Food & Prosperity

A Conference in Houston

Steve Hawley, Dec 22, 08.

On September 4, 2008, Houston Tomorrow hosted a successful conference on Food and Sustainable Prosperity for the Houston Region in partnership with Texas Sea Grant, the Houston-Galveston Area Council, and Urban Harvest. The conference primarily covered farming, land use, food security, and local food. These issues are especially important at a time of rising food and energy prices, debates over food-based energy (such as corn-based ethanol), and recent E. coli and Salmonella scares in our nation’s food supply.

Houston is surrounded by extremely fertile soil, and the city used to get all of its food from farms in a 100-mile radius. Today, the average Houstonian’s food travels 1500 miles, and nearby arable land is quickly being consumed by urban sprawl. However, the city is simultaneously witnessing a resurgence of local farmers’ markets and renewed interest in urban farming.

Over 150 participants listened to speakers and presentations during the morning and throughout lunch, which consisted of locally-grown foods. The distinguished luncheon speaker was U.S. Representative Nick Lampson (TX-22), who served at the time on the House Committee on Agriculture; the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition, and Forestry (which oversees the USDA); and as chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment. During the afternoon sessions, panelists discussed current efforts to support and promote local food in Houston - including the city’s plans for transforming vacant lots into community gardens - and how to improve these efforts and plan for sustainable food far into the future. The day’s presentations are available below for download.

Presentations (also available in ppt and htm format at the houstontomorrow.org site):

David Crossley - A Perfect Storm of Change (ppt, 69.9 mb). This overview of global, national, state, and regional dynamics that suggest a new paradigm is coming - and just in the nick of time.

Keynote: John Ikerd - The Relocalization of American Food (pdf, 134 kb) The days of cheap fossil energy are over and the ecological consequences of corporate industrialization can no longer be ignored. Addressing the ecological, social, and economic challenges of the twenty-first century eventually will require the relocalization of America’s food.

John Park - A Marketing Perspective on Trends Toward Local Food (pdf, 10.3 mb) The market issues driving the trend toward increased retail sourcing of local food are discussed.

Chuck Wemple - The Return of the Family Farm and Local Markets - the economic development potential for producing food within 150 miles of Houston (pdf, 8.4 mb) What foods are grown, harvested and processed within 150 miles of Houston? Why is buying local important to our economy, our health, and our future?

John Jacob - The Biophysical Architecture for a Healthy Houston Region: Soil, Farm, Community (pdf, 23 mb) Some of the best farmland in the world - not to mention coastal prairies and woodlands - will be lost as Houston more than doubles in size in the next 20-30 years. What does this loss mean for the health of the land and our community?

Bob Randall and Gary Edmondson - Shifting to Locally Produced Food (pdf, 27.7 mb) The Greater Houston area has a year round growing season, balanced rainfall, and large amounts of potentially productive land. All of us could benefit from bountiful local food production if we can make production economically rewarding for farmers in both rural and urban settings. This talk focuses on steps needed to increase the number of food producers in all parts of the Greater Houston area.

John Kreger - The Reality of Hunger in Houston (pdf, 4.2 mb) Over one-third of Houston’s children are growing up in poverty, and low-income families spend one-third of their income just to buy groceries. Often, these families must choose between food and rent, utilities, or medicine.

Special thanks to the conference sponsors:

Kevin & Evelyn Shanley
Gulf Coast Economic Development District
City of Clear Lake Shores
Gulf Coast Small Business Finance Corporation
Last Organic Outpost
North Montrose Community Garden

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