Issue Position: Agriculture

Issue Position

We import food from countries where we would rather not drink the water. We forget about hazardous pesticides banned in the U.S. long ago that are still used in many countries from which we now buy food. If we continue as a nation to lose our production agriculture and become increasingly dependent upon other countries for our food, we will lose what is perhaps our most important strength as a nation - the ability to sustain ourselves with safe and abundant supplies of affordable food.

A sustainable, abundant, and affordable agriculture industry will benefit our diverse communities. Current food programs such as the food stamp program for low-income citizens and the commodity supplemental food program which benefits seniors depend on the safety and viability of our nations food supply.

Sustainable agriculture is one that produces abundant food without depleting the earth's resources or polluting its environment.

No matter how elegant the system or how accomplished the farmer, no agriculture is sustainable if it is not also able to provide a healthy family income and a good quality of life. Sustainable practices lend themselves to smaller, family-scale farms. These farms, in turn, tend to find their best niches in local markets, within local food systems, often selling directly to consumers. Creating and serving new markets remains one of the key challenges for sustainable agriculture.

I support working to raise consumers' awareness about how their food is grown and processed--how plants, animals, the soil, and the water are treated. We must work to forge stronger bonds between producers and consumers that will, in time, cement the foundations of locally and regionally self-sufficient food systems.

Source