We all care about community.  We are about our geographical, cultural, and social connections to neighbours, friends, and others.  So how can we support that in our food choices?

One way is to eat locally made, organic food from small-scale producers.

Another is to cut down on processed, highly packaged foods, most of which come from industrial factory operations controlled from afar.

Another is to eat less meat, and consume animal products that are sustainably and compassionately made.

Additionally, we can support groups that work toward local, community control of food systems, that work toward a world in which small-scale farmers can make a good living, and that are designing policy to take back rural communities from agribusiness.  Such groups include the BC Food Systems Network, Food Secure Canada, Beyond Factory Farming, and others.   Their web addresses are on this site.

Supporting community through our food choices addresses the last of the Five Key Challenges for Food Systems that I outlined previously:

• To feed a large and growing world population
• To produce food ecologically
• To consume food for human health
• To act compassionately toward all living beings
• To support community well-being.

Thanks for being with me on this brief series of posts.    Please let us know about your own food experiences and thoughts.

While the number of farms has declined in Canada, the size of remaining farms has climbed. We need to create conditions in which small farms can survive and thrive.