I was speaking to my brother and the subject came up that the US is importing the bulk of its veggies from abroad.

What the Hell?

We have some of the best farm land in the world and we are IMPORTING our veggies?
What gives and why are we importing stuff that we can grow ourselves?

In the summer here in Wisconsin, we get most of our produce from California or other states, or from overseas.

Lettuce from 3000 miles away, when it's perfectly possible to grow it here?

It all comes down to cost. They grow it more cheaply over there, and often they get government subsidies to help them to grow it. Oh, and they hire those unskilled Mexicans to work for low pay and crappy conditions. Ever since the big spinach scare of 2006, I've put my foot down (cow feces in your spinach -- yum!) I NEVER buy my produce from out of state unless it's something I can't grow myself, like peppers in winter or bananas all year round.

This is bullshit, man. Support your local farmers! Learn their names! Talk to them! Better yet, grow your own food!

The easy answer why we import so many raw foods is as was stated earlier, because we want things waaaaay out of season. We want what we want when we want it, nevermind that there's mounting evidence that our bodies work better when we eat things that are in season where we live. Just as it's been found by various studies that working the graveyard shift isn't healthy because we're naturally meant to sleep at night, same thing appears to be true of eating fruits and veggies not in season. We're screwing up our internal clocks and our health as a result.

From what I've read, it's actually less expensive with a lower carbon footprint to fly in massive amounts of fresh produce from countries where it is seasonal than for local producers to truck what they grow to farmers markets and nearby distributors. So, guess what most Americans will do? Yep, go for instant gratification and lower prices.  

You want asparagus during the holiday season? Buy it frozen or get over your need to have it all whenever the mood strikes.

"I was speaking to my brother and the subject came up that the US is importing the bulk of its veggies from abroad.

What the Hell?

We have some of the best farm land in the world and we are IMPORTING our veggies?
What gives and why are we importing stuff that we can grow ourselves?"

 

 

United Fruit Company anybody?

Doesn't ANYONE know any history?

Feb 23, 2011 -- 10:50AM, BDboy wrote:

Feb 23, 2011 -- 1:49AM, DotNotInOz wrote:

The easy answer why we import so many raw foods is as was stated earlier, because we want things waaaaay out of season. We want what we want when we want it, nevermind that there's mounting evidence that our bodies work better when we eat things that are in season where we live. Just as it's been found by various studies that working the graveyard shift isn't healthy because we're naturally meant to sleep at night, same thing appears to be true of eating fruits and veggies not in season. We're screwing up our internal clocks and our health as a result.

From what I've read, it's actually less expensive with a lower carbon footprint to fly in massive amounts of fresh produce from countries where it is seasonal than for local producers to truck what they grow to farmers markets and nearby distributors. So, guess what most Americans will do? Yep, go for instant gratification and lower prices.  

You want asparagus during the holiday season? Buy it frozen or get over your need to have it all whenever the mood strikes.

 

>>>>>>> Well put.....

Glad you think so.

There is a "Price" for everything. As long most people are willing to pay for it, it gets there. Like organic food.

Well, here's where we part company a bit. Organic food really tastes far better. It's not rushed to market before it's at least quite close to ripeness, for one thing. We were amazed how much like fresh-from-the-garden produce organic onions and potatoes taste when I first decided to buy some things organic. Generally speaking, that's so as well as some evidence indicating that because they're grown more naturally, organics contain more nutrients and far less chemical residue. You don't, for instance, have to peel organic cukes because they aren't coated with wax like commercial ones.