Seeking info on modern ag & foossil fueluse

David Kupfer (dkupfer@igc.apc.org)
Sat, 2 Mar 1996 15:01:59 -0800

I am a graduate student researcher at UC Davis, preparing a report to
the NASA "MIssion to Planet Earth" program, explaining why a
consideration of sustainable agriculture is essential to any strategy
addressing global climate change.
I am looking for references (specific numbers and citations; I have a sense
already of qualitative issues) on the fossil energy consumed for our
conventional food system. Large scale national level numbers are great,
in fact that's the main thing I'm looking for.

I need 3 separate kinds of numbers, though if there are references that
integrate them that's useful too.

1. Direct on-farm energy use for cultivation, processing, climate
control, etc.
2. Fuel burned for long-distance transport to remote markets.
3. embodied energy for packaging of transported food.

Any information out there is much appreciated and will be used for the
greater good of us all.
Please send responses to the
following 2 accounts: dkupfer@igc.ap.org and rrfreifelder@ucdavis.edu

Thank you in advance,
Rachel Freifelder