The Future of Food, Agriculture, and Aquaculture

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A Billion-Dollar Plan to Fix Farm Emissions Might Make Things Worse
by Matt Reynolds
May 9, 2023. (This article was recently republished in Mother Jones).

Introduction:

(Wired) Agriculture is a big source of emissions. In the US, about 10 percent of greenhouse gases come from livestock or crops—and for a long time, agriculture has lagged behind other sectors when it comes to cutting its carbon footprint. Since 1990, total emissions from agriculture have risen by 7 percent, while emissions from sectors like electricity generation and buildings have declined.

There’s a simple reason for this: Cutting emissions from agriculture is really hard. It’s not like the energy industry, which has readily available low-carbon electricity in the form of renewables. Reducing agriculture’s impact means making tough decisions about what gets farmed and how, and dealing with the notoriously tricky science of making sure carbon stays in the ground rather than being released into the atmosphere.

The US has started getting to grips with these tough decisions. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act included $20 billion to help farmers tackle the climate crisis. And in February 2022 the US Department of Agriculture announced $3.1 billion in funding through a scheme called Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC). The money was intended to fund projects that help farmers adopt more environmentally friendly ways of farming and create a market for what the USDA calls “climate-smart” crops and livestock.

According to the USDA, its plan has the potential to sequester 60 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents—the same as removing 12 million gasoline-powered cars from roads for one year. But some scientists are worried that the PCSC approach is the wrong kind of climate intervention. The government could be channeling billions of dollars to projects that are of uncertain benefit in terms of emissions—or, worse, actually end up increasing overall levels of greenhouse gases.

If the goal is to reduce overall emissions from agriculture, a good place to start is by figuring out where all those emissions come from. It turns out that over half of all agricultural emissions come in the form of nitrous oxide—a potent greenhouse gas released when microbes in the soil break down nitrogen-based fertilizers.

Read more of the Wired article here: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/usda-c ... culture

Here is the same article as republished today (September 16, 2023) in Mother Jones: https://www.motherjones.com/environmen ... ms-biden/

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Chinese Imports of Japanese Seafood Plunge 67.6% in August
by Ryo Inoue
September 18, 2023

Introduction:

(The Asahi Shimbun) The total value of marine products imported from Japan to China plummeted more than two-thirds for August following the suspension of seafood imports over the release of treated radioactive water into the ocean.

According to trade statistics released by the General Administration of Customs of China on Sept. 18, the total value of marine products imported from Japan was 149.02 million yuan ($20.4 million, or 3.02 billion yen), down 67.6 percent from the same month last year.

The drop is believed to be largely due to the total suspension of imports of Japanese seafood products since Aug. 24, when the discharge began of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant by Tokyo Electric Power Co. into the ocean.

In response to the discharge of water, China has boosted its inspections of Japanese marine products for radioactive materials since early July.

As a result, Japanese fishery products were held for weeks at Chinese customs and exports of mainly fresh fish, which cannot be sold once they lose their freshness, have become virtually impossible.

Read more here: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15008238

caltrek’s comment: I kind of take China’s side on this one. At least until when and if inspections consistently reveal no increase in “radioactive materials.”

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Vietnam Needs Sustainable Development in Durian Production and Consumption
September 18, 2023

Introduction:

Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The agriculture sector and localities need to find prompt solutions for sustainable development in durian cultivation and consumption, according to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan.

If the durian industry, as well as other commodities, wants to develop sustainably, they must reorganise the structure from the production stage to consumption, Hoan said.

This means fostering cooperation between enterprises and farmers from the selection of durian varieties for production, rather than just engaging in purchasing activities. They need to transition from a business relationship to a cooperative one.

The minister also suggested that growing areas must register a code to plant durian according to standards. Moreover, it is essential to foster a close connection among businesses, cooperatives, and farmers.

They must understand that sustainable development is not only for durian trees but also for businesses and farmers, as they will participate in the sustainable durian supply chain.

The article goes on to note recent increases in trade of durian.

Read more here: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/vietnam-need ... 159.vnp

Background regarding durian:

(Wikipedia) The durian (/ˈdʊəriən/, /ˈdjʊəriən/)[2] is the edible fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus Durio. There are 30 recognised Durio species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit.[3][4] Durio zibethinus, native to Borneo and Sumatra, is the only species available on the international market. It has over 300 named varieties in Thailand and 100 in Malaysia as of 1987.[3] Other species are sold in their local regions.[3]

Named in some regions as the "king of fruits",[4][5] the durian is distinctive for its large size, strong odour, and thorn-covered rind. The fruit can grow as large as 30 cm (12 in) long and 15 cm (5.9 in) in diameter, and it typically weighs 1 to 3 kg (2.2 to 6.6 lb). Its shape ranges from oblong to round, the colour of its husk from green to brown, and its flesh from pale yellow to red, depending on the species.

Some people regard the durian as having a pleasantly sweet fragrance, whereas others find the aroma overpowering and unpleasant. The smell evokes reactions ranging from deep appreciation to intense disgust. The persistence of its odour, which may linger for several days, has led certain hotels and public transportation services in Southeast Asia to ban the fruit. The 19th-century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace described its flesh as "a rich custard highly flavoured with almonds". The flesh can be consumed at various stages of ripeness, and it is used to flavour a wide variety of savoury and sweet desserts in Southeast Asian cuisines. The seeds can also be eaten when cooked.

Source of background discussion, including footnotes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian

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True Cost of Food: Food is Medicine Case Study
September 26, 2023

Introduction:

(Tufts University) This report, supported by The Rockefeller Foundation, features two national case studies evaluating the health equity and economic benefits of medically tailored meals (MTMs) and produce prescription programs. This provides the first “true cost” analysis of implementing Food is Medicine programs across the country.

The report’s top-line findings show that national implementation of MTMs in Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance for patients with both a diet-related condition and limited ability to perform activities of daily living could avert approximately 1.6 million hospitalizations and result in an estimated net savings of $13.6 billion in health care costs in the first year alone. Further, national implementation of produce prescription programs for patients with both diabetes and food insecurity could avert 292,000 cardiovascular events and add 260,000 quality-adjusted life years—a measure of how well a treatment lengthens or improves patients’ lives—while being highly cost-effective from a health care perspective and cost-saving from a societal perspective.

Read more here: https://tuftsfoodismedicine.org/true-c ... report/

You can download the report using this link: https://tuftsfoodismedicine.org/wp-cont ... _2023.pdf

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Plant Milk Is Better for Us and the Climate. So Why Do We Subsidize Dairy?
by Julia Métraux
November-December Issue, 2023

Introduction:

(Mother Jones) Like an estimated two-thirds of the world’s population, I don’t digest lactose well, which makes the occasional latte an especially pricey proposition. So it was a pleasant surprise when, shortly after moving to San Francisco, I ordered a drink at Blue Bottle Coffee and didn’t have to ask—or pay extra—for a milk alternative. Since 2022, the once Oakland-based, now Nestlé-owned cafe chain has defaulted to oat milk, both to cut carbon emissions and because lots of its affluent-tending customers were already choosing it as their go-to.

Plant-based milks, a multibillion-dollar global market, aren’t just good for the lactose intolerant: They’re also better for the climate. Dairy cows belch a lot of methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide; they contribute at least 7 percent of US methane output, the equivalent emissions of 10 million cars. Cattle need a lot of room to graze, too: Plant-based milks use about a tenth as much land to produce the same quantity of milk. And it takes almost a thousand gallons of water to manufacture a gallon of dairy milk—four times the water cost of alt-milk from oats or soy.

But if climate concerns push us toward the alt-milk aisle, dairy still has price on its side. Even though plant-based milks are generally much less resource-intensive, they’re often more expensive. Walk into any Starbucks, and you’ll likely pay around 70 cents extra for nondairy options.

Dairy’s affordability edge, explains María Mascaraque, an analyst at market research firm Euromonitor International, relies on the industry’s ability to produce “at larger volumes, which drives down the cost per carton.” American demand for milk alternatives, though expected to grow by 10 percent a year through 2030, can’t beat those economies of scale. (Globally, alt-milks aren’t new on the scene—coconut milk is even mentioned in the Sanskrit epic Mahābhārata, which is thousands of years old.)

What else contributes to cow milk’s dominance? Dairy farmers are “political favorites,” says Daniel Sumner, a University of California, Davis, agricultural economist. In addition to support like the “Dairy Checkoff,” a joint government-industry program to promote milk products (including the “Got Milk?” campaign), they’ve long raked in direct subsidies currently worth around $1 billion a year.

Read more here: https://www.motherjones.com/food/2023/ ... limate/

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Ultra-processed Foods are Taking Up More and More Space in Global Conversations About Public Health and Nutrition.
by Alcie Callahan and Knowable Magazine
October 8, 2023

Introduction:

(Inverse) From breakfast cereals and protein bars to flavored yogurt and frozen pizzas, ultra-processed foods are everywhere, filling aisle upon aisle at the supermarket. Fully 58 percent of the calories consumed by adults and 67 percent of those consumed by children in the United States are made up of these highly palatable foodstuffs with their highly manipulated ingredients.

And ultra-processed foods are not just filling our plates; they’re also taking up more and more space in global conversations about public health and nutrition. In the last decade or so, researchers have ramped up efforts to define ultra-processed foods and to probe how their consumption correlates to health: A wave of recent studies have linked the foods to heightened risk for conditions ranging from cardiovascular disease and cancer to obesity and depression.

Still, some researchers — and perhaps unsurprisingly, industry representatives — question the strength of the evidence against ultra-processed foods. The category is too poorly defined, and the studies too circumstantial, they say. Plus, labeling such a large portion of our grocery carts as unhealthy ignores the benefits of industrial food processing in making food affordable, safe from foodborne pathogens, easy to prepare, and in some cases, more sustainable — such as through the development of plant-derived products designed to replace meat and milk.

“You cannot throw the baby out with the bathwater and decide that you’re going to just dump everything” that’s ultra-processed, says Ciarán Forde, a sensory science and eating behavior researcher at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and coauthor of a 2022 look at food processing and diets in the Annual Review of Nutrition.

As the debate about ultra-processed foods roils on, one path forward is to invest in understanding the mechanisms by which ultra-processed foods affect health. If the foods are indeed harmful, what about them — what features? — makes them so, and why? Through feeding volunteers carefully formulated diets and watching their consumption behavior, researchers can identify the qualities that make these foods both so appealing and so unhealthful, they say.

Read more here: https://www.inverse.com/health/the-cas ... vidence

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America’s Farmers are Getting Older, and Young People Aren’t Rushing to Join Them
by David R. Buys, PhD, John J. Green, PhD, and Mary Nelson Robertson, PhD
October , 2023

Introduction:

(The Conversation) On Oct. 12, National Farmers’ Day, Americans honor the hardworking people who keep the world fed and clothed.

But the farming labor force has a problem: It’s aging rapidly.

The average American farmer is 57 and a half years old, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s up sharply from 1978, when the figure was just a smidge over 50.

Conclusion:

Also in 2024, the USDA will release its next Census of Agriculture, giving researchers new insight into America’s farming workforce. We expect it will show that the average age of U.S. farmers has reached a new all-time high.

If you believe otherwise – well, we wouldn’t bet the farm.

Read more here: https://theconversation.com/americas- ... m-211330

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Experts Warn of Risk of Civil Unrest in UK Due to Food Shortages
October 12, 2023

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) A shortage of popular carbohydrates such as wheat, bread, pasta, and cereal are most likely to trigger civil unrest, say the experts, who work across academia, policy, charities, and business.

The new analysis of frailties within the UK’s food system has been led by researchers from the University of York and Anglia Ruskin University, and is published in the journal Sustainability.

In the study, civil unrest is classified as over 30,000 people in the UK suffering violent injury in one year through events such as demonstrations and violent looting.

Just over 40% of the food experts surveyed believe that civil unrest in the UK in the next 10 years was either possible (38%) or more likely than not (3%). Over the next 50 years, this increased to nearly 80% of experts believing civil unrest was either possible (45%), more likely than not (24%), or very likely (10%).

Read more of the Eurekalert article here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1004511

Read the Sustainability article here: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/20/14783

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Coffee and Cocoa Plants at Risk from Pollinator Loss
October 12, 2023

Introduction:

(Eurrekalert) Tropical crops such as coffee, cocoa, watermelon and mango may be at risk due to the loss of insect pollinators, finds a new study led by UCL and Natural History Museum researchers.

Published in Science Advances, the study explores the intricate interplay between climate change, land use change, and their impact on pollinator biodiversity, ultimately revealing significant implications for global crop pollination.

The study, which compiled data from 1,507 crop growing sites around the world and catalogued 3,080 insect pollinator species, exposes a concerning trend – the combined pressures of climate change and agricultural activities have led to substantial declines in both the abundance and richness of insect pollinators.

Crops which depend on pollination by animals to some degree make up around 75% of crops. The model created by the research team looked at which pollination dependent crops were most at threat all the way up to 2050 in the hope of providing a warning to both the agricultural and conservation communities.

Lead author Dr Joe Millard, who completed the study as part of his PhD at the UCL Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, before moving to the Natural History Museum London, said: “Our research indicates that the tropics are likely most at risk when it comes to crop production from pollinator losses, primarily due to the interaction of climate change and land use. While localised risks are highest in regions like sub-Saharan Africa, northern South America, and south-east Asia, the implications of this extend globally via the trade in pollination dependent crops.”

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1004421

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Sustainable Smart Agriculture with a Biodegradable Oil Moisture Sensor
October 16, 2023

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) Osaka, Japan – Increasingly limited land and water resources has inspired the development of precision agriculture: use of remote sensing technology to monitor air and soil environmental data in real time, to help optimize crop output. Maximizing the sustainability of such technology is critical to proper environmental stewardship and reducing costs.

Now, in a study recently published in Advanced Sustainable Systems, researchers from Osaka University have developed a wirelessly powered soil moisture sensing technology that is largely biodegradable and therefore can be installed in high densities. This work is an important milestone in removing the remaining technical bottlenecks in precision agriculture, such as safe disposal of used sensor devices.

With an increasing global population, it is imperative to optimize agricultural output yet minimize land and water use. Precision agriculture aims to meet these conflicting needs by using sensor networks to gather environmental information for properly allocating resources to cropland when and where these resources are needed. Drones and satellites can capture much information but are not ideal for deducing humidity and soil moisture levels. For optimum data collection, moisture sensing devices must be installed at ground level at high density. If the sensors are not biodegradable, they must be collected at the end of their service life, which can be labor-intensive, rendering them impractical. Achieving both electronic functionality and biodegradability in one technology is the goal of the present work.

"Our system comprises several sensors, a wireless power supply, and a thermal camera for acquiring and transmitting sensing and location data," explains Takaaki Kasuga, lead author of the study. "The in-soil components are largely ecofriendly; composed of a nanopaper substrate, a natural wax protective coating, a carbon heater, and tin conductive lines."

Read more of the Eurekalert article here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1004938

For a presentation of the results of the study as published in Advanced Sustainable Systems: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10. ... 202300314