urbansourcing/
some of the serious stuff - just a wee bit of info about why we source the way we do. please refer to the links page for some sites we like that offer some more in depth discussion to keep us all informed.
organic food:
what is it?
if food is labelled as organic it means that it is free from hydrogenated fat, aspartame, phosphoric acid, antibiotic residue, hormone residue, BSE, genetic modification or any of the 7000 artificial colourings, flavourings, preservatives, and processing acids permitted in non-organic food. farmers growing organic crops use natural methods to control pests as well as natural fertilisers and harvesting and storage methods. livestock on organic farms are kept and reared in much more humane conditions than those on non-organic farms, with organic standards promoting high standards of animal welfare.
why do we produce food in this way?
during and after the second world war the uk faced food shortages because it was unable to grow a sufficient amount of food on its land in this period to feed the nation. after the end of the war the government wished to improve the efficiency of food production to prevent the occurrences of such food shortages ever again so began to subsidies farmers to grow more crops and keep more livestock than they previously had whilst simultaneously investing in the agrochemical industry to make farming more efficient. the 'success' of these innovations means that the uk (and indeed virtually all developed countries) produce more food than can be consumed causing widespread food wastage.
surely too much food is better than too little, what's the problem?
the effects of such aggressive, subsidised farming are manifold:
you:
there is substantial scientific evidence that links the intensive farming methods and processing of food, now common across much of the world, to a wide variety of diseases:
hydrogenated fat - cause of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity
aspartame - neurotoxin
phosphoric acid - causes osteoporosis
antibiotics - reduced immunity
hormones - gender confusion, obesity, multigenerational cancers
pesticides - mutagenic, carcinogenic and unknown 'cocktail effects' on humans genetic
modification - linked by some scientists to irritable bowel syndrome, crohn's disease and autism
artificial colours, flavourings, preservatives and processing acids - cancer, liver disease, stomach problems
the developing world:
the uk government frequently dumps its surplice produce on developing countries forcing down market prices and pushing local farmers and their employees into poverty.
the environment:
the aggressive fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides used in non-organic farming are causing significant environmental problems on farm land and surrounding areas including soil degradation and erosion; poor soil quality; poor water quality; co2 emissions and global warming and a significant reduction in the biodiversity of our planet.
livestock:
animals bread in factory farms routinely kept in cages and stalls that do not allow them to turn around; are denied exercise so that their energy is conserved for growing or producing milk and eggs; some animals have now been genetically modified to grow faster and more efficiently or to produce more eggs and milk than they would or could naturally; the over crowded conditions they are kept in make it necessary for farmers to feed and spray animals with huge amounts of pesticides and antibiotics to stop the spread of disease, the residue of which has now entered the foodchain.
the financial cost:
government subsidies to farmers cost the uk taxpayer around £3 billion every year with a further £2.3 billion spent on cleaning up the damage caused to the environment from agrochemical farming. In effect this means that farming subsidies account for around 40p of every pound spent on food in this country.
fair trade:
what's fair trade?
the international fair trade movement began as a response to the unfair trade practices that mean many producers in poor countries are not able to get a fair price for their produce. the international coalition of the 4 main fair trade organisations defines fair trade as:
"... a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, which seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalised producer and workers - especially in the South. fair trade organisations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practices of conventional international trade."
what's meant by 'unfair trade practices'?
the huge differences in power between the world's very rich countries and the world's very poor countries have resulted in international trade practices that ensure the continued wealth, and therefore power, of a small proportion of the world's people. the methods used are varied, but two prime examples include: the practice used by many rich countries of 'dumping' surplus subsidised produce on countries in the developing world, which dramatically pushes down the price of locally produced goods in order that they compete and frequently results in the devastation of local economies and with it the lives of many farm workers, producers and their dependents. many rich countries also place high taxes on goods that are imported from abroad meaning many producers from poor countries can only afford to export raw produce. this enables rich countries to buy raw produce cheaply and make huge profits from 'the finished article' so to speak.
what does 'fair trade' mean for fair trade farmers and producers?
to be considered a 'fair trade' product all traders must:
- pay producers a price that covers the cost of sustainable production and living.
- pay producers a 'premium' that can then be used to invest in the development of their farm or business.
- make available to producers partial advance payments if needed.
- sign contracts with the producers that they work with giving producers the security of income that allows them to plan long term and implement sustainable production practices these 4 criteria are the minimum trading requirements for fair trade but there are also a set of underlying standards aimed at further protecting the long and short term future of farmers and producers - these include standards around protecting farmers from fluctuating market prices, pay and conditions for workers and environmental practices that ensure the environmental sustainability of farm land.
how can I be sure that a product really is fair trade?
most fair trade products use the fair trade mark, which guarantees the minimum fair trade standards (listed above) are in place between producer and trader. If you are unsure of a products fair trade claim or if it doesn't use the fair trade mark you can contact the international federation of alternative trade (ifat) to check.
local sourcing:
what is 'locally sourced' food?
quite simply this means food that has been grown, harvested and traded in one area. much of this kind of trade takes place between consumers and farmers on small scale or family run farms and frequently this means that the food has been grown using sustainable farming methods like organic farming.
why is local sourcing important?
there are a number of reasons why local sourcing is seen as a positive and ethical way to buy at least some of your food - there are obvious positive financial implications for an area if people spend money within a local economy instead of buying food produced elsewhere. it has also been argued that buying locally produced food promotes accountability between the producer and the consumer and can help to build a stronger community. buying locally produced food also allows us to protect the environment as it has travelled a much shorter distance from field to plate cutting down on fossil fuel emissions and the energy expended in refrigerating and storing food in transit. we're also guaranteeing the preservation of local farmland and the wildlife that it supports. it also helps to maintain diversity in the foods available to us because local farmers are much more likely to grow a wider variety of food and less common local varieties of produce. this also ensures continuing genetic diversity in food sources, an important factor in sustaining a healthy ecosystem. the continuing local production of food could also be very important for our future as it helps to guarantee 'food security' for local areas should changes mean we can no longer source food from further afield.
genetically modified food:
what is it?
when food is genetically modified, DNA is taken from one species and transferred into another - so for example DNA in arctic fishes that works as an 'antifreeze' and allows them to survive in freezing waters has been transferred into tomatoes and strawberries to make them easier to store and keep fresh. this kind of genetic modification bears no relation to natural or traditional methods of crossbreeding to produce stronger crops and animals because species barriers are bypassed creating gene combinations that could never evolve naturally.
what's the problem?
the effects of such interspecies genetic modification on the delicate balance of the natural world are as yet largely unknown, but already genetically modified crops have created 'genetic pollution' in the areas where these crops are grown - for example a foreign gene placed in oilseed rape crops has spread quickly to neighbouring weeds, an unwanted but surely not unexpected outcome of genetic modification. critics fear that such genetic pollution from plant to plant may not be the end of the story and some warn that such leaps could occur from plant to animal and most disturbingly from genetically modified food to humans with untold consequences for humanity.
urban angel gm free
all of our produce is gm free
free range:
what does free range mean?
there is as yet no standard definition of free range and unfortunately because of this the phrase 'free range' has been used frequently in the uk to mislead consumers - free range can and is used by farmers producing meat through factory farming methods. because of this much of our meat and poultry is sourced from free range organic livestock, and the addition of 'organic' helps us to ensure the meat that we buy has been produced as humanely as possible, and to the very highest standard. We are currently in the process of trying to source meat from farms registered under the rspca 'freedom foods' initiative which ensures that strict species specific standards are adhered to by farmers.
what's the problem with factory farming?
the problems really are too numerous to mention all of them here and vary depending on the animals involved, but some examples include:
- the routine injections of hormones and antibiotics used in many factory farms, residues of which remain in the food that you eat. the debeaking of chickens packed into battery cages to stop them pecking one another to death in their distress.
- the cramped, dark and unhygienic conditions many animals are forced to live in.
- the use of genetic modification in animals resulting in painful lives followed by painful deaths.
- the use of waste poultry and fish products in animal feed...
none of these factors lead to happy lives for the animals that we eat or indeed an improvement in the taste and quality of meat produced, so we are keen to support farmers who use their knowledge and experience to produce the best quality, humanely reared animals.
what do you think:
if you have something you would like to share with us, let us know.
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