Sustainable Agriculture
The term "Sustainable Agriculture" may cover a lot of subjective ground, but it is so important to the future of farming here and around the world that we hope our members will take the time to learn more about it. Many people would consider "Organic" to be the pinnacle of agriculture, but organic standards don't really address farm location, water usage, fair labor practices and transportation issues. Sadly, farmers in China and elsewhere burn down rainforests to grown organic products that then require tons of petro-fuels to get to markets in the U.S. The sustainable agriculture movement is trying to address these issues here and around the world. Perhaps someday there will be a "Super-Organic" standard that can ensure consumers that the product they're buying was organically grown on a nearby farm by fairly-paid workers who ensured that the land and water around them was protected while allowing the farmers to make a decent living. Someday! Until then, incremental steps, and consumer enthusiasm, can help bring us towards that bright future.
This is a also a great spot to mention Community Supported Agriculture (CSA's). This movement allows local consumers to support the small farms in their area by buying shares in the upcoming harvest. They then receive a percentage of the produce (more during good years, less during bad), picked fresh and delivered to convenient drop-off points near the consumers.
For more info on CSAs, CLICK HERE.
More info:
Eat Wild (pasture-based farming source)