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I’ve just managed to watch the third episode of this 3 part series called “The Future of Food” and again the whole programme resonates! The discussion around small scale local production, producing food in areas best suited, and the whole Genetic Modification debate are most poignant. If you can watch if for yourself, but the main messages for me are that food supply for the whole world can not be taken for granted, and that the likely solution to feeding the world will be comprised of many many smaller solutions. The film shows a British example of recycling home food waste which has some merit. I have no idea who did it first, but my home area of Guelph Ontario has had a very successful programme doing this for many years. Interested ?
Guelph Wet/Dry Recycling
Unfortunately the BBC website doesn’t seem to make this third episode available right now but it should again soon. If you can, have a look. I am most interested in your comments. Post them here.
Other notes on the traceability of food front. The final conference for a large EU research project will be held in Brussels in early December 2009. If interested have a look at
TRACE
I’ve also found a startup commercial company working on providing traceability of food solutions. It should be interesting so see how they develop. I’ve only looked at their website at
Tracetracker
but the ideas do look quite interesting. I guess the real questions are do consumers want this information, what will it cost, are they prepared to pay this?
Leave me a short comment.
Jim
If you didn’t catch it, I would recommend it is well worth watching on BBC iplayer. Episode II focused on biofuel and meat production and consumption, and how production of these diverts human edible foods to those resources. What was great was that George also showed that areas such as the Yorkshire Dales area of the UK will not grow a human edible crop and will grow only grass. The only thing that can harvest it is a ruminant animal. Hence a different type of beef production will always be sustainable and not compete with human food resources, in fact will add a great deal to the total supply of high quality protein available. Watch it if you can.
BBC Future of Food
Jim
If you have any interest in food production, and distribution, have a look at an excellent BBC documentary called “Future of Food” by a journalist named George Alagiah. The first of three episodes was broadcast last night on BBC TV and is now available to watch again at:
Future of Food on BBC iPlayer
Personally, I really enjoy Georges approach, he makes some very serious points, but without being accusational. His sections from Mexico, Cuba and visiting the Maasai warriors in Africa bring the true story right into our living rooms. The issue of food provenance is also eluded to in some detail. I came away wondering if consumers would ever spend more time finding out where there food came from or how it was produced. Are these issues important enough to climb up the priority list? Watch the show and send me some comments.
Jim
The latest issue in the British public arena around food production and consumption has been raised by DEFRA and their food security position. For many of us who have worked, or attempted too, in agricultural food research it sounds a little like, far too little, far too late! However we must be positive and make the best of a rather challenging situation. Finding the methods of adequately feeding 9 billion people within 20 years are not trivial. It will require major changes in production, distribution and retail selling. My personal concern is that the issues will be treated as ’sound bites’ with many politicians and experts attempting to promote their own point via short statements to convince the masses, most of whom are completely isolated from the production of their food which they take for granted. These are very big and complicated issues, and arriving at optimal solutions will be very difficult and complex. However they must be attempted.
As usual, I have trouble improving on the prose of Felicity Lawrence so rather than plagiarize, read her short review of DEFRA’s new policy statement.
Our appetite for Food Security
Also some comments from a UK Agricultural Newspaper
Reactions of Agricultural Interest Groups
And finally, want to get it right from the … horses … mouth, here is the relevant DEFRA page.
DEFRA Food Security
I’m off to pick some wild blackberries to mix with a couple apples of my own tree!
Jim
 Several authors have responded rather negatively to the food standards association report on the comparison of regular vs organic foods in terms of nutrition. It would be nice if nutrition were a simple subject, one that could be measured or described by a very small number of simple metrics but unfortunately it is not. I haven’t got the FSA report yet but want to see it. Originally the reports said that they compared the levels of 14 different nutrients and found there was little difference. What they didn’t look for, and could well be of interest to the consumer is the levels of various chemicals found in the two types of foods. The list of consumer expectations is rather long, full nutritive value, minimal added man made chemicals, and usually a high quality fresh appearance. Again better tracking and food with provenance would give the consumer the information they need to make informed decisions.
Telegraph Report
An interesting programme on BBC Countryfile about increases in rustling or stealing of livestock as the price and value of the animals increases. Electronically tagged animals would be much easier to trace, and this information would also make finding the culprits much easier!
BBC Countryfile
Interesting results from a study published in the american journal of clinical nutrition by a UK research group suggest that, for the major nutrients, organic foods are no more nutritious than ordinary non-organic foods. A couple of questions I want to follow up on are who funded this research project and what were the nutrients they were comparing. As a scientist I suspect that the variation in nutrient concentration measured was quite high in both traditional and organic foods, begging the question as to whether they had enough data samples or replicates.
Personally I’m not a big promoter or detractor of either organic or non-organic production and we still have a lot to learn about nutrition, particularly human nutrition. Let the customer decide, and make an informed decision. However the big challenge I still see is proving, with some level of certainty, where the product came from. In most cases this can be done, however with most meat, and meat products this can not be done, so virtually anything could be sold as organic. Anyone got any comments? I’ll try to get the paper, read it and come back with some thoughts.
Jim
Press summary of research
A colleague of mine in Canada made me aware of a new documentary movie from the US called “Food Inc”. I’ve not seen it so can to be critical, constructive or negative but it is interesting to see the upsurge in interest in food production methods, and again knowing where food came from. If anyone has seen it can you please give us a few comments or impressions.
Have a look at the web page
Food Inc
This technology is moving ahead very quickly. I worked on a project a few years ago to consider tracking individual food animals like cattle and sheep. The technology has moved on considerably since then, becoming smaller, faster and using less energy, therefore the batteries will last longer. I’m not sure if there are inexpensive prototypes available now, but if not there will be soon that will perform this same function with food animals.
I expect many farmers and livestock producers to be skeptical, no one likes “big brother” looking over our shoulder but I think that this data collection could be a real asset to most producers who are doing a very good job. These people also like technology very much … that is technology that works! They don’t want to programme the computer, just use it and see the results.
Anyway, have a look at what is being done with the Puffins. Would you like to know exactly where the animals that produced your meat have been?
Puffins get Sat Nav!
With the recent increases in confirmend cases of swine flu among humans in the UK, not to mention the rest of the world, it is a bit challenging to remain objective. Again another article by Felicity Lawrence cuts to many of the facts. I too agree that the necessary intensive production of animals for food will always present disease challenges. The real challenge is how to provide the public with economical food, which I think, will necessitate meat in the diet, at a reasonable cost and safely. Individual animal tracking will be necessary. Have a look, more to follow!
Jim
Check out Felicity’s story on the origin of swine flu here
This is just another reason for a detailed animal tracking system, as the value of animals increases and the general economy deteriorates, it appears that livestock rustling is on the increase! Recent report on the news.
This obviously has economic implications for the producer, but also huge implications in terms of health for the people who end up eating the uninspected meat, and also transfer of any diseases that might be present.
Cattle Rusling in Increase !
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