We offer a hopeful… yes.
In these times of burgeoning populations, the strides we’ve made as a company to honor the invaluable service family farms provide our industry, forecasting the developing farmer-owned restaurant concept, and our commitment to offering client guests sustainable menu options at every possible turn, is paramount to our work.
We’re encouraged by recent reports from the Environmental Defense Fund indicating that due to initiatives begun at grassroots levels, such as ours that promote sustainable methodology, are having a positive uptick on practical, innovative global food supply efforts and solutions.
Some of those solutions derive from sustainable agriculture such as food companies supporting no-use of artificial colors/flavors, and promoting farmer fertilizer efficiency and soil health through innovative farming techniques such as no-till and planting cover crops to boost long-term production.
Also, sustainable seafood practice solutions to eradicate overfishing by way of fishing quotas that allow fishermen to receive ownership stake in their catches (hence increasing their profits & sustainability), in exchange for adhering to industry limitations. Success of this practice has been reported in the Gulf of Mexico, where there are now three times as many red snapper in the ocean than eight years ago.
The Global Effect: If for example sustainable fishing becomes the norm in 12 governments that account for roughly 62 percent of the global catch, we can have 50 percent more fish in the oceans by 2025. Hence, more fish equals more people fed.
Where there are resources, education, and commitment there is hope.
Start by conducting open conversations with your community agricultural and seafood leaders and purveyors about increasing local sustainability practices, and what you can do to help reduce waste and control climate/environmental factors.
All efforts at the local level set the stage for a successful, growing, global food supply – one restaurant, eatery, coffee house, and cafe at a time.
*For more information: The World Agricultural Outlook Board serves as the USDA’s focal point for economic intelligence and U.S./world commodity outlook. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations’ World Food Situation reports on a global agricultural forum in order to achieve global food production to feed our world’s nations with a focus of sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, incl: land, water, air, climate, and genetic resources.
*Image: Founding Farmers