EMERGING ISSUES
Michael Fields Agricultural Institute- East Troy, WI
May 26, 2009 Food-Based Urban Planning
Most cities use private planners to guide the city planning process. Recently, the conversation with planners is that food systems are a base component of a comprehensive city plan. Unfortunately, most planners do not have farm/food systems background. Planners might be a high leverage focus for food systems education.
- Continuous Productive Urban Landscapes: Designing Urban Agriculture for Sustainable Cities
- Agropolis: The Social, Political and Environmental Dimensions of Urban Agriculture
- City Bountiful: A Century of Community Gardening
- Closing the Food Gap, For Hunger-Proof Cities: Sustainable Urban Food Systems
May 25, 2009 Sustainability
Everyone is getting on the “Sustainability” band wagon. Of course, the fear is the term sustainability will be co-opted, corrupted and compromised. This new awakening is a victory for food and farming systems. Michael Fields works cross-sector with industry, university, government and other non-profits. We are willing participants in planning for sustainability.
Designing Sustainable Systems - Fact or FancyMichael Fields Agricultural Institute is currently working with the Conservation Design Forum on plan designs for both urban and rural locations. This article by by James M. Patchett & Gerould S. Wilhelm is an excellent resource.
Other Points of view:
- Commentary: It’s time for farmers to take back ‘Sustainable'
- Sustainability, Wikipedia
- Rodale Institute-Should eco-advocates engage agri-biz on getting to sustainability?
May 22, 2009 National Farm to School Program
“Farm to School” has become the term used to talk about many different programs in different places at different scale. The National Farm to School Program has just published “Bearing Fruit”, a timely resource on Farm to School program evaluation, resources and recommendations. We are involved in many such programs and now have a great tool for evaluation that is a national standard.
We are re-evaluating how to apply our resources to have the greatest impact for positive change in the diet of all students. The manual is free from Farm to School Publications.
May 22, 2009 Nutritionally Dense Food Plant breeding efforts in this country have largely focused on sheer yield. Over time, many of our plants have lost the nutritional density and diversity they once had. Walter Goldstein, Director Crop & Soil Research, has been breeding corn for ten years with higher levels of essential amino acids, antioxidants and minerals. However, we have not achieved the field performance level that is expected in this country.
We have placed some corn populations in Sub-Sahara Africa where humans need a higher level of a more balanced protein. We are realizing these nutritionally-enhanced corns are needed world-wide. We are seeking partners in industry, university, and government.
Editorial: The Role of Corn
Michael Fields Agricultural Institute is a public, non-profit institute for education and research in sustainable agriculture, which admits students of any race, color and national or ethnic origin.
Michael Fields Agricultural Institute W2493 County Rd ES
PO Box 990
East Troy, WI 53120
Phone: 262-642-3303 mfaiadmin@michaelfieldsaginst.org