Urban Areas Alter Agriculture

While many critics wave the flag of "buy local food" they do so over ground that was once farm land. Through increased costs/assessments perhaps the farm income could no longer compete with selling. Perhaps the suburb grew up around a farm and complaints drove it out. Many say they'd like to live in the country but the reality is much different.

More than any time in the past consumers have the opportunity to talk to and interact with farmers, and yet farmers are still criticized for being "big ag" or "factory farms" whether that is reality or not.

Ryan Goodman pondered in a blog post "Do consumers realize the connection to Agriculture the land once had they are now living on?"

In response Jim Fisher pointed out not even organic was immune from complaints when the subdivisions moved in. "They complained about his compost smelling and how it was a fire hazard. (They) Started blaming his farm as an attractant for deer and other wildlife. The deer and other animal were eating the landscaping of the suburb and the farmer's neighbors couldn't meet or keep up with their homeowner front lawn rules because of the wildlife his farm was attracting. It was a problem he had been facing for years before the subdivision, but he found ways to work around it." They didn't except for elimination of the farm.

California rancher Jeff Fowle noted "Urban sprawl is chewing up productive ag land and covering it in homes, stores and asphalt. With urban-rural interface, noise, dust and odors are considered a nuisance. (It is) Important to protect right to farm."

It's not just farmer safety that is important, as Jeff commented "Safety is very important as urban interface encroaches on ag land; especially when equipment is sharing the road." Safety for farmers and consumers is critical, as a combine vs a small car usually means the car will lose. Equally, many urbanites don't understand how fast and uncontrollable livestock, especially loose livestock, can be.

For others the urban gardener is a possibility - with manure tea sprouting plants and a business. The increased interest and - yes - demand - for natural products takes recycling to new heights. Natural fertilizer has long been used on diversified farms and this is a big reason most farms have livestock and crops.

Many don't seem to make the correlation between local year round and farmer's reality. There is criticism of "big ag" because a community has a 10x12 greenhouse and a garden on an abandoned lot. While independence is good, realistically will that feed a city? Everyone in the city? Year 'round is also difficult in Chicago, New York and other northern cities in a good portion of the year. There is an increase of moving food production inside, under lights with more control of environment but wait! That's why animal production was moved inside and now that is deemed 'evil'. Special plants and hydroponic chemicals can be used but the companies that could provide it are "evil" and "greedy."

The fact is the majority in the city demand an available food supply with choices. We have had the luxury of that for so long in America we forget it is a luxury! We have demanded we have food transported to cities after millions moved away from rural areas. They abandoned "low paying slave jobs" of agriculture but still need to eat. With fewer people available, and fewer acres to work with, farms needed to change to survive. Family farms often got bigger as family units combined. For many it was said small farms were 'old fashioned.' "Get big or get out" was a mantra.

Small farmers begged consumers for help but it fell on deaf ears. In many ways survival of the fittest took over - the most efficient managers (whatever the cost), the most productive livestock and the biggest yielding crops. How to do more with less became a quest.

Then society balked. Comfortable in the formerly-farmland-subdivisions giving them up to return to the country isn't an option. In many areas keeping poultry, pigs, rabbits and other animals for meat is forbidden under 'livestock' clauses. At the same time there is condemnation for the restraints put on raising food in volume to fill demand. For many the "factory farm" quest is so important they'll deceive and use deceptive means to get 'evidence' that is carefully released at the best time. It's said it's for the animals or for the workers - but not all the 'evidence' is released when requested for an investigation.

This affects everyone who eats? Where does your food come from? What if the delivery truck stopped running to the city? What if it was illegal to sell food? Can't happen? In incremental steps it is happening. This affects every person who eats.

Food is too important to be a weapon or political battleground. It seems an impasse and the only way to get through "the impossible" is communications. Political groups have their agendas but it can be solved much more grass roots - with the computer you have in front of you right now.

In an ever increasing number farmers are turning to social media as a means to reach the public. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and blogs are something many do - but don't realize those are also tools you can learn more about the food supply and be a small but critically important part in having a voice in the future of food.

Food production depends on it. Land is less available as cities and suburban areas expand but everyone still needs food. The solutions are ever changing and often confusing. Be a part of solutions. Forget sensationalized news reports - talk to those involved. Don't ignore more small farms, family farmers and increasingly multi-family farms. The problems are much bigger than you know and every consumer can be part of the solution.