I check produce or other food products I purchase for the country it was originally harvested/produced in.

Results for this question were divided almost half and half. This is a very important issue that I feel gets little attention. As is the case for many products on the market today, much of the produce and ingredients for other food products you see at the supermarket are harvested by laborers in foreign countries under the orchestration of a main parent company.  This international division of labor, especially in the case of farmers and agricultural workers, often results in impoverished foreign peoples accepting painstaking workloads, unfairly low wages, and sometimes dangerously poor qualities of life. There are many exposes which uncover these unfortunate truths. It's also obvious that a banana from Jamaica is going to use a massive amount of energy to make its way to your local supermarket in New York.

Question -
     True or False - I am familiar with at least one global trade organization involved in commercial agriculture

This question had results that came even closer to a 50/50 split. Global trade organizations such as the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund play a massive role in the economic aspects of agriculture. Globalization, a trade system which strives to transcend the limitations of physical distance and national boundaries, is a major reason for the increase of international division of labor. Furthermore, global trade organizations like the IMF are known for some shady business practices. For instance, the IMF, established by the World Bank to gain capital in order to rebuild post-WWII Europe, will provide loans to "underdeveloped" countries like Jamaica to help strengthen foreign economies while reducing trade barriers and increasing exports. Sounds like a great plan; However these loans often come with a staggeringly steep interest rate, alongside other questionable conditions (i.e, "We'll give you $50,000,000 USD to grow and export bananas, but you have to lower your trade barriers and compete economically with developed countries on a level playing field."). This leads to an influx of foreign products which are sold at prices far lower than that of former local products, essentially shutting down domestic industries and removing many from work, while simultaneously forcing a dependence on foreign currencies. Systems like these which are directed at under developed countries are eerily similar to that of indentured servitude, wherein a wealthy group of people will provide initial capital for a less wealthy group that is riddled with other conditions, trapping them in a positive feedback loop of debt which they cannot escape.

What can I do? 

     The answers are not easy, to anyone. Attempting to address issues deeply rooted in so many different aspects of our countries infrastructure, culture, legislation, and economy is likely even more difficult than it sounds. Big ag corporations frequently pose a different question: How else do we feed a massively growing population? While they pose this loaded question in an attempt to justify their actions and shape public perception as "our actions are absolutely necessary for our survival," we should attempt to answer it by subverting these monopolies and the stale methods of production they utilize. 
         It is easy to remain passive and allow the system in place to stay in place, as is the case for most problematic institutions. However, with an overall growing awareness of these many issues, we can no longer stand idle. It is not as simple as going reverting to a society of farmers. Where would all the jobs of those involved in industrial agriculture go? Who would get their land? How would we be able to feed a growing population? Are there ways we can produce large amounts of food while still practicing caution and care for the Earth? It's clear that a regression to purely small scale farming is highly idealistic. Instead of reverting, we must move forward, incorporating long-lasting agricultural practices with innovative methods of production and transportation. There are a multitude of alternative food systems and methods of food production that we can begin incorporating into our society, some of which we are already seeing grow in popularity. A viable solution may be to rely more heavily on local food producers. Local and regional food systems strive to achieve sustainability and address the harms associated with industrial agriculture, while promoting public health, social justice, and empowering communities and consumers. This is an issue that must be addressed with changes starting within oneself, followed by collective changes in communities. By demonstrating concern for this information in ways like asking a restaurant owner where they source their produce, we stimulate a change in thought process in the minds of those responsible for the decision making processes involved in food production. Maybe it was something they never considered important until being questioned, and, ideally, a growing frequency of customers who share concern for these issues may drive these decision makers to alter their practices. Whether it be in an effort to increase profit by appealing to a newly emerging consumer base or out of genuine concern for the effects of their actions, the outcome will be beneficial regardless! Furthermore, by identifying which businesses practice less than thoughtful decision making, we can utilize our purchasing power by refusing to spend money at these places, and instead fund those which are more ethical. The issue is massive, but we must start somewhere.