As a consumer in the modern day world, more information about the way that goods are produced is continuously being brought into the public’s knowledge. This has led to the rise of movements like veganism and minimalism which both seek to promote a more sustainable and compassionate way of living. If one really considers the extremely cheap prices of certain goods the question of who is really paying for that price may cross one’s mind. Is it the exploited workers? The environment? People’s health? One of the goods that every consumer has to buy is food. The production of food is one of the issues that is gaining more exposure and concern as people learn more about it and start wondering how they can eat in a way that benefits them and the Earth better. The best way to consume food that helps the planet, ones health, farm workers, and animals is by buying from small local organic farms.
Dairy Cow on a Small Farm
Large scale industrialized agriculture has massively grown ever since the Green Revolution, an agricultural movement meant to increase production of agricultural goods globally through the use of technology. With it the impact of using pesticides, herbicides, and raising livestock in concentrated spaces have led to environmental consequences. Both large scale crop production as well as factory farming have environmental impacts that need to be addressed. One of the negative aspects of large scale crop production is habitat destruction. Pesticides and herbicides run off of crops and poison streams and rivers and thus kill wildlife as a result of modern farmers having to increase their production and kill insects and weeds more efficiently. Also, the machinery used to harvest crops of fields leads to mice, rabbits, foxes, and birds being killed as well as farmers shooting deer and other wildlife that could be potentially eating their crops. In fact Barbara Kingsolver, a small farmer and writer, explained that an estimated 67 million birds die each year due to pesticide exposure from large scale agriculture (Kingsolver). Meanwhile, factory farming is a major cause of water pollution as well as deforestation. Fields of forest are cleared to make room for livestock and whenever a livestock holding pen is flooded all the waste from the animals runs off into waterways. Unlike large scale agriculture, small local farms do not have a large negative impact on the environment and many of them actually work to help the environment.
Pasture Raised Geese Cooling Off
The key difference that allows small, local farmers to take the land they use and rely on into consideration is that since the owners are in charge of a smaller amount of resources they have to care for them in a way that allows them to last. To small farmers land, soil, and water are not disposable. As Peter Rosset, an agriculture analyst, said, “Responsible management of the natural resources of soil, water, and wildlife on the 60 percent of all US farms less than 180 acres in size, produces significant environmental benefits for society. Investment in the viability of these operations will yield dividends in the stewardship of the nation’s natural resources.” As Rosset explains, a smaller amount of resources can be more responsibly managed and the proper care of these resources benefits society as a whole since they will last longer and be of better quality. Furthermore, small farmers are much more likely to grow different crops together and diversify their crops. This helps to restore the nutrients in soil and helps bee and butterfly populations. “Small farms embody a diversity of ownership, cropping systems, landscapes, biological organization, culture and traditions. A varied farm structure contributes to biodiversity and a diverse and esthetically pleasing rural landscape,” Rosset explains. Growing crops in a varied way helps the environment rather than harm it the way that monocropping, or only growing one kind of crop, does. Addressing the issues concerning livestock, on small farms livestock are usually raised with access to more space than factory farmed animals and thus their waste is not concentrated and thus not as large a contributor to water pollution. If the livestock are pasture raised than their waste actually fertilizes and enriches the soil, improving its quality. Although small farmers still have to clear land for pasture they do not have to completely clear the area of trees the way that factory farms do since factory farms need more space to put up much larger barns and holding pens.
Furthermore, small farms are much more likely to treat their livestock in a more humane fashion than the way that factory farms do. This is partly because the farm owners are usually directly involved with the raising of their animals and since animals are able to be seen by others and are not hidden away the way that factory farmed animals are hidden from public view by being kept in walled buildings. Also, consumers can visit these farms in person and see exactly how what they are eating is being raised. Small farms are in general much more transparent about how their animals are raised than large industrial farms are. Customers of small farms can directly ask the farmers about their farming practices. On the other hand industrial farms are much harder to get access to and a customer would rarely get the chance to talk to the handlers of the livestock.
Chicks Playing in a Manger
Small farms being much more transparent about their practices also means that their workers are generally treated better than that of large scale farms. Once again, customers can go and see how these farms are run and how the workers are treated. On many small farms the workers are often family members or other people in that farms community and thus have more of a connection to the owners and less likely to be abused. In contrast, many of the workers on large scale farms are migrants who are often abused since they are not fully legal citizens or are in countries with loose labor laws. As Natasha Bowens, an advocate for farming and food justice, states, “Over the past decade, 12-plus employers in the state of Florida have been federally prosecuted for the enslavement of over 1,000 farmworkers”(Bowens).Bowens continues by explaining that workers have been beaten, shot, and chained as well(Bowens). Clearly, large scale farm workers are not being treated justly and in some cases they are being treated like slaves. Furthermore, many of these workers are children and are subjected to unsafe living and working conditions and are paid very little. Buying from small farms means that consumers are not supporting the abuse of underpaid children and migrant workers.
Horses Grazing
Also, the products from small farms are much better for one’s health as there is more of a focus on the quality of the food. Small farmers are directly overseeing their food production and often participating in it themselves and thus there is more reason to take pride in the products that they grow. Small farmers often grow more varied crops which allows customers to buy produce containing different vitamins and minerals. Michael Pollan, a well-known food author, explains how eating food from a farmers market or CSA box, a food subscription service, means that it is automatically in season and thus most nutritious. He continues by explaining that eating in season results in a more varied, fresh and nutritious diet(Pollan).Small farmers have to grow what is in season and this results in their crops being more flavorful and nutrient rich since they are not being shipped in from a different country, frozen or dyed to appear ripe. Contaminated foods are much less likely to be produced on a small farms since it is much easier to manage crop and livestock health. On a large scale farm with thousands of animals and plants a sick animal or plant could be easily overlooked and an outbreak of disease could go unnoticed until it started to largely affect the livestock or produce. As Michael Pollan states, “If you are concerned about chemicals in your produce you, can simply ask the farmer at the market how he or she deals with pests and fertility and begin the sort of conversation between producers and consumers that….is the best guarantee of quality in your food”(Pollan). Small farms allow for the consumer and producer to directly connect with each other allowing for greater transparency about food production and food quality.
Summer Apples
One of the arguments against small farming is that on a large scale it is not possible. This argument takes the stance that there is not enough land available for small farmers to feed larger numbers of people. However, according to Peter Dockrill, an environmental science writer, only 38% of land globally is used for agriculture since the rest is either unsuitable or forested(Dockrill). Thus the problem is not really the amount of land but rather its suitability. One of the benefits of small farming practices is that they can be regenerative of the soil and help to restore it. Small farming practices would help to preserve land currently used for farming and help restore land with poor soil quality. If large farms continue to strip the soil of minerals and not replenish it, less available farming land will be the result. If you consider this large scale agriculture is not sustainable for larger populations in the long run since it results in less suitable land over time. Furthermore, many small farms within communities and surrounding cities could help to provide high quality, sustainable, and local food for people in those areas. Not much land is required to grow fruits and vegetables, and as explained by Dockrill it would be more sustainable for people to eat more fruits, vegetables and grains and less meat, since livestock need more area especially if they are grass fed. Alsom with the rise of techniques like Hydroponics, fish and vegetables could be grown in very little space together. If the resources, land, and technology we have are properly managed then small farms would be able to produce food for a greater number of people in a sustainable way. If small farming was encouraged than the number of small farms would increase and there would be less dependency on industrial farms to provide food for everyone.
Overall, buying from a small local farm allows for customers to support more environmentally practices, humane treatment of animals and workers, and receive food of higher quality. Small farms are more transparent about their practices and consumers can often observe how their food is being produced. They also get the opportunity to ask about whether or not the farmer is growing food in a way that helps or harms the environment. Small farming practices can be regenerative towards the environment and help preserve resources and wildlife. Small farms typically treat their workers and animals much better than industrial farms. Supporting a local farm is one way that consumers can make a positive difference for the environment, their health, and the treatment of laborers and animals.
