August 16, 2007
· Filed under Energy Policy, Energy Usage, Farming, agricultural policy, land use
Talking with an organic farmer can sometimes be an alarming thing, as they sometimes think about things in a way the rest of us don’t. We were talking about the misguided agricultural policy in this country that subsidizes corn production (resulting in cheap sugar and meat) but not, say broccoli or tomatoes. And then he dropped a little bomb.
“Some people say that corn production for ethanol might double food prices in the next couple of years.” GULP!
Now, I did not find an article that said that prices would double, but there is a clear relationship between ethanol and overall food prices.
Over 20% of the current corn crop is already used for ethanol production, and the high cost of fossil fuels making ethanol more attractive. So, 20% of the corn crop is lost, and next year more acreage will be planted in corn (perhaps to be burned as ethanol) removing land from growing other food crops, like perhaps tomatoes and broccoli. Which is about what this article says.
What is worse is that even the most conservative estimates indicate that converting ethanol into fuel is not very efficient, only yielding about 25% more energy than is put in — mostly in the form of fossil fuels. Using soybeans, on the other hand to make bio-diesel results in 93% return on the energy investment. Other researchers seem to feel that ethanol results in a net energy loss.
Whether it is a loss or only a slight gain, it appears that we may have to start asking ourselves if ethanol (and the car culture that drives its demand) are truly worth in the face of higher, perhaps much higher food prices.
August 16, 2007
· Filed under Farming, Organic Farming, local food, slow food
Once upon a time all farms are what we now consider “organic” that is to say that they used no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Such things were pretty much unknown before World War II and did not exist very long before then.
From the 50s into the 60s more and more synthetic inputs were used and farms began to grow larger, and we now know, more toxic. Some farmers got uncomfortable with the “newfangled” methods and either never adopted them or went back to a way of farming that was more like their forebears.
So, even though it didn’t have a name at first, “organic farming” was reborn. “Organic” was added to “farming” in much the same way “acoustic” is added to “guitar” to identify it as a certain way of doing things. However it needed much more than a name.
In the grocery store an “organic” tomato” is going to look pretty much like a factory farmed one. But organic farming is a bit more expensive, and the growers wanted to let consumers the value of the more expensive produce. So, the word “organic” was applied. Unfortunately as soon as the word had some value, everyone wanted to use it whether they farmed that way or not. So a way was needed to separate the “real” organic farmers from others.
In many cases, farmers themselves set up standards organizations to certify farms and their products as “organic.”
One such organization was formed here in Wisconsin, the Midwest Organic Services Association. One of our local farmers, Blaine Tornow, of Moonshadow Farms was on the original board of the organization and helped set the standards they used. If you want to see what the standards are, and what kind of paperwork farming in an old fashioned way can generate, check out their audit trail and paperwork page. It should give you a a little more appreciation for what your local organic farmer has to do other than risk his or her financial future each spring.
If you are not big on paperwork, check out their page of organic links to learn more about organic farming.
August 16, 2007
· Filed under UW Resources, agricultural policy, food, local food
Being new to the blogosphere I was worried whether or not I had picked an appropriate name for this little effort, but fortunately my fears were soon allayed.
Brilliant me started doing google searches after I had picked the name and registered with WordPress, but the first result when I searched “Wisconsin Food Web” was quite heartening.
The Wisconsin Food System Partnership is a cooperative program among many branches of the UW system that, in the words of their website:
…brings people from the community and the university together in partnerships to build a more food-secure future for all.
The program provides small grants and other support to community-university partners for a wide range of teaching, research, service, and action projects.
Hmmm…maybe I should ask them for a grant for this little project. I would say that we are definitely walking on the same side of the street. Here is part of their vision statement from their website:
The Wisconsin Food System Partnership seeks a more food-secure world in 2020 — a world with less poverty and a plentiful food supply that is varied, enjoyable, safe, and healthy.
- Food will be produced and distributed in profitable, equitable, and environmentally sound ways that:
- invigorate and regenerate the earth and its people;
- equitably address local, regional, and global needs;
- are consistent with community resources and objectives; and
- take advantage of the most useful information and technology.
If I was smart and articulate it is just the sort of thing I would say that I was hoping to accomplish with my little electronic scribblings. So, you can take that as somewhat of a vision statement for this blog as well.
And finally, the site even says what I was trying to get across on the “About” page and the first post here:
The food system involves people, the environment, and agriculture. It includes the following linked set of activities and organizations:
- agriculture and agribusiness;
- natural resources and the environment;
- rural and urban community development;
- health and nutrition;
- biology and biotechnology;
- science education;
- international development; and
- public policy.
I do see a lot of very nice words there, and I hope that as time goes on I can highlight more in the way of actions — people doing things to achieve the goals laid out.
Stay tuned.
August 16, 2007
· Filed under agricultural policy, food, land use, local food, slow food
Food is, of course, central to everything thing we do, we literally cannot live without it. So food can also be the central touchstone to many things which are important about our modern world: local culture, land usage, water usage, energy use and policy and governmental policy. That is not to even mention the various health aspects of growing and consuming food.
Food choice is vitally important to the local economy, the environment and our own bodies.
So, gather round the table as we journey into and discuss the various issues — and delights — surrounding that most common element in our daily lives, food.
