PORTLAND, OR — Some farmers statewide recently set aside their harvest plans for a couple of days to learn more about a growing trend known as “food sovereignty.” The term means having more local control over foods grown and sold in an area. At a weekend conference in Portland, hundreds debated the merits of a food system dominated by industrial agriculture and focused on convenience, high yields and global sales.
It may be churning out a lot of food, but is it as safe or nutritious as it could be?
“If you believe that there’s nothing wrong with the food supply, you know, look around at the amount of obesity,” said farmer Chris Hardy. “You don’t even know who grows your food, you don’t know how it was produced, we’re kind of ‘dumbing down’ our culture.”
Its organizers billed the “Justice Begins with Seeds” conference as a way to explore “reclaiming” the food system. Hardy acknowledges changes would require shoppers to temper their expectations about getting any type of produce, any time of year. But he thinks people are more interested in eating healthier, and buying from local sources.
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