Z

Z Start a SECTION
a publication making our economy safe

BUY LOCAL!
of ecotrust
issue #3 for people and nature
SECTION
Join the Tomato Initiative this summer Buy local
Look for Local Lucy at partner stores and live free.
from mid-August to mid-September: Making

revolution
Many revolutions start with uncommon alliances. Local retailers and distributors have
The food industry is consolidating
joined Ecotrust’s Tomato Initiative to map the flow of local tomatoes and better understand our economy at an alarming rate. The top com-
where our food comes from. Let’s start a revolution with a tomato!
safe for people panies producing meats, grains,
Alberta Street Co-op • Bale’s Thriftways • Charlie’s Produce •
The Daily Grind • Food Front • Hank’s Thriftways • Lamb’s Thriftways •
and nature and other staples now enjoy vir-
The blessings of the free market
New Seasons Market • OGC (Organically Grown Company) • tual control over the markets for

with a
have won endless praise. But
People’s Food Co-op • Portland Farmers’ Market • Sheridan Fruit Co. • wait a second. If Adam Smith’s their products. It’s gotten to the
Stroheckers • Whole Foods Market • Wild Oats Natural Marketplace • “invisible hand” is so deft, why
are problems like climate disrup- point where much of our nourish-
Zupan’s Markets tions and ever-widening wealth
gaps so clearly visible? ment depends on a handful of
Don’t stop with tomatoes! We can change all that by giants. And they’re shipping foods
August offers a bounty of yummy local foods: beans, beets, pears, peaches, basil, and more. rethinking some of our basic
Other seasons have their specialties, too. When you’re looking for food, think local first. assumptions. Let’s start by rec-
an average of 1500 miles to reach
ognizing that the “economy” is your plate, a practice that strains
but a part of the larger “ecology.”
Celebrating local heroes The result will be more prosper-
ous lives for all of us.
anyone’s notion of “fresh.”
Get to know your local farmers. They, their families, and their supporters are doing more than just provide food — they are the
managers of our open spaces. Here are just a few of the many people helping to build a regional food system in Northwest Oregon. The science is there, the eco- But a quiet revolution is in the air,
nomics is there, and we need
! Aaron Bolster ! Fred Carlo ! Dianne Stefani-Ruff
you there, too. and we the eaters hold the power
Deep Roots Farm, Salumeria di Portland Farmers Market,
Albany, OR Carlo, Dundee, OR Portland, OR
Learn more: for change. Retailers are posting
www.SectionZ.info more information about where our
Tom Winterrowd " Order copies of SectionZ at
Pitkin Winterrowd Farms,
food is raised. And new ways of
www.SectionZ.info/orders.
Portland, OR
buying direct — like farm-
EDITOR: Howard Silverman
DESIGNER: Melissa Tatge
ers’ markets — are pro-
WRITERS: Howard Silverman, viding us with tastier
Derek Reiber, Seth Zuckerman,
Janne Stark " Anthony & " Michelle Peterman, Debra Sohm, and more diverse choices.
Gathering Pierre Kolisch " Carol Boutard Jered Lawson, Eileen Brady,
Together Farm, Juniper Grove, Ayers Creek Farm, Melissa Tatge
Philomath, OR Redmond, OR Gaston, OR Photos by Debra Sohm Let’s take a look at this shift by
ILLUSTRATOR: Shannon Wheeler
following a tale of two tomatoes
DISTRIBUTION:
— Traveling Tom and Local Lucy.
What’s the Check out our sources
San Francisco Chronicle: 50,000
SF Bay Guardian: 60,000
Santa Cruz Sentinel: 20,000 We’ll see the deep problems that
Big Idea? All our citations are listed online. Click on Facts and Footnotes
at www.SectionZ.info. One example: The Oregonian: 95,000
Willamette Week: 90,000 the industrial system is causing.
Click on What’s the Big Idea “The industrialized, conventional way of farming is not necessary —
at www.SectionZ.info. or inevitable. By its very nature, sustainable agriculture can enhance SectionZ is made possible We’ll also see how some family
the environment without creating pollution and reduces the risk of through the generous support
human health problems by eliminating the use of toxic synthetic
and organic farmers are raising
of the Columbia Foundation.
chemicals. It offers strong economic returns and new income oppor-
“We cannot be tunities for growers while providing consumers with safe, healthy We need your financial support. healthier foods locally — a revo-
free if our food and its food. Many farmers have already taken notice; between 40,000 and Please write eileen@ecotrust.org.
sources are controlled by some- 80,000 growers in the United States (out of 1.8 million) are cur-
lution that will benefit all of us.
one else. The condition of the rently employing sustainable agriculture methods on their farms.” Printed on 100%
passive consumer of food is not a recycled 55# Rebrite, Z
democratic condition. One reason —Funders Agriculture Working Group (2001). “Roots of Change: made with 50% post- In this issue of SectionZ:
to eat responsibly is to live free.” Agriculture, Ecology and Health in California.” consumer waste.
—Wendell Berry,
Farmer & Essayist
FEEDBACK MATTERS
Learn more about Ecotrust’s
A Tale of Two
Please let us know what you think of SectionZ.
Write comments@SectionZ.info. Food & Farm program at
www.ecotrust.org/foodfarms
Tomatoes
a publication of SectionZ: Making our economy safe for people and nature. If we keep planet, profit and the
What do we mean when we say “local”? As close to home as possible. public good all in mind, there’s no reason that one has to run roughshod over the others. Over
the course of six issues throughout 2003, SectionZ will present a slew of ideas that have the
For Ecotrust’s Tomato Initiative, those grown in Washington or Oregon are local to Oregon.
www.ecotrust.org power to change everything. Learn more online at www.SectionZ.info.
SECTION Z making our economy safe for people and nature More info is a click away at www.SectionZ.info | issue #3

Think our food

system is working?
Think again.
The nature of food has changed
A Tale of Two Tomatoes
dramatically in the last 60 years.
More and more, our food is raised
on huge farms, under terms set by
distant corporations that control
the process from gene to market.
And while we might spend less at the
checkout stand, there are other costs
Genetically Engineered?
Overdrawn!
Gassed!
Would you know if Tom was “GE”?
Genetically Engineered tomatoes were among the first GE foods to arrive on Tom uses more than his share of water and soil.
supermarket shelves almost a decade ago. Back then, GE crops had novelty value, so Farmers know better than anyone how important
growers labeled them Genetically Engineered as a marketing strategy. Now that we soil is to raising crops. But ironically, industrial Picked while green, Tom is gassed to redness.
know more about the potential dangers of GE foods, companies don’t like to label them practices are causing the very soil they depend on In order to better survive the long journey to market, many toma-
anymore. In fact, we eat foods with GE ingredients without even knowing it: they’re not to vanish. Across the nation, we’re losing soil 17 toes are picked while hard and green, then they’re gassed with a
times faster than it naturally replaces itself. That hormone to help them
in tomatoes these days, but they are in everything from baby food to granola bars. Many
forces farmers to rely ever more on chemical fer- ripen. This is just one
countries insist on the labeling of GE foods, but not the U.S.
tilizers. But fertilizers don’t stay on the farm; they of the eye-opening prac-

to pay, and no one escapes the bill. Preserving Diversity pollute the groundwater and are washed down-
stream to bays and estuaries, where they are a
tices that has become
commonplace in our
The Taste of
Pesticide poisonings, rural towns on
Fruits and vegetables like Local Lucy get their beauty
and taste the old-fashioned way. Local crops are
primary cause of low-oxygen zones that are
deadly for fish. Agriculture is drawing down our
industrial food system.
Others include: Factory
Honest Food
bred for flavor, not mass production. In water supplies as well. Over 75 percent of our chickens typically have The peak ripeness of fruits and vegetables
the ropes, the diminishing quality of fact, farmers raise a dazzling array of
water use in both Oregon and California goes to their beaks clipped off once determined the timing of harvest
farms, and in California that means a deficit for — in the misery of their festivals throughout the growing season.
our water and soil: these are just a tomatoes, which not only have their the state’s close confinement they
own unique tastes, but also carry traits Ripeness — not the kind that comes from
aquifers of would peck each other
few of the problems. Nothing symbol-
izes what’s wrong with this sys-
that allow them to survive and adapt to
new pests and changing climates. Farmers
475 billion
gallons a
Balancing the Books violently. And farmed
salmon are dyed pink —
a hormone gas — is still a passion among
local farmers. While it may be hard to
year. Soil and water are essential not only for food produc- changes in their diets forego the convenience of long-distance
tem as clearly as Traveling Tom, are performing a heroic service by keeping tion but even for life on earth. Innovative techniques have caused them to fruits and vegetables throughout the win-
these heirloom varieties alive. and technologies are available that can help to protect lose their color.
a tomato that’s bred to be ter, it’s only natural that we leap at the
these assets for future generations. For instance, drip opportunity for honest food — local food
picked green and irrigation — feeding water directly to the soil through — when prime season arrives.
then gassed to tubing — has been shown to cut water use and in
redness.
Pesticides! many cases increase crop yields as well. And farming

• Know your history • Expect transparency • Promote the common good • Pursue connections • There are no bystanders •
practices like planting cover crops and leaving crop
We deserve Tom receives several doses of chemicals.
better than Traveling Tom Pesticides in your pee — sound too weird to believe? But it’s true — most Americans
have traces of half a dozen pesticides in their urine. That’s because pesticides
residue on fields — common tools in the organic
farmer kitbag —can nourish and sustain the soil.
this. don’t just stay on the farm. They wind
up in the air of nearby residential
areas, in the streams flowing out of Providing Safe Haven 1500 miles!
Tom is exhausted by the time he gets to market.
An alternative is on farm country, and in the produce we

Oligopoly?
Alternative methods of pest control can reduce our 1500 miles from field to fork — that’s the trek made by the
eat. Farmworkers are on the front
the rise, led by Local lines of this chemical warfare, suffering chemical habit. Key strategies include monitoring average fruit or vegetable these days. Because of the
need to hold up over distances, our foods are bred, not
Lucy, the tomato next
door. One taste and
Tom is just another face in the crowd.
Here’s a snapshot of the state of the food business today: Four
tens of thousands of poisonings each
year. And to top it off, these chemicals
crops for pests before resorting to spray and main-
taining hedgegrows around fields that sup- Livable Landscapes for taste but for transport — their ability to handle the
long haul. And what do we eaters get? Tired tomatoes.
companies control 80 percent of U.S. beef packing, five control are becoming less effective over time. port natural predators. These measures pay We don’t need fancy research to realize that
There’s been a tenfold increase in both eating closer to home consumes less oil. But Think also about all the oil consumed in getting that
you’ll never go back. 75 percent of the global grain trade, and five control 64 percent
the amount and the toxicity of insecti-
back in other ways as well — providing lands long-distance food to our supermarkets. Nine percent
of the global agricultural chemical market. All this consolidation that’s not the only benefit. Relying on local
When you buy her and has been disastrous for many rural communities. cide use since the 1940s, but the share that offer livable habitat for fish, frogs and of America’s total energy consumption is used to pro-
of the U.S. harvest lost to pests and other animals. Organic growers have eliminated ingredients also gives rise to the tasty varia- duce, process and transport our foods. Cheap oil, sub-
other foods raised Farmers still holding onto the industrial system find themselves insects has gone up, not down. their use of chemical pesticides, and growers tions that define regional cuisines. And because sidized with our taxpayer dollars as well as with the
near to home, more of on a treadmill, forced to purchase seeds, pesticides and fertilizer
who have adopted standards such as Food owner-operated farms with a dependable eco- mortgaging of our clean air and climate stability, is
from the agribusiness giants every year. And as farm sizes nomic base are less vulnerable to the foundation upon which the industrial food system
your money makes it increase, community health takes Alliance or Salmon Safe has been built.
are working to reduce the pressures of urban sprawl,
back to the farmer, a dismal turn: there’s less employ-

helping to keep fami-

ment, more absentee ownership,
and higher levels of poverty. It’s
no wonder farmers are having a
lies on the land. It’s
tough time when they receive just
quite a ripple effect 21 cents of your food dollar — the
rest goes to advertising, distribu-
from the purchase of tion, and middlemen.
a simple tomato. But
Lucy’s a special fruit
Keeping Dollars at Home their usage. buying local helps preserve
the kind of open spaces near
Buying from local growers pays off big for your region. One which we all like to live.
study shows that each dollar spent with a local food business
is worth $2.50 for your community. And new types of food
shopping arrangements are popping up as well. With
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), customers
purchase a share of a farm’s ouput and then
enjoy produce that’s distributed at the
peak of ripeness throughout the growing
Local Lucy or

alad?
— the vanguard of season.
a Buy Local
revolution. Traveling Tom:

ur s
yo
Local Lucy on
Who would you rather have sitting
Dig Deeper: Resources for Local Foods online at www.SectionZ.info
 Z
Z Start a SECTION
a publication making our economy safe

BUY FRESH,
of ecotrust
issue #3 for people and nature
SECTION

BUY LOCAL
Look for places that feature local food Making
Buy local
and live free.

revolution
The food industry is consolidating
Shop at independent grocery stores, food co-ops, farmers’ markets, and roadside stands. Dine at restaurants that serve local
food. Consider joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).
our economy at an alarming rate. The top com-
For an online directory of local foods near you, visit www.caff.org/farmfresh or Resources for Local Foods at www.SectionZ.info. safe for people panies producing meats, grains,
and nature
Want to get involved? The blessings of the free market
and other staples now enjoy vir-
tual control over the markets for

with a
Become a member of the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, and join a dynamic network have won endless praise. But
of sustainable food and farming advocates throughout California. Learn more at www.caff.org or wait a second. If Adam Smith’s their products. It’s gotten to the
call 831-761-8507. “invisible hand” is so deft, why
are problems like climate disrup- point where much of our nourish-
Help School Cafeterias Buy Local! tions and ever-widening wealth
gaps so clearly visible? ment depends on a handful of
The H.R. 2626 Upton-Kind Farm to Cafeteria Bill provides $10 million to create farm-to-school projects. The grants will be used
We can change all that by giants. And they’re shipping foods
to plan seasonal menus, develop relationships with nearby farmers, purchase equipment, and develop nutrition education.
rethinking some of our basic
Endorse this bill with the Community Food Security Coalition at www.foodsecurity.org/action_alert.html or call 310-822-5410.
assumptions. Let’s start by rec-
an average of 1500 miles to reach
ognizing that the “economy” is your plate, a practice that strains
but a part of the larger “ecology.”
Celebrating local heroes The result will be more prosper-
ous lives for all of us.
anyone’s notion of “fresh.”
Get to know your local farmers. They, their families, and their supporters are doing more than just provide food — they are the
managers of our open spaces. Here are just a few of the many people helping to build a regional food system in Central California. The science is there, the eco- But a quiet revolution is in the air,
! Judy Low ! Andrew Griffin ! Nibby Bartle ! Jerry Thomas nomics is there, and we need
Molino Creek & daughter Lena Two Dog Farm, Thomas Farm, you there, too. and we the eaters hold the power
Farming Mariquita Farm, Davenport, CA Corralitos, CA
Collective, Watsonville, CA Learn more: for change. Retailers are posting
Davenport, CA
www.SectionZ.info more information about where our
Order copies of SectionZ at food is raised. And new ways of
www.SectionZ.info/orders.
Photos by Jered Lawson
buying direct — like farm-
EDITOR: Howard Silverman
DESIGNER: Melissa Tatge
ers’ markets — are pro-
WRITERS: Howard Silverman, viding us with tastier
Maria Inés " Derek Reiber, Seth Zuckerman,
Catalán Vanessa " Jim Cochran "
Michelle Peterman, Debra Sohm, and more diverse choices.
Maria Inés Bogenholm Swanton Jeff Larkey "
Catalán’s CSA, VB Farms, Berry Farm, Route 1 Farms,
Jered Lawson, Eileen Brady,
Melissa Tatge
Hollister, CA Watsonville, CA Davenport, CA Santa Cruz, CA Let’s take a look at this shift by
ILLUSTRATOR: Shannon Wheeler
following a tale of two tomatoes
DISTRIBUTION:
— Traveling Tom and Local Lucy.
What’s the Check out our sources
San Francisco Chronicle: 50,000
SF Bay Guardian: 60,000
Santa Cruz Sentinel: 20,000 We’ll see the deep problems that
Big Idea? All our citations are listed online. Click on Facts and Footnotes
at www.SectionZ.info. One example: The Oregonian: 95,000
Willamette Week: 90,000 the industrial system is causing.
Click on What’s the Big Idea “The industrialized, conventional way of farming is not necessary —
at www.SectionZ.info. or inevitable. By its very nature, sustainable agriculture can enhance SectionZ is made possible We’ll also see how some family
the environment without creating pollution and reduces the risk of through the generous support
human health problems by eliminating the use of toxic synthetic
and organic farmers are raising
of the Columbia Foundation.
chemicals. It offers strong economic returns and new income oppor-
“We cannot be tunities for growers while providing consumers with safe, healthy We need your financial support. healthier foods locally — a revo-
free if our food and its food. Many farmers have already taken notice; between 40,000 and Please write eileen@ecotrust.org.
sources are controlled by some- 80,000 growers in the United States (out of 1.8 million) are cur-
lution that will benefit all of us.
one else. The condition of the rently employing sustainable agriculture methods on their farms.” Printed on 100%
passive consumer of food is not a recycled 55# Rebrite, Z
democratic condition. One reason —Funders Agriculture Working Group (2001). “Roots of Change: made with 50% post- In this issue of SectionZ:
to eat responsibly is to live free.” Agriculture, Ecology and Health in California.” consumer waste.
—Wendell Berry,
Farmer & Essayist
FEEDBACK MATTERS
Learn more about Ecotrust’s
A Tale of Two
Please let us know what you think of SectionZ.
Write comments@SectionZ.info. Food & Farm program at
www.ecotrust.org/foodfarms
Tomatoes
SectionZ: Making our economy safe for people and nature. If we keep planet, profit and the
What do we mean when we say “local”?
a publication of
public good all in mind, there’s no reason that one has to run roughshod over the others. Over
As close to home as possible. Or as far as you will go to get to know your farmer. the course of six issues throughout 2003, SectionZ will present a slew of ideas that have the
www.ecotrust.org power to change everything. Learn more online at www.SectionZ.info.