Food Dialogues

Food Dialogues

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
There is a great deal of attention being paid to sustainability in agriculture these days and it is driving major changes in every aspect. By that I mean from the organic farmer too big agriculture like Simplot. At a recent conference in Madison, Wisconsin a program developed by the US Farmers and Ranchers Alliance and called Food Dialogues® was convened. I talked some time ago with Randy Krotz, CEO, U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) about Food Dialogues: "By bringing together voices from across the spectrum to a local setting, the discussion will dive deep into consumer concerns and what local food companies, large corporations, organizations and farmers from across the country are doing to better adapt and communicate." 

Hundreds of attendees gathered as Michael Specter, a food and science staff writer with The New Yorker, moderated a diverse panel that included a registered dietitian, a food industry sustainability expert, and a fifth-generation dairy farmer discussed how consumers and farmers define sustainability and the various methods and technologies used on farms - small and large - to protect the environment.

In defining sustainability, the panel agreed with Steve Peterson, food industry sustainability expert and former General Mills executive, that sustainability boils down to two questions; where does my food come from? and how is it cared for? As trends continually evolve, consumers are increasingly interested in learning more about their food and engaging in a dialogue with farmers/ranchers and the agricultural supply chain. And this trend resonates with these farmers who care immensely about their customers.

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