Recent readings on Ag investment [Silicon Valley investors place bets on sustainable ag] compelled me to post a brief compilation on the movement -organic food to sustainable farming to localization- becomes -urban farming, venture capital, and Ag incubators! This illuminates that different elements in change allow for an entire industry evolutionary step, if not revolutionary. Its absolutely amazing to see so many things changing about our current agriculture production system. A testament to near end use drivers to reset inherent values in the end product (sustenance and health) [Sustainable urban farming ideas that think inside the box], coupled with traditional incumbent motivations to produce a quality product economically [How export-focused agriculture has failed everyone it was meant to help]. THANK YOU Michael Pollan [The Omnivore's Dilemma] for showing us all the the systems impact. Large scale farming was a boon gone awry - loss of family farms, continuing starvation, and dare I say the fattening of America with low cost unhealthy food. Yes, markets and systems are complex but that doesn't mean we need simple catch phrases to point fingers with, it means that we each need the fortitude to look through the other lens -greenies need to look at systemic issues and how it came to be where we are now; capitalists need to see how their cost/margin/competition decisions affect their end users and the externalities alike. The bottom line is NOT solely financial. We're all in this together, there is no conspiracy and activists are not cooks, but we all affect each other's quality of life.
Our ability to learn from mistakes and avoid future problems is what makes us so called 'intelligent' right?
BTW - Grist provides great coverage on the industry http://www.grist.org/kingdom/food
