Today’s dominant form of agriculture is factory farming. It is based on the assumption that raising more animals in smaller spaces is more efficient than letting them graze and live naturally and therefore more profitable. It relies on synthetic fertilisers and chemical pesticides, large amounts of water, major transportation systems and factory-style practices for raising livestock and crops. However, by making the right choices about how and where we spend money on food, we can encourage farming practices that are more sustainable. There are many reasons why sustainably sourced food is important:
- More and more health benefits are being found from eating sustainable meat. Grass-fed (rather than grain-fed) meat has six times more omega-3 in it. This helps our cardiovascular system and our brain functions. Also, since sustainable farms are local, there is less time between production and consumption which means fewer nutrients will be lost.
- It tastes better. The food is fresher and so is tastier meaning there is less need to marinade or deep fry it.
- The animals are healthier as they are allowed to roam free in fields rather than being cooped up in factories with no natural sunlight, no fresh air and no room to move.
- Animal excrement is not allowed to contaminate the surrounding air, land or water.
- Employees on sustainable farms are paid a fair wage, are treated with respect and not exposed to gases from manure.
- Money made on sustainable farms is filtered back into the local community.
- Raising livestock on factory farms takes a large amount of oil- from growing and harvesting the crops to feed the animals, the fuel for ventilation systems and the electricity in the barns, to transportation costs to move the animals long distances. This increases are dependence on oil from other countries and oil is not a renewable energy source.
- It is important to support our local farmers and farming communities to enhance rural life.
- Sustainable farmers use renewable resources and so do not damage the environment. They use less fossil fuel and do not use synthetic pesticides or artificial hormones or antibiotics (these have negative effects on human health) (1).
Selecting food that is sustainably sourced is called ethical consumerism. It is about encouraging environmentally conscious consumers and companies wishing to be accountable for their actions on mankind and the planet. Food companies have a responsibility to conduct business in a manner that supports the well-being of people and the planet and consumers should expect these companies to think beyond today’s needs and take into account future generations. Food companies must address lower emissions, energy efficiency, water conservation, fuel efficiency, package recycling, waste management and efficient transportation of goods. Sustainable food production uses local, seasonally available ingredients as standard to minimise energy used in food production, transport and storage. It should also be organic and fair trade certified, come from sustainable sources and should exclude species that are high at risk of extinction (2).
For example, the Ethical Food Company produces fresh food that comes with various ethical labels telling you exactly what you are buying, such as fair trade, GM free, energy saving practices, seasonal, animal welfare and so on. They also use 100% biodegradable corn starch bags for packaging, pay a fair price for supplies that have a no air mile policy, use renewable energy to fuel their company and now have a Carbon Neutral Delivery Service (3).
The Local Food Company also offers green ethical and quality food shopping. The food is organic, preservative/additive free, the chicken and pork is free range and everything is produced locally in Devonshire. Over 50% of their products are sourced within 30 miles and 98% from within the region. They claim that you won’t buy shopping with fewer food miles anywhere else in the UK even when it is delivered to you. The products are not expensive, all packaging is reduced, reused and recycled, the quality of food is exceptional and this company is supporting the regional and British rural economy. They won the ‘Green Business of the Year’ award in 2007 and they specialise in the sorts of quality, honest, ethical products which are not widely available in supermarkets. The Local Food Company was one of the first online food retailers in the UK and they deliver nationwide (4).
There are many more food companies trying to incorporate sustainable practices into their business. For example, Kellogg has implemented a global energy management program to promote conservation, manage energy use and investigate energy saving opportunities including alternative fuels. They have succeeded in reducing energy use from lighting by 25%, reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 1,300 tons, recycled 1,000 tons of waste per year, reduced water use by 7 million gallons and eliminated more than 25 million lbs of paper packaging.
In addition, General Mills is the highest ranked food company for social responsibility. It has implemented environmental management systems to identify, track and report on key environmental parameters: wastewater, air emissions, transportation, packaging and greenhouse gases. Kraft Foods focuses on six areas that impact the environment: agricultural commodities, packaging, energy, water, waste and transportation and distribution. The company has succeeded in reducing water consumption by 34%, carbon dioxide emissions by 30%, energy consumption by 25% and solid waste generated by 16%. Nestle also reduced its greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and waste production through a combination of packaging source reduction, re-use, recycling, and energy recovery (5).
However, it is not just food companies that are seeking to make a difference: The Soil Association is a charity campaigning for planet-friendly food and farming. It aims to promote the benefits of organic food and farming, food security, educate the public on the misuse of antibiotics in livestock production and pesticides on the environment and encourage the UK to transform food culture. Their main concern is that individuals and communities are becoming more and more detached from how food is produced, losing the skills and knowledge needed to take active control over what we eat (6). Likewise, the Sustainable Table was created to educate consumers on food-related issues and help build community through food. It aims to promote small-scale sustainable farming that does not harm the environment, is humane to animals, provides fair wages to farmers, and supports farming communities.
Finally, Provenance provides supply chain management, marketing, research and consultancy services to food businesses across the supply chain, with an emphasis on supporting, promoting and developing more sustainable and local supply chains. They develop sustainability improvement plans and oversee their implementation. They help find sources of local UK produce and work with farmers and food businesses to raise standards along the supply chain (7).
Finding stores and restaurants that serve sustainable meat and dairy is the first step to incorporating this food into your diet. The more we spend on sustainable food; the more sustainable food will be produced. The choice is ours.
