Who’s going to grow our food (and conserve our land)?
Ernie Atencio
The Albuquerque Journal ran a story on May 11 about a shortage of growers at local farmers markets. In a world evermore obsessed with buying local and reducing our carbon footprint, this is a troubling missing link in the system.
New Mexico has about a thousand small farmers, ranging from “backyard growers and dabblers” to dedicated full timers just squeaking by. There are more than 40 farmers markets across the state, as well as roadside farm stands and community gardens. Still, “we’re not even close to being close to being close to having enough farmers,” says Monte Skarsgard, owner of Los Poblanos Organics in Albuquerque. I imagine the same is true in other Western states.
There are obviously more lucrative ways to make a living these days, but in the age of peak oil and $4-a-gallon gas to transport our produce halfway around the world, we are going to learn to love those local farmers like life itself.
Local farming has other benefits we should all care about. I am in the land conservation business, and I know that there is no better incentive for keeping land open, undeveloped and productive than being able to make a living from it. For most of the farmers and ranchers I know, the tax benefits from conservation easements don’t even come close.
At first I thought it was odd that this article was in the “Money” section of the Sunday paper, instead of, say, “Environment” or “Regional,” but I guess money is what it comes down to. We need to find a way to pay farmers what they are worth for providing our basic sustenance and saving us from the sins of exotic international produce. Then we can encourage more young people to get back into the growing game and stay on the land.