10 Simple Ways to Help Change the Food Industry

Learn more about these issues and how you can take action on Takepart.com

1. Stop drinking sodas and other sweetened beverages.
You can lose 25 lbs in a year by replacing one 20 oz soda a day with a no calorie beverage (preferably water).

2. Eat at home instead of eating out.
Children consume almost twice (1.8 times) as many calories when eating food prepared outside the home.

3. Support the passage of laws requiring chain restaurants to post calorie information on menus and menu boards.
Half of the leading chain restaurants provide no nutritional information to their customers.

4. Tell schools to stop selling sodas, junk food, and sports drinks.
Over the last two decades, rates of obesity have tripled in children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years.

5. Meatless Mondays—Go without meat one day a week.
An estimated 70% of all antibiotics used in the United States are given to farm animals.

6. Buy organic or sustainable food with little or no pesticides.
According to the EPA, over 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the U.S.

7. Protect family farms; visit your local farmer's market.
Farmer's markets allow farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer.

8. Make a point to know where your food comes from—READ LABELS.
The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to your dinner plate.

9. Tell Congress that food safety is important to you.
Each year, contaminated food causes millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths in the U.S.

10. Demand job protections for farm workers and food processors, ensuring fair wages and other protections.
Poverty among farm workers is more than twice that of all wage and salary employees.

http://www.foodincmovie.com/get-involved.php

Specialty Crops Grants Program

Weathers Announces Specialty Crops Grants Program

COLUMBIA, SC, July 15, 2009 - Hugh E. Weathers, South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture,
announces a grant program for institutions and groups that support specialty crops. The program is funded by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service as established by the 2008 Farm Bill.

Those interested in participating in the program are encouraged to provide a one page summary that includes a project plan for use of the funds and the estimated cost of implementing the plan. The project must fall within the criteria listed below and must benefit groups of producers and not individuals. Those selected will be asked to provide additional details as part of the overall state plan for use of the specialty
crops grant funds.

Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, horticulture, nursery crops (including floriculture). Projects should be developed to solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops pertaining to the following issues affecting the specialty crop industry: Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops; participation of industry representatives at meetings of international standard setting bodies in which the U. S. government participates; improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems; assisting all entities in the specialty crop distribution chain in developing “Good Practices”, “Good Manufacturing Practices”, and in cost-share arrangements for funding audits of such systems for small farmers, packers and processors; investing in specialty crop research, including organic research to focus on conservation and environmental outcomes; enhancing food safety; developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops; pest and diseasecontrol; marketing and sustainability.

Submit project proposals to the address listed below by August 15, 2009. Final decisions on acceptance aspart of the overall plan should come in mid October. Projects can be multi-year but should not exceedthree years in duration. Funds cannot be used for capital expenditures such as buildings, equipment, orland. Indirect costs cannot exceed ten percent.

For more information or to submit proposals, contact
Larry J. Boyleston
Specialty Crops Grant Program
South Carolina Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 11280
Columbia, SC 29211
Phone – 803/734-2191
Email – lboylest@scda.sc.gov

August is Farmers Market Month in South Carolina

South Carolina Department of Agriculture
Hugh Weathers, Commissioner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 29, 2009

Celebrate Farmers Market Month in South Carolina in August

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Hugh Weathers, South Carolina’s Commissioner of Agriculture, is pleased to
announce that Governor Mark Sanford has proclaimed the month of August as Farmers Market Month in South Carolina, an extension of National Farmers Market Week, August 2-8.

To celebrate farmers markets as a valuable part of the state’s food distribution system and to encourage consumers to buy local produce and products, Commissioner Weathers encourages everyone to eat local by shopping at any of the Departments three farmers markets or the nearly 90 community-based markets across the state.

“The local farmers market is a great place to teach children about the origin of their food,”
Commissioner Weathers said. “It’s also a great way to support your local farmers by buying locally grown.”

He added consumers should look for the Certified SC Grown logo. “If you don’t see it then ask for it,” Weathers said.

Farmers markets allow consumers to have access to locally grown, farm fresh produce and products and enable farmers the opportunity to develop a personal relationship with their customers. Direct marketing of farm products through farmers markets continues to be an important sales outlet for agricultural producers throughout the state and nation.

Economists say that every $100,000 increase in farm sales creates up to five new jobs and generates another $200,000 in economic activity. “When people buy from farmers markets, they add to the farm income and help them stay in business,” Commissioner Weathers said. “It also helps the environment because their food travels a shorter distance to get to the market.”

Commissioner Weathers asks the people of South Carolina to connect with their agricultural roots by visiting their local farmers market or stopping by one of the three state farmers markets at 1001 Bluff Road in Columbia, 2513 W. Lucas Street in Florence and at 1354 Rutherford Road in Greenville.

Discover the wide variety of fruits and vegetables as well as plants, flowers, and other agricultural products available.

Take advantage of what's in season NOW!

Full Year: South Carolina

Time of Year Fresh Produce

January (early): Mixed Greens
January (late) : Mixed Greens

February (early): Mixed Greens
February (late): Mixed Greens

March (early): Mixed Greens, Scallions
March (late): Mixed Greens, Scallions

April (early): Cabbage, Mixed Greens, Scallions
April (late): Cabbage, Mixed Greens, Scallions

May (early): Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Cucumbers, Mixed Greens, Peaches, Scallions, Summer squash, Sweet Corn
May (late): Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Cucumbers, Mixed Greens, Peaches, Scallions, Summer squash, Sweet Corn

June (early): Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Cucumbers, Mixed Greens, Peaches, Peppers, Scallions, Summer squash, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Watermelon
June (late): Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Cucumbers, Mixed Greens, Peaches, Peppers, Scallions, Summer squash, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Watermelon

July (early): Butter Beans, Cantaloupe, Mixed Greens, Peaches, Peppers, Scallions, Summer squash, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Watermelon
July (late): Butter Beans, Cantaloupe, Mixed Greens, Peaches, Peppers, Scallions, Summer squash, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Watermelon

August (early): Butter Beans, Cantaloupe, Mixed Greens, Peaches, Peanuts, Peppers, Scallions, Summer squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potatoes , Watermelon
August (late): Butter Beans, Cantaloupe, Mixed Greens, Peaches, Peanuts, Peppers, Scallions, Summer squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potatoes , Watermelon

September (early): Apples, Butter Beans, Cucumbers, Mixed Greens, Peaches, Peanuts, Peppers, Scallions, Summer squash, Sweet Potatoes , Tomatoes
September (late): Apples, Butter Beans, Cucumbers, Mixed Greens, Peaches, Peanuts, Peppers, Scallions, Summer squash, Sweet Potatoes , Tomatoes

October (early): Apples, Butter Beans, Cucumbers, Mixed Greens, Peppers, Scallions, Summer squash, Sweet Potatoes , Tomatoes
October (late): Apples, Butter Beans, Cucumbers, Mixed Greens, Peppers, Scallions, Summer squash, Sweet Potatoes , Tomatoes

November (early): Apples, Butter Beans, Cucumbers, Mixed Greens, Peppers, Scallions, Sweet Potatoes , Tomatoes
November (late): Apples, Butter Beans, Cucumbers, Mixed Greens, Peppers, Scallions, Sweet Potatoes , Tomatoes

December (early): Apples, Mixed Greens, Sweet Potatoes
December (late): Apples, Mixed Greens, Sweet Potatoes

Source
(s):http://www.scda.state.sc.us/consumerinformation/produceavailability/availcalweb.pdf

10 Reasons to eat local

1.
Eating local means more for the local economy. According to a study by the New Economics Foundation in London, a dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy. When businesses are not owned locally, money leaves the community at every transaction. (reference)

2.
Locally grown produce is fresher. While produce that is purchased in the supermarket or a big-box store has been in transit or cold-stored for days or weeks, produce that you purchase at your local farmer's market has often been picked within 24 hours of your purchase. This freshness not only affects the taste of your food, but the nutritional value which declines with time.

3.
Local food just plain tastes better. Ever tried a tomato that was picked within 24 hours? 'Nuff said.

4.
Locally grown fruits and vegetables have longer to ripen. Because the produce will be handled less, locally grown fruit does not have to be "rugged" or to stand up to the rigors of shipping. This means that you are going to be getting peaches so ripe that they fall apart as you eat them, figs that would have been smashed to bits if they were sold using traditional methods, and melons that were allowed to ripen until the last possible minute on the vine.

5.
Eating local is better for air quality and pollution than eating organic. In a March 2005 study by the journal Food Policy, it was found that the miles that organic food often travels to our plate creates environmental damage that outweighs the benefit of buying organic. (

reference)

6.
Buying local food keeps us in touch with the seasons. By eating with the seasons, we are eating foods when they are at their peak taste, are the most abundant, and the least expensive.

7.
Buying locally grown food is fodder for a wonderful story. Whether it's the farmer who brings local apples to market or the baker who makes local bread, knowing part of the story about your food is such a powerful part of enjoying a meal.

8.
Eating local protects us from bio-terrorism. Food with less distance to travel from farm to plate has less susceptibility to harmful contamination. (

reference)

9.

Local food translates to more variety. When a farmer is producing food that will not travel a long distance, will have a shorter shelf life, and does not have a high-yield demand, the farmer is free to try small crops of various fruits and vegetables that would probably never make it to a large supermarket. Supermarkets are interested in selling "Name brand" fruit: Romaine Lettuce, Red Delicious Apples, Russet Potatoes. Local producers often play with their crops from year to year, trying out Little Gem Lettuce, Senshu Apples, and Chieftain Potatoes.

10.
Supporting local providers supports responsible land development. When you buy local, you give those with local open space - farms and pastures - an economic reason to stay open and undeveloped.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/01/10_reasons_to_e.php

Blueberry cream cheese cake

This is one of my favorite recipes for a delicious cake that is sure to please on a hot summer day! The surplus of sweet blueberries that comes in during the summer can really make a simple cake into something extra ordinary.

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 egg whites

1 1/2 cups of water

1 pint fresh local blueberries

1 cup of granulated sugar

1 tsp. water

1 package of cream cheese

1 tub of whipped topping

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix cake batter with eggs, water, and oil and blend until smooth about 5 minutes. Pour batter equally into three 8in round pans and place in the oven for twenty minutes.

While baking cakes, place slightly crushed blueberries, sugar and water in a medium sauce pan and slowly bring to a boil stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved, then let simmer for an additional 5 minutes. After cakes have been removed from the oven and checked in the center with a toothpick, let cool on a rack.

Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar in a bowl until smooth and creamy then fold in the whipped topping with a spatula. After cakes are completely cooled; level the tops and spread a layer of the whipped mixture and a layer of the blueberries in between each layer. Cover the entire outside of the cake with the last bit of whipped mixture then pour the last of the blueberries over the top and make a random swirling pattern along the top and sides with a toothpick. Keep refrigerated until served.

*For a lighter version use: 1/3 fat cream cheese, applesauce instead of oil, fat free whipped topping, and a half granulated sugar substitute and regular sugar mixture.

Getting started....

Hey y'all I started this blog to bring together information on the importance of eating local and supporting small farms. Being from a long line of farmers I know the hard work and dedication it takes to run a small farm or even a small garden. With all the turmoil and hardships the U.S. has faced recently I think its even more important to support the community you live in. By eating local and in season foods you are reducing your carbon imprint, putting money back in your community, eating delicious more nutritional foods, saying yes to sustainable agriculture and no to agribusiness. Local or homegrown food just tastes better than anything you can get from the grocery store!
Typical produce thats found in your grocery store was bred for shipping. Once refridgerated shipping went mainstream (about the middle of the 20th century) taste went out the window. Only the toughest, blemish free, and uniform crops are selected. On average each component of an american meal has traveled 1,500 miles to get to your plate, not including the amount of energy spent processing that item! If each person in the U.S. ate just one organic locally produced meal it would reduce the country's oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil PER WEEK! Think about that for a second; each out of season fruit or vegetable had to be shipped from a country in another hemisphere.... so is that tasteless mealy tomato in winter really worth it? I'm not saying to go without your favorite produce, but a more efficient (and cheaper) way to have delectable tomatoes you'd find in say... your local farmer's market during the summer.... would be to can them. Canning isn't just for your grandmother! If you stock up on whats in season now and put it away you could be eating the most nutritious and best tasting produce all year!

Another thing that became uniform was the way produce "SHOULD" look. If you asked a child what color an apple is they would say red, a carrot orange, tomato red, cauliflower white, ect. Now each of those items comes in hundreds of different sizes, colors and shapes that have been reduced to only a few commercial varieties. The rest of the produce only still exists thanks in large part to seed saving farmers and some seed companies that preserve heirloom varieties. If you looked at what kinds of heirloom varieties are out there you would be amazed to know the original cauliflower was purple, carrots range from white to dark red, tomatoes come in every color of the rainbow except maybe blue, apples can be pale yellow to almost brown with variations all in between! Those colorful heirlooms contain more nutrition like antioxidants than the conventional version, so you get more bang for your buck. In a society that is so concerned with health and nutrition why have we overlooked the most basic component? You really are what you eat!