Many Factors Fuel Demand for Transformation of Our Food System  

by Melissa Diane Smith  

At-A-Glance  

• A convergence of factors is fueling increasing demand for regenerative  change in our food system.
• There is recognition and acceptance that we have a problem with poor  soil health.
• Improving soil health is a unifying and galvanizing topic that gets people  engaged and willing to act. Farmers see results that improve their bottom  line.
• There is a need for the American people to get involved, band together,  and speak to their elected officials to support and promote regenerative  agriculture, which is focused on soil health.  

In a multi-disciplinary online conversation about glyphosate, the world’s most  widely used pesticide, a panel of five experts said there is a convergence of  factors fueling more people from all walks of life wanting to see a profound  transformation of our food system from pesticide-based industrial to soil-health based regenerative agriculture.

Factors Fueling Demand for Regenerative Change  

The factors include:

• Loss of soil health
• Loss of water quality
• Loss of air quality
• Loss of biodiversity
• Rising food prices
• More frequent shortages of specific types of food
• An increase in chronic health problems in humans that correlates with the  dramatic increase in the use of glyphosate and other herbicides since the  introduction of herbicide-resistant genetically modified foods in 1996
• An increased risk of serious health problems including cancer that are  linked to the use of glyphosate and other pesticides in farmers,  farmworkers, groundskeepers, landscapers, and others

U.S. Senator Cory Booker who sits on the Senate Committee on Agriculture,  Nutrition, and Forestry said that many people simply aren’t aware that we have  “a food system that is broken for everyone.” He feels that we are at a crisis point  in America where one out of every three U.S. government dollars right now are  spent on health care, and our country has what he terms “outrageous” amounts  of diet-related diseases. In addition, the United States has a little more than 4  percent of the global population, but it uses about 20 percent of the world’s  usage of pesticides. Many of the pesticides used are so harmful to health that  they are banned in the European Union. Polling reveals that more people than  ever want fewer pesticides in their food, and because of the Covid-19 health  issue in the last few years, more people realize the importance of taking action  to dramatically improve their health.

Even from the viewpoint of conventional farmers, current economic factors are  making it difficult to stay in business. The market prices of many pesticides and  other chemical inputs have risen to extreme levels, and continued use of  pesticides leads to the development of hard-to-get-rid-of super-weeds, super insects, loss of soil health, and loss of water retention in the soil; all of which  drain financial resources often to the breaking point. Six thousand to 8000 family  farms are lost every year.

Never have we had more awareness that we need fundamental change in our  food system, said Zach Bush, MD, an integrative medicine physician and  thought leader on how food systems relate to health and disease.

The discussion entitled “Context and Convergence: A Dialogue on  Glyphosate, Human and Planetary Health,” was moderated by investigative  journalist Carey Gillam and organized by Farmer’s Footprint, a coalition of  farmers, educators, doctors, scientists, and business leaders. This collaboratory  of thought leaders came together to expose the human and environmental  impacts of chemical farming and offer a path forward through regenerative  agricultural practices. To view a replay of the discussion that took place on July  19, 2022, click here.

Improving Soil Health is a Unifying Topic 

The solution to the many problems with our food and agricultural system and  medical (sick-care) system literally lies right underneath our feet. There is an  urgent need to focus on improving soil health and a willingness, eagerness, and  ability to do it.

About two tons of topsoil are now lost from every single acre in the United  States per year, according to Dr. Bush. The solution is to “…build an education and toolbox system in which our farmers can be supported in their transition to  a non-chemical-dependent agricultural system,” he explained.

Calla Rose Ostrander, an agricultural policy strategic advisor to the state of  California, agreed, saying there is recognition and acceptance that we have a  problem with poor soil health. Improving soil health is a unifying and galvanizing  topic that gets people engaged and provides farmers positive results, even  when they start taking just small steps.

“We’re talking about improving (farmers’) bottom line in the short term and long  term,” said Matt Nicoletti, Director of Business Development for Penny Newman  Grain Co., an international grain and feed ingredient company. Toward that end,

his company helps growers use simple and obtainable methods to make  incremental changes in soil health and soil structure over time. By doing this, the  company essentially helps farmers take steps to move toward regenerative  agriculture without their even knowing they’re doing that, and farmers see both  soil fertility and financial benefits from making those changes.

The Need for More Awareness and Engagement  

Sen. Booker said it’s important to help raise awareness of our broken food  system and to join with others to form a coalition to band together to fix it  through a focus on soil health. Two of the bills he has introduced include the  following:

• Protect America’s Children from Toxic Pesticides Act, which would ban  dangerous pesticides including glyphosate
•  Climate Stewardship Act, which would help support farmers to transition to  regenerative agricultural practices that focus on soil health.

ACTION ITEM  

However, he said: “Change doesn’t come from Washington. Change comes to  Washington.” So, the American people need to do their part and get involved,  speak up, and demand that elected officials support bills and enact laws that  support regenerative agriculture in the United States.

Melissa Diane Smith is a respected author, health journalist, holistic nutritionist,  and advocate for health-promoting real food.