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Kari Hamerschlag Sustainable Food Summit January 21, 2016 Sustainable Agriculture Solutions Feeding the World and Protecting our Future
Kari Hamerschlag
Sustainable Food Summit
January 21, 2016
Sustainable Agriculture Solutions
Feeding the World and Protecting our Future
• Climate Chaos
• Water Scarcity
• Environmental Degradation
• Widespread Poverty
• 800 Million Hungry People
• Low Wages
• Diet Related Disease ($$$$)
Industrial Agriculture (GMO seeds, monoculture, chemicals, massive animal factories,
processed foods) is a major driver-- not the solution to these problems
• Air and water pollution
• Depletes soil & water
resources
• Accelerates climate change
• Destroys biodiversity,
habitat, pollinators
• Health impacts from
pesticides, antibiotics
Industrial Agriculture: Destructive Impacts
In the U.S., 50% of grain production feeds animals and 40% fuels cars
Regions Polluted by Oversupply of Nutrients and Oxygen Deficiency
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Rapid Depletion of Ogallala Aquifer
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• High Plains Aquifer supplies 30
percent of the nation’s irrigated
groundwater; 40% of corn crop
• 69 per cent will be depleted by
2069; many wells are dry
• It will take 500-1300 years to refill
• Decline is major threat to
livestock industry
Pesticides: Impacts on Air, Water, Health
impacts
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Many Food System Workers are Food Insecure
Twice as many food
workers received food
stamps compared to
workers in other
sectors
“Even though the world produces enough food to feed everyone, hunger remains a problem… The model of agricultural production that predominates today is not suitable for food security challenges of the 21st century…. What we are still mostly seeing is a model of production that cannot prevent the degradation of soils and loss of biodiversity - both of which are essential for future generations This model must be reviewed.”
—Graziano da Silva, Director of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
“We need a paradigm shift. Food systems need to be more sustainable, inclusive and resilient.”
Sustainable Agriculture Solutions
Agroecological Practices
• Cover cropping
• Composting
• Crop Rotations
• Biological control of insects
• Mixed livestock and crops
• Agroforestry
2015 UN Report: Damage from
Industrial Agriculture: $3 trillion
“Unveiling the hidden costs of mainstream agriculture is
necessary… to convince decision-makers that investing
in conversion to sustainable food and agriculture systems
is a much cheaper option than current expenditures for
environmental mitigation and public health.”
—Nadia El-Hage Scialabba, FAO’s Senior Natural
Resources Officer
Source: UN FAO, Natural Capital Impacts in Agriculture, June 2015
UN Study: Holistic Grazing in Brazil Sequesters
Carbon, Regenerates Grassland Ecosystems;
Reduces Natural Capital Costs
“The use of holistic grazing
management can result in regeneration
of grassland ecosystems, which can
reduce the cost of natural capital
impacts by 11 percent. Greenhouse gas
emissions offer the most significant
natural capital cost reductions through
the use of holistic grazing management.
This is due to the increased carbon
sequestration of rehabilitated grassland
ecosystem on which the cattle graze.”
Source: UN FAO, Natural Capital Impacts in Agriculture, June 2015
UN Study: Organic Agriculture reduces GHG
Emissions, Water Pollution & Natural Capital costs
“Farmers that adopt organic farming
practices, which utilise crop rotations and
the use of cover crops, can achieve
significant reductions in water pollution
and greenhouse gas emissions.The
natural capital cost saving associated
with these impacts can be as great as
USD 1 122 and USD 43 per tonne of
wheat produced.”
Source: UN FAO, Natural Capital Impacts in Agriculture, June 2015
Organic Farming Produces Great Yields!
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• 2014 UC Berkeley Meta
Study Found no yield gap for
some crops (legumes, oats,
tomatoes, apples); small
gaps for other crops
• USDA research shows that
organic grain production,
can match or exceed U.S.
industrial grain yields, while
providing equal or higher
profits to farmers.
Great Yields and Great Benefits
• healthier soil
• cleaner, more abundant water
• increased biodiversity & pollinator
habitat (more bees)
• fewer greenhouse gas emissions
• less chemical exposures for
farmworkers and consumers
• more resiliency in face of climate
change
• economic vitality
Organic Ag Practices Increase Soil Organic
Matter, Water Storage and Resiliency
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• 1% more soil organic matter
increases water storage in soil
by 16,000 gallons/ acre-foot
• 21 year trial found organic
cornfields produced 1/3 more
during drought than industrial
methods
• organic farming has 4-5.5%
soil organic matter compared
to 3-4% for industrial systems
• fewer GHG emissions and
carbon sequestration
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Frantzen Farm in Northeastern Iowa
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in
Besides nourishing the soil with their manure, Frantzen’s hogs and
Angus cows will happily eat weeds on the farm – converting what is a
problem for most farmers into cheap nutritional food for the animals.
What most of the grain belt looks
like 3-4 months of the year
What most of the grain belt looks
like 8-9 months of the year
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GRASS-FED
Too many companies are
importing grass-fed beef,
rather than supporting
U.S. ranchers and
responding to growing
demand for local,
regional food.
Demand is Outstripping Organic and Sustainable Food Supply
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Too many companies are importing
grass-fed beef and other meats,
rather than supporting U.S.
ranchers and responding to
growing demand for local, regional
meat produced on
pasture without
hormones or antibiotics
Demand is Outstripping Organic and Sustainable Food Supply
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• Low organic grain production limits U.S organic
livestock production: organic corn imports surged
by more than 700% over last year (30 million
bushels)
• Certified organic meats was fastest growing
segment of $31 bil. organic foods industry in 2011
• Leading brands w/ certified organic & grass-fed
product labels grew by 80 percent from 2012-14
• A 2015 analysis of top food trends: 1/3 of
consumers bought organic meat/poultry in 2013
Organic Acreage less than 1%
of total farmland in the U.S.
The U.S. Farm Bill
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Average Annual Farm Bill Spending 2009-2012
11B
$5.8B
$1,2 B
$138 Mil $65 Mil$0
$2,000
$4,000
$6,000
$8,000
$10,000
$12,000
$14,000
Commodity Crops ConservationPrograms
Fruit, Nuts andVegetables
Local andRegional Food
Systems
OrganicAgriculture
Mill
ion
s
Growing a Sustainable Supply Chain: Key Actions
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1) Time and money in
policy change
2) Invest directly in
farmers, research,
education
3) Support and partner w/
non-profits
Growing a Sustainable Supply Chain: Policy Advocacy Required
Source: Politico, June 15, 2015
“There is virtually no “good food” industry lobbying strategy in
place, as the vanguards of healthier eating have largely ignored Capitol
Hill, leaving the traditional food and beverage powerhouses — which spent
more than $36 million last year on lobbying — to push their agenda.”
2018 Farm Bill and Budget priorities:
• organic research/extension
• sustainable livestock
• conservation programs
• beginning farmers
• reform crop insurance
Growing a Sustainable Supply Chain: Policy Priorities
Better regulation of industrial ag
• no routine use of abx, Clean Water Act
Stronger USDA organic standards
• higher animal welfare standards
Growing a Sustainable Supply Chain: Research and Collaboration
• US Organic Grain Collaboration: pre-competitive initiative focused on increasing
domestic grain supply, improving productivity and profitability of organic grain farmers
through research, better market information, technical assistance
• Leadership: Annie’s, Organic Valley, Clif Bar, Grain Millers, Stonyfield, Nature’s
Path, Pete & Gerry’s, General Mills, Dave’s Killer Bread, OTA and Whole Foods
(facilitated by Sustainable Food Lab)
Growing a Sustainable Supply Chain: Support New Farmers
With support from Nature’s Path, Annie’s, Dave’s Killer Bread and others,
Vilicus Farms Apprenticeship Program provides training and mentoring for
young professionals in organic farm operation and management – a journey that
ultimately ends in farm ownership and the growth of organic farmers in the
Northern Great Plains. (Montana)
Stonyfield is supporting a
partnership between Dairy Grazing
Apprenticeship and Wolfe’s Neck
Farm to increase organic milk
production in the Northeast and
foster the next generation of organic
dairy farmers.
Number of organic farmers required to meet market
demand by 2015: 42,000 organic farmers (OFRF)
Growing a Sustainable Supply Chain: Support for Organic Transition
Encourage conventional growers to
make the transition to organic with
• Higher premiums
• Long term contracts
• Loans and other technical support
• Support for a new OTA proposal for a
USDA process verified, formal Organic
Transition Program
Growing a Sustainable Supply Chain: Transparency, Metrics and Better Practices
More supermarkets and food
companies need to demand
and incentivize better
practices in conventional
supply chain as standard
practice in the food industry
Key Path to Sustainability: Greater
Investment in Plant Based Proteins
In order to feed a
growing population
and sustain the planet,
sustainable agriculture
solutions require that
people (especially in
developed countries)
eat more plants and
less meat and dairy.
Kari Hamerschlag
Senior Program Manager, Food and
Technology Program
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @karihamerschlag
@foe_us
Website: Goodfoodcampaign.org
For more information, please contact us
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