Y2K and sust ag

Kirsten Saylor (kir39@hotmail.com)
Thu, 28 Jan 1999 14:58:43 PST

Gary Elliot and Kate Smith -- thank you both. I am working for a more
local foodsystem for the DC area -- there is plenty of talk here, and
now there's even forums, but I think it's too little too late. The DC
Area Food Coalition is holding a spring conference to raise awareness
about our foodsystem and WHY we need to work together on HOW to
create/support a more local foodsystem. But will we have enough farmers
to supply us down the road? I know there's a bunch of young, beginning
farmers without land, yet trained to grow a variety of crops for
direct/local markets, but ah, no land... (On this note, I give credit to
Maryland Department of Agriculture which has set up an exchange board on
their website for incoming farmers and retiring farmers. There's
probably more out there. Are there any which are regionally-oriented?)

Thank you both for saying that we, the sustainable ag community, have an
opportunity and a calling to provide leadership/guidance among the
panic. Do we just tell city dwellers to shore up on canned food? Can
we not take the Y2K challenge and strengthen sustainable agriculture
efforts by creating a larger "non-farmer/non-researcher/non-ag
professional" base of support. Who are farmers sell to? Who are the
REAL customers (did I open myself up!)? Don't we owe it to them?

And lastly, thank you both for continuing to say that NOW is the time to
act regardless of "who" put us here or "how bad" it's going to be. From
my experience, most food shoppers hav a "disconnect" between the grocery
shelf of pre-packaged, prepared food "items" and where the food
originates. I am working so that food shoppers have the opportunity to
become "connected" with their food. Educated shoppers tend to buy
sustainably produced food....

Consider the long-term consequences we bring upon ourselves, to our
fellow farmers, and to our customers if we don't take this opportunity
to share what we know about sustainability. Like you Kate, I worry
about "the morning-after" Y2K.

Kirsten Saylor
Community Harvest
Washington, DC

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