Connecting with the Earth and our Food

   As I continue to listen to people's thoughts and feelings about where they get their food and caring for the earth, I am amazed at the similarities that emerge from across seemingly polar opposites in the culture wars on food and agriculture.  People in all camps care about the food they eat.  People care about being a good steward of the earth so that it will be healthy for generations to come.  People like to feel connected to their communities.   People like to feel that they are doing something productive about which they feel passionate.  Modern farmers feel this way.  Sustainable farmers feel this way.  So why do we have culture wars on food and agriculture?
  I think the differences emerge in the trade offs each farmer makes.  Specifically, I think that one of the key issues is cost.  As I understand it, sustainable farmers feel that it is worth the extra input and labor costs to use the methods they feel are best.  They and their current customers feel it is worth paying more for food that meets their standards for being grown according to their principles.  The process or methods used are paramount and they are willing to deal with the consequences of higher costs.  Often this is possible because the sustainable farmers are sharing the financial risk with others rather than carrying it all themselves, perhaps through a co-op structure made possible by the smaller size of their operations and their location usually closer to mid sized communities.  The higher costs of these methods are one of the biggest challenges these methods face.  Many people cannot afford substantially higher food costs, nor do they have the means to reach the more limited distribution channels.  Sustainable farming will need to continue to address these issues if they hope to have their methods more widespread.
  Modern or traditional farmers, in contrast, are always feeling the trade off or tension in their choices of balancing yield, efficiency, productivity, cost and caring for the health of their family, neighbors, community and the earth.  It is a complex web of variables.  Modern farmers try and maximize yield, but not at any cost.  They consider the trade offs and make their choices, adjusting with new information.  It is in this information and adjustment cycle where the opportunity lies for dialogue and bridging the gap in these culture wars (more on this in a moment.)  Usually these modern farmers are carrying the financial risks of their operations by themselves.  Modern farmers are generally in the more rural areas of the US without the ability to connect as easily to mid sized communities as consumer co-ops do.  Many modern farmers produce grain row crops that are not yet a main area for sustainable farmers (eg wheat, corn, soybeans).  There are important reasons for this, one being the volatility of these markets making them more financially vulnerable and in turn putting pressure on cost containment.  The biggest challenge for modern farmers is to keep operation costs in check, while achieving a good yield, yet also considering the impact on the earth.
  So the opportunity for bridging the gap between these methods is in the sharing of information and dialogue and understanding that what all farmers care about is essentially the same - caring about our food, our communities and our earth.  Genuine openness to discussion and information is more likely to be successful than dismissing other positions and condemning other methods.  Look for opportunities to support this dialogue in your own community or online.  Ag related tweets, blogs and agriculture networks are popping up for this purpose.  Let's talk....and listen!