New Jersey is important to Philadelphia’s food supply

BY MICHELE S. BYERS

THE STATE WE'RE IN

You may not be aware that the entire Garden State is part of greater Philadelphia's "foodshed" — the region that supplies locally-grown food to the Philly metropolitan area. A newly-released "foodshed" plan underscores the need to protect and nurture the region's local food supply system, something often taken for granted.

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission just issued "Eating Here: Greater Philadelphia's Food System Plan."

"Eating Here" builds on a 2010 study of regional agriculture, food processing and local food distribution and supply chains, as well as health and nutritional trends. The plan's clear message is that we must do more to safeguard the long-term sustainability of local food sources — including making agriculture a viable career choice for aspiring farmers.

Farmland in the foodshed — the area within a 100-mile radius of downtown Philadelphia — is threatened by a burgeoning population and spreading residential and commercial development. Market forces, like cheap food prices, drive farm profits down, making it tempting for farmers to sell their land.

"Eating Here" reaches a grim conclusion: With existing and forecasted food needs outstripping the available local food supply, the foodshed currently can't meet the region's food demand. That means more food imported from more distant places, at great expense in energy and pollution — and higher prices to boot.

To turn the "foodshed tables" and ensure adequate local foods, here are the plan's top recommendations:

Encourage farmers to protect natural resources and use alternative energy for their operations, and compensate them for ecological services they provide;
Help farmers maintain access to affordable land through zoning, farmland preservation programs, farmland assessment policy reforms; and address their retirement and investment needs;
Launch new and expanded programs — including "food enterprise zones" in urban areas — to make it easier for aspiring farmers to enter agriculture and other food-related businesses;
Educate the public about healthy food using new technology and community-based partners;
Integrate all aspects of "Farm to School" programs into a robust and a comprehensive education program;
Convene the Greater Philadelphia Food System Stakeholder Committee — farmers, distributors, retailers, government agencies and nonprofits — for ongoing assessment and collaboration.

The plan also cites plenty of things individuals can do right now — from starting home gardens to joining land trusts that help preserve farmland and open space.

Food, as the study puts it, "can be viewed through the lenses of homeland security, emergency preparedness and human services, private industry and business, environmental stewardship, land use, and public utility, among countless other categories." But through any lens, strengthening the link between people and local food is a benefit!

You can download and read the entire Greater Philadelphia Food System Study at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission website at www.dvrpc.org.

Michele S. Byers is executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. Contact her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information about conserving New Jersey's precious land and natural resources, and consult the New Jersey Conservation Foundation's website at njconservation.org.