Sustainable Agriculture is Blooming in the Upstate! Or is it?!

Yesterday I heard some troubling news that demanded a call to action. The Clemson University Student Organic Farm is under the chopping block as a direct result of the current economic downspin.

As Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Greenville Organic Foods Organization I am well aware of the growing presence and support for sustainable agriculture here in the Upstate of South Carolina. I am also highly aware of financial constraints within the current economy that is also hitting our educational system.

However, there are certain things we need to strongly oppose when cuts are wanted. I was sent a petition to preserve and strengthen this treasure of the Upstate; one that demands more than our attention, a true necessity for future generations.

It is now globally accepted except for a radical minority that we need to find alternative sources of energy. Oil and its byproducts will eventually disappear. This we know for a fact. What is in debate is how quickly this will happen and to what degree we as human despoilers can alter the climate. Oil is a limited resource. Middle East countries already know this and are positioning themselves for the day when their global oil exports dry up.

You may be asking what this has to do with organic farming? Well let’s take a look at what we use oil for. Oil of course is used in the production energy, but it is also used for producing plastics (another whole blog topic), pesticides and herbicides. All of these products of production are necessary for large scale agribusiness. Even large scale organic farming use energy and plastics. Farming requires technology to run on energy to prepare the soil, grow the food, pick the food, package the food, transport the food and sell the food.

Let’s look at the unseen ways in which oil plays a role in this linear system. We will focus on one particular area of interest: selling produce.

Most food can be categorized into three areas: processed, packaged and produce. (I wanted to replace produce with whole foods, but meats, dairy and eggs are all whole foods that are all processed and packaged.) Processed and packaged food items encompass the great majority of what is found throughout the grocery store. The inputs for these foods are immense and the profit margins become extremely small as a result. The demand for marketing and advertising is high to offset the costs. Stores want people to buy packaged and processed foods over whole foods. (Avoid the center of the store if you want to save money.)

Selling foods require advertising. The number one source for advertising is circulars, which require massive amounts of paper and ink. Most paper is produced using power from coal burning plants (another blog topic). However, most ink is still derived from petroleum products. The sheer volume of circulars and general advertising in papers make up most of the content. Shipping these papers made up of mostly advertising requires a large amount of petroleum. Hence, these two oil inputs for the linear system to get agribusiness (and some organic) products to your plate is incremental to the success of the system.

The byproducts of consumerism demand a shift in our approach to producing, picking, packaging, shipping and selling food stuff. The linear system of the old “green agriculture revolution” must be replaced with a circular system within the new “sustainable revolution” of organic/sustainable agriculture. We are learning to avoid all petroleum based pesticides and herbicides with organic farming. We are learning a “local food system” shifts us away from intensive, long distance shipping using large amounts of petroleum to locally grown and sold organic/sustainable foods at local markets, fairs, groceries and farm stands. Advertising is being replaced with word of mouth and sustainable networks. People are reconnecting food with place. And nothing tastes better than organic produce grown on small farms near your home.

The needs of our future will include sustainability (and more than likely be the driving force). The salvation of our economy will require a responsibility to future generations with jobs and education revolved around sustainability. The Clemson University Student Organic Farm and related programs will need to be a part of this paradigm shift. The farm is one of the only USDA supported organic farms located on a university property. The support and resulting research and technology is singular and unique to Clemson University and the Upstate.

The impact of the program has led to a blossoming of sustainable agriculture here in the Upstate. Sustainable and organic farms have been on the rise with the help of the program. The support of these farms and to those wanting to become sustainable farmers by the public is also on the rise, resulting in organizations and programs and events revolved around sustainable agriculture. Some of these entities include the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association which is holding the annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference ( http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/sac08/index.html ), the Greenville Organic Foods Organization ( http://www.gofohealthandeducation.org/ ), the Upstate School for Sustainable Agriculture ( http://www.scsustainableag.org/ ) and the Upstate SC Locally Grown Market that functions like a co-op.( http://www.upstatesc.locallygrown.net/

This is not the time to cut expenses or terminate the Clemson University Student Organic Farm and related programs. If the economy was not where it currently is, it would be the time to infuse funds into the program. What needs to be done is ensure its future and success by support far and wide. It is one of the Upstate's sustainability treasures. Let us not fail it in its potential to move our citizen's health and reconnection to food sources and food security. Let us save quality food over cheap food.

To make your voice heard visit the petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-clemson-sustainable-agriculture