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“Nothing is more personal than food. Yet, in this increasingly globalized world, food is becoming frighteningly impersonal, further and further removed from something we feel we control.” Hope’s Edge Frances Moore Lappe and Anna Lappe
In Appreciation of our Sponsors
Introduction
The agricultural food system as an institution is undergoing far-reaching social, economic and technological changes that desperately need to be confronted and evaluated. This rapidly developing system which narrowly focuses on economic growth, negatively impacts farm communities, reduces biological diversity, and threatens the environment, leading to a loss of food security for millions of people around the world.
The U.S. Department of Labor reports of all the occupations in America, farming is facing the greatest decline. And certainly statistics gathered and reported by the USDA in its Census on Agriculture are nothing short of alarming:
- Between 1993 and 1997, the number of mid-sized family farms dropped by 74,440.
- Nearly half of all farmers are over age 55, while just 8% are under age 35.
- In 1920, the United States had over 925,000 black-operated farms. Today there are less than 18,500. The current rate of agricultural loss by black farmers is over two times that of other American farmers.
- The farmer's share of each food dollar has dropped steadily over the last 40 years, from 41 cents in 1950 to only 20 cents in 1999.
- Since 1985, farm prices have dropped steadily for commodities such as corn, wheat and soybeans. Currently, these prices are 35-50% lower than they were 15 years ago.
- Most family farmers must work jobs off the farm just to make ends meet. 88% of the average farm operator's household income comes from off-the- farm sources.
- In 1998 farmers earned an average of only $7,000 per year from their farming operations.
- Large farms receive nearly twice as much in government payments as do small farms.
Less than half a century ago our nation’s decentralized food system would have been a model for the world to follow. Today our food travels an average of 1,300 miles from where it is produced and changes hands at least six times during that process. Corporate concentration has reached a frightening level.
- 2% of farms produce 50% of agricultural product sales.
- 4 meatpacking companies control an estimated 79% of cattle slaughter.
- 4 companies control 89% of the cereal market.
- 4 companies control 49% of the broiler industry.
- Since 1986 the number of hog operations has declined by 72% - a loss of over 247,500 operations. Of the remaining hog operations, 2% control nearly half of all hog inventory.
There is a clear need to re-conceive long-held notions of sustainable agricultural systems in order to avoid institutional failure and widespread agricultural collapse. Other systems are possible, and we are beginning to see a renewed interest in family farmers markets, local food routes and community-supported agriculture.
To help support the rebirth of the sustainable family farm and local food systems, Community Alliances for Interdependent AgriCulture (CAIA) and FoodRoutes Network have partnered to develop a new website, CommunityFood.com. CommunityFood will promote local and community-based marketing with a particular focus on family farmers and sustainable agriculture practitioners.
CAIA – W. K. Kellogg Foundation
This site has been sponsored in part by several funding partners. Out initial funding came from private sources and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation Food and Society Initiative (FAS).
The FAS Initiative is based on a vision of a future food system that provides for all segments of society a safe and nutritious food supply grown in a manner that protects health and the environment and adds economic and social value to rural and urban communities.
The purpose of the FAS Initiative is to support the creation and expansion of community-based food systems that are locally owned and controlled, environmentally sound and health-promoting.
CAIA – NASULGC Partnership,
Just prior to the launch of CommunityFood.com, several Land Grant Colleges and Universities who are members of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC indicated an interest in being involved with the project. These founding members of an informal partnership with CommunityFood.com have provided funding and other resources to help the site expand its offering to farmers and community-friendly rural businesses.
Initial members of the informal partnership include:
Tuskegee University
University of California
Michigan State University
University of Nebraska
The partnership provides an opportunity for land grant colleges and state universities to:
- participate in the development of the website;
- recommend the site as a marketing channel to local farmers and rural community-friendly businesses in their region;
- receive annual and bi-annual progress reports on the site;
- offer student internships;
- achieve recognition on the site for their involvement and support; and
- become an affiliate and generate earned income for agricultural organizations through an affiliate link.
CAIA and CommunityFood.com want to express their appreciation for the invaluable support of these forward-thinking institutions.
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