Production potential

By Scott Koepke

-----

A central tenet of my teaching involves the direct, causal link between diversity and balance. This can apply to an ecosystem, a diet, or an investment portfolio. Why, then, do we continue to put all of our eggs in one corn-soybean ag basket and then become distraught when Mother Nature continually whacks us upside the head to remind us who's in charge?

We're slow learners, not very adept at adapting.

And yet, sad as industrial crop failures are, those producers at least have a crop insurance safety net to cover costs in the event of loss. Local vegetable and fruit growers do not qualify for that same security. The (playing) field is not level. (Thankfully, some nascent initiatives are aggregating payment averages from procurers, like grocers, to provide consistent actuarial data, so hopefully insurance is forthcoming.)

It's always interesting to me that the same people who often want government out of their lives are eager to accept government assistance. I thought that a mentality of capitalism was supposed to be sink-or-swim. More philosophical consistency would be refreshing - starting with me, who will admit that I sometimes want it both ways.

If we diversify the production of commodities in Iowa beyond primarily corn and soybeans, we can create employment opportunities for Iowans. Our botanical system has, for the past several decades, outsourced food production in the misnamed Bread Basket (Fructose Ethanol Grain-For-Cattle Basket might be more accurate.).

Despite a shorter growing season than the Central Valley of California, we've barely scratched the surface of production (and preservation) potential here in Iowa. I have a dream that Iowa will one day, once again, be a net exporter of food beyond confined eggs and pork.

Given export rates, our food security is unnecessarily compromised. We all need to eat. The food industry encompasses much more than just farmers. Processors, marketers, innovators, distributors and retailers could employ potentially hundreds of thousands more people.

Let's rediscover a fundamental lesson from Economics 101: As local volume increases, cost structures can be more competitive with cheaper imports (without sacrificing fair wages for local workers).

But just because we grow it doesn't mean anyone's going to buy it. That's where a good faith partnership in the food chain with retailers must occur, with budget processes involving creative offsets and margin adjustments for greater capital. That's hard work, line by line, motivating, questioning priorities and roles. Let's do it.

We struggle to even agree on a definition of food. We snipe over the evidence about production methods that have polluted water, air and soil. Where is our common ground? Only money? Just because it's legal doesn't make it right.

How do we have these conversations in a mutually trusting tone that's not divisive, but inclusive? Coming full circle, we can perhaps begin by acknowledging the wisdom of diversification.

At the risk of sounding too simplistic, we can also consider what I have found to be healing: the community garden where we're not just growing food and flowers, but peace.

Scott Koepke is the founder of Soilmates, an organic garden education service through New Pioneer Food Co-op. He also serves as president of the board for the Iowa Valley Food Co-op and is a member of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors Food Policy Council. Comments: skoepke@newpi.coop