cross-posted at annoyedomnivore.wordpress.com
According to a 2012 study conducted by the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR), the global food system is responsible for up to one-third of all human caused greenhouse gas emissions. This study examined, for the first time, the carbon emissions resulting from all stages of the food system, including the release of nitrous oxide from soils due to farming techniques such as tilling. The researchers also examined the contributions to climate change made by fertilizer manufacture and refrigeration. The study was international in scope, showing for example, that in high-income countries like the United Kingdom, post-production (storage and transportation) contributes to the largest portion of the food system’s greenhouse gas emissions, whereas in China, fertilizer manufacture plays the largest role. The study focuses on what crops we grow, why we grow them and how we grow them.
According to a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists, “only about 2 percent of U.S. cropland is used to grow fruits and vegetables, while 59% is devoted to commodity crops, such as corn and soy beans, which are used primarily to produce three things: meat, processed foods such as high fructose corn syrup, and biofuels such as ethanol.” The report also examines current farm policy, which provides subsidies for commodity crop farmers. The farmers who receive these subsidies are then prohibited from growing fruits and vegetables. Moreover, federal crop insurance programs focus on commodity crop farmers, which makes it more difficult for fruit and vegetable farmers to obtain insurance and credit.
The CGIAR study examines how climate change affects the yields of the dominant crops. Another study conducted by researchers at Columbia University and North Carolina State University shows that the yields of three of America’s biggest cash crops, corn, soybeans and cotton, will decrease by as much as 80% of 2100. Dr. Michael Roberts, one of the authors of the study, said “while crop yields depend on a variety of factors, extreme heat is the best predictor of yields.” The report suggests that if nothing is done, the impact of climate change on global food security would be disastrous.
Farming techniques also play a role in the continuing unsustainability of our food system, as well as animal husbandry. Rattan Lal of Ohio State University, has pointed out “that nothing in nature repeatedly and regularly turns over soil to the specified depth of 15 to 20 centimeters. Therefore, neither plants nor soil organisms have evolved or adapted to this drastic pertabation. Modern mechanized farming makes the problem even worse: the heavy machinery compacts the soil further, requiring deeper plowing to loosen the soil. As greater volumes of soil are churned up and exposed to air, the soil carbon – which has been lying in place under the soil line for hundreds or thousands of years – meets oxygen, combines with it to form CO2, and departs for the upper atmosphere.” Lal also points out that by concentrating herds of animals in contained areas and allowing them to reduce grassland to bare ground, which prevents photosynthesis, also contributes to climate change. “No other natural process steadily removes such vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as photosynthesis.” Lal estimates that, overall, the world’s soils have lost up to 80 billion tons of carbon due to misguided farming practices.
Michael Pollan, the author of, among other books, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, suggests that no-till farming would go a long way in reducing the effects of climate change on our planet. Instead of plowing, a tractor would insert seeds into the ground with a small drill, leaving the earth essentially undisturbed. This practice has in fact been gaining ground in the U.S. since the 1970’s, which has contributed to a 40% drop in soil erosion. A 2008 report in Scientific American details the effects plowing has had on the health of soil. The U.N. Environment Program (UNEP) argues that governments need to encourage the practice of no-till farming. If the trend catches on, there would be effective climate benefits. The UNEP estimates that no-till operations in the U.S. have helped avoid 241 million metric tons of carbon dioxide since the 1970’s, which is equivalent to the annual emissions of 50 million cars.
The dangers to our food system from climate change seem to be insurmountable, especially when you consider the control multinational food companies have over our economy and political will. Oxfam, an advocacy group, estimates that the world’s “Big 10″ food companies emit more greenhouse gas emissions “than Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway combined.” Because of an Oxfam petition, and another petition put forth by a Missouri farmer, which called on Kellogg’s and General Mills to contribute to policies that lessen the effects of climate change, those two companies have indeed publicly pledged to reduce their carbon pollution. Both Kellogg’s and General Mills have set reduction targets for their entire supply networks by 2015. Many things need to happen if we are to survive climate change. If the big food companies actually move to reduce carbon emissions, perhaps our government will follow their lead.
Recipe of the Week
I was recently asked to make Muffuletta, something I haven’t done in a long time. It really is delicious, just very high in fat, but a treat now and again doesn’t hurt. The key is in the olive mixture, and high quality ingredients are a must.
1.5 cups of a mix of black and green olives, chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, roasted, skinned and chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
juice from 1/2 a lemon
2 tsps. fresh oregano, chopped
a few sprinkles of red wine vinegar
Combine all of the above.
Buy a good quality loaf of French bread, about 9 inches long. Cut in half length-wise and hollow out much of the bread on both sides.
Add the olive mix and
.25 lbs. of ham
.25 lbs. of salami
.25 lbs. of provolone, sliced
Wrap the loaf in plastic wrap and place on a plate. Put in the refrigerator and weigh down with a heavy cast iron pan, or something of equivalent heft. Leave for a minimum of 6 hours before slicing and eating.