Bananas and the Emergence of Sustainability..

It seems comical, or perhaps inspiring, that it is in the banana business where we can see the emergence of sustainability as a market demand force. Two major banana producers, Chiquita and Dole, are vying for credit as the leaders in sustainable banana production. The two companies are at the forefront of Rainforest Certification in South American produce and commodity production, and highlight an encouraging and positive trend; the market, slowly, is demanding environmental accountability in its products.

It is no surprise when the market reacts to a demand. The fact that Chiquita and Dole, along with Kraft and Unilever for different products, are responding to the demands being made on them shouldn't shock us; that is what companies want to do, it is what they are designed to do and it is how a good business operates. What is unique is that companies are starting to see the light and that consumers are becoming increasingly aware of sustainability principles.

Many believe that it will be up to individuals, acting in the market, to create an industrial and commercial climate which promotes sustainability. Until consumers demand those kinds of products, producers will not respond. If left to their own devices, producers of goods and services will ignore environmentally positive behaviors in their pursuit of profit. It's their character, and blaming a company for acting that way is like blaming a poorly trained dog for urinating on the carpet; it's our job to train companies in how we want them to act, and now that we may be doing so, positive results could soon follow on a large scale.

What is left to be determined is for how long these kinds of practices will continue. Is sustainability a passing fad, one that will disappear the moment commodity prices rise, or is it permanent, a shift in consciousness for billions around the world ? The answer may be in our bananas.

For a little fun, an old school Chiquita banana commercial..

Local Food Sovereignty, Coming To a Home Near You ?

The small town of Sedgwick, Maine, a small rural farming community with a population barely above 1000, has passed a local ordinance which states that community members can enter into purchase agreements with food producers or processors where purchasers are able to wave liability for the producer. This is an attempt by the community to sidestep federal agricultural regulations which strain local food production opportunities and benefit the large scale food producers which currently dominate the agricultural sector. Ever increasing regulations place a disproportionate burden on small scale farmers, and in order to survive, many believe they will simply have to be excused from their application.

Local food production has been gaining in popularity in recent years and this marks the first claim of food sovereignty in the nation. While it can be assumed that the ordinance will be challenged  in the court of law, this can certainly be seen as a step in a movement which will play a significant role in reducing our nation's environmental impact and in reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with large scale agricultural production.

The benefits of small farms and locally produced food products have been bandied about for years. The environmental benefits are especially significant, as large scale, corporate food producers have become notorious for their impact on the environment and the general problems which the system creates for both the environment as well as the consumer and the traditional, small scale farmer. What's more, recent food born illness outbreaks, which have almost exclusively come from large scale producers, have created a public health crisis.

Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms, who was featured in the film Food Inc, briefly discusses here the role of the local farm, some of its challenges and why local food is better food.