Green Means

Sustainability Is Profitable

By Shannon Scott

              Green is fast becoming America’s new gold.  Developing nations – especially China - pay big money for crops from U.S. farm lands.  For human health and national economic longevity it’s important to protect, sustain, and conserve our soils and waters wisely. 

            According to U.S. Census Bureau data, in 2010 the U.S. imported 120,000 tons of food; but we exported 195,000 tons.  While our trade deficit with China appears agonizingly imbalanced, the Chinese rely on U.S. and Canadian farmers to supply livestock silage, soy beans, and other foods, making farmers and food corporations flush with cash. 

            Feeding over a billion Chinese and millions of citizens from other developing nations who have increasing incomes and who insist on clean, safe food supplies bolsters demand for first world food stuffs and livestock feed makes the future bright for western farmers – provided land is farmed sustainably and healthily.  The U.S.’s trading strength relies on quality, not quantity.  China produces enough soy beans to feed itself.  What is lacking are uncontaminated soils, fresh water supplies, and environmental and food safety standards.  This is the global market niche the U.S. is poised to fill.  

            The farm economy realized $11.2 billion from China in 2009 and upwards of $14 billion in 2010.  China produces its own soybeans and cotton, but is a leading importer of the two crops.  China will import over $4 billion worth of U.S. soy beans this year alone.  In Iowa, exports to China, mostly farm goods, rose over 1,200 percent from 2000 to 2012.

            The U.S. and Canada have set global standards for high quality, safe food production – and can now ratchet up farm practices and food processing even higher by legislating sustainable land and water use practices and rigid organic food standards. 

            Some economists suggest that the current windfall for U.S. and Canadian farmers may be short lived if Beijing decides to subsidize their own rural farms.  Yet, harmful industrial wastes, lack of consumer health and safety measures, and notorious corruption at all levels will continue to taint China’s domestic and foreign markets.  Toxic soils, filthy air, and contaminated water yield dangerous food products.  Emerging middle class consumers around the globe want safe foods and that means obtaining them from western sources with exacting sustainability standards.

            Developing nations’ citizens are forking over cash for quality products..  Products stamped “Made in China” radiate a message of low quality, short longevity, weak safety, and exploited labor practices; whereas, “Made in the U.S.A.”, and other first world nations’ products, more often than not, emanate quality, value, often sustainability, and humane, fair wage working conditions.  Wal Mart’s profits in the U.S. continue to decline because American’s are no longer sucked in to paying hard earned dollars for cheap, inferior products. 

            Food companies realize the consumer demand trend for organic and purer foods.   When there’s billions to be had, corporate giants buy out the little guys, maximize profits, corner markets, and make stock holders happy.  Kraft, Pepsico, Heinz, Kellogg, M&M Mars, Cargill, ConAgra and others have been buying up organic brands as soon as smaller companies agree to sell.  Kellogg owns Bear Naked, Kashi and more.     PepsiCo owns Naked Juice.  Unfortunately as soon as the small guys sell out, product quality declines.  Maximizing food product profits means adding cheap, non- or low nutritive filler ingredients and pressuring organic or sustainable farmers to adulterate practices for higher yields so the food processors can obtain cheaper raw materials.  

            Corporate representatives seated on organic quality control boards have voted for herbicide acceptance (which failed fortunately) and regularly meet to decide which ingredients should be allowed in organic products.  Carrageenan, a seaweed-derived thickener and controversial healthwise, and synthetic inositol, manufactured as a chemical have made their way by the National Organic Standards Board.  Corporations, like in many other areas, have corrupted the organic food market. 

            With corporate giants steeped in the organic market and China beating down their doors with freighters full of cash, food quality controls and farming standards are at extreme risk for corruption and consequent deterioration.  Without stringent land-use and product quality safeguards the U.S. farm and food economy windfall will be short lived.  

            As long as U.S. farm lands are sustainably managed and foods minimally processed, and as long as farmers, food companies, and government inspectors have the highest integrity and reliability, agricultural and food products stamped, “Product of U.S.A” will be the world’s best and in constant demand.

            As individuals and collectively, U.S. consumers influence and establish buying and lifestyle trends worldwide.  We advanced green and organic products’ markets and must see to it that rigorous standards are maintained, not adulterated by foreign purchasing powers.  Read labels.  Shop wisely.  Buy sustainable products that help to bolster America’s economic future.   Going green is the new gold standard for food and product consumption – and with the right policies and regulations the U.S. will end up with the Midas touch.