Food and Agriculture News: 6/16/22

Food and Agriculture News: 6/16/22

What Does the Future Look Like for Georgia Peaches? - Modern Farmer

GREAT question! It’s already an illusion for Georgia to be called the Peach State, as we’re not even close to the top peach producer in the country (California absolutely dominates this category) – nor our peaches Georgia’s biggest fruit crop (that would be blueberries). 

The challenge with peaches, and many other stone fruits (apples, pears, plums) is they need chill hours to produce fruit. Those chill hours are getting harder and harder to come by as temperatures rise. 

So while this article doesn’t necessarily provide a definitive answer to the title question, it offers great insight to how farmers are dealing with the challenges of climate change.

Sen. Jon Ossoff visits Southwest Georgia to hear farmers concerns - WFXL 

Can’t say there’s a whole lot to report here, but good to see Senator Ossoff take a trip to visit SW Georgia farms and take a look at what they’re going through first hand. 

What’s the most climate-friendly way to eat? It’s tricky - Canary Media 

Without a doubt, the answer to this question is eating a locally sourced vegan diet. But the author takes a different perspective – which is that a locally sourced vegan diet isn’t practical or realistic for many people. In fact, it might not be realistic for most people, at least as things stand now. Instead, this article suggests focusing on eating more chicken. And yes, the Chic-Fil-A slogan gets a shout out here.

This article doesn’t shy away from some of the atrocities coming out of the chicken industry, but does make a pretty reasonable case for why chicken is a safer bet for most people than eliminating meat altogether by arguing that eating chicken has probably done more to slow climate change than any other dietary change in the last century. Thought provoking, indeed.

What Is Sustainability? - Alicia Kennedy

I’ve been a fan of Alicia Kennedy’s essays and newsletter this year, and felt this interview was a great one to include based on what else we’ve covered today. Alicia spoke with D.C. chef Rob Rubba about his new restaurant Oyster Oyster, which serves and all vegetarian menu with an option to add a course of oysters. They also created an oyster bar next door as well. 

The interview dives into why Chef Rubba created his menu this way – to be as sustainable and as close to zero waste as possible. Great insight into how chefs are thinking these days and the lengths they really have to go to be zero waste. One example: they stopped blanching vegetables because it causes so much water waste. Good stuff. 

How ‘Fairy Tale’ Farms Are Ruining Hudson Valley Agriculture - NYTimes

Yet another story about farmers being priced out of land by city dwellers chasing farming fantasies. 

“It has long been a popular destination for second-home buyers in search of a pastoral lifestyle. But since the pandemic, demand for properties there, especially farms, has surged.”

At some point we’re gonna have to recognize that food is more important than second homes. What a time.

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