More on Agroecology

Here is a great article providing a broad brush overview on agroecology: Agroecology can help fix our broken food system. Here's how.

In short, there’s a systems problem with the many incarnations of “sustainable food.” Good intentions notwithstanding, most alternatives leave untouched the underlying structures and forces of the agri-food system. They don’t ask how farmers can listen to their land, scientists can listen to farmers, eaters can listen to restaurant workers and the government can listen to people’s needs. Sustainable food, it turns out, lacks a science with which to deal with a system as complex as farming and food. 

But there is an approach that embraces complexity and change. It involves developing the capacity to listen, to grow new connections, and to build solidarity among animals, plants and people. It’s called agroecology.

The end of this article reminds us that there is a popular magazine called Farming Matters (free digital downloads) and an open access journal Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.

I'm happy to discuss agroecology as the guiding paradigm of Brines Farm as well to any and all interested.

National Food Policy Would Be Nice

Saw this opinion piece in the Washington Post "How a national food policy could save millions of American lives"... and thought yes please:

A national food policy would do that, by investing resources to guarantee that:
● All Americans have access to healthful food;
● Farm policies are designed to support our public health and environmental objectives;
● Our food supply is free of toxic bacteria, chemicals and drugs;
● Production and marketing of our food are done transparently;
● The food industry pays a fair wage to those it employs;
● Food marketing sets children up for healthful lives by instilling in them a habit of eating real food; ● Animals are treated with compassion and attention to their well-being;
● The food system’s carbon footprint is reduced, and the amount of carbon sequestered on farmland is increased;
● The food system is sufficiently resilient to withstand the effects of climate change.

Couldn't have said it better myself.


Someone suggested this article and this article complement that opinion piece nicely.