Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Second place winner -

Creating a Sustainable Food System

– Caleb Beavers, Preston High School

The current American food system needs to change. America has come a long way since Henry Ford invented the modern industrial farming process of big production assemblies creating enormous amounts of product in short time spans, but one simply cannot ignore the many negative aspects of a system that works better on paper than in reality. While industrial agriculture has reaped many admirable benefits over the years-- -the U.S. crop production rate has never been higher and food prices have never been lower-- there are still several examples of the current system falling short of its potential, including the use of harmful pesticides, a lack of consumer awareness, and a shortage of financial support for farmers.

One complaint often charged by critics of the current U.S. food system is that pesticides make our produce harmful and that genetically-modified crops are bad for the environment and for people. This is all too true. The use of pesticides results in fruits and vegetables that are virtually unharmed by insects and animals, and it makes the food so much more beautiful and vibrant. However, the cost of such aesthetically pleasing food is high. Pesticides and most commercial fertilizers contain harmful chemicals that have been known to cause disease among humans. This has been known for years, and industrial agriculture organizations have taken steps to combat this disturbing fact, but more needs to be done.

Not only is the current produce sold at most grocery stores contaminated by pesticides, but things are only going to get worse. Some insects and rodents have built up an immunity to the pesticides, causing industrial agriculturalists to create more powerful-- and more harmful-- pesticides.

There should be a widespread emphasis on organic agriculture, and there should be better communication between consumers and farmers. Farmers and the organizations which represent them should help establish a creative partnership that would enable consumers to become "agriculture literate" so that Americans would understand the value of the food they are buying. The entire structure of agriculture should change with the times and make use of new ways of marketing and selling. Many consumers would pay more money for organic produce if it were made as accessible as non-organic produce. It is inconvenient to shop for food at health stores; therefore, many people settle for goods that could be harmful. Also, many consumers know nothing about organic goods due to a lack of marketing.

Another negative aspect of the current U.S. food system is that consumers are woefully ignorant of the industry's practices and of how much the industry has contributed to America. Many would be surprised to know how few public high schools offer Future Farmers of America. To most students, the extent of their agricultural knowledge goes no farther than their grocers' local produce section. Instead of brushing the subject off, people should view agriculture the same way they view government-- that it's their right to know.

Many people must do their parts to make farming successful. Because modern agriculture depends so heavily on engineering and technology, mechanization has replaced backbreaking work with efficiency and productivity. Agriculture is also vital to our economy in that it employs so many people who work on spraying operations and disease control, fight forest fires, and transport perishable food products across the country.

The final problem with the modern American food system is that farmers with fewer financial resources are sometimes forced out of the industry and into bankruptcy when they fail to compete with larger agricultural organizations with much deeper pockets. How can less advantaged farmers possibly hope to afford the increasingly expensive equipment? This question not only poses a problem for people who are already farmers, but also to people who wish to enter the industry. The high cost of farming is most likely a major reason fewer and fewer people are becoming farmers. A possible solution is to have corporate sponsorships. Big businesses could set up grants--not loans--for young farmers and perhaps even buy some, if not all, of the more expensive equipment. Corporations could also create educational films and text materials dealing with relevant topics such as protecting the environment and the value of organic agriculture. Lucrative companies seeking ways to give back to communities and establish positive public relations should view sponsoring farmers as a symbiotic relationship; and, conversely, farmers should see sponsoring as an investment instead of a handout.

Clearly, the current American food system has some flaws that must be evaluated and taken seriously. In addition to contaminated produce being sold at grocery retailers, many farmers are feeling undermined by a system that should appreciate them. U.S. farmers desperately need common sense-based production practices that respect the environment and its citizens, and they need funding to make this possible. The American food system is only sustainable if citizens and corporations and farmers understand their roles in making it work.