--------------- Forwarded Message ---------------
From: "Frederick R. Magdoff", INTERNET:fmagdoff@moose.uvm.edu
To: Patricia Dines, 73652,1202
Date: Tue, Oct 22, 1996, 4:22 AM
Subject: Re: Downsides of Long-distance Food Transport
Patricia,
You forwarded a message on the downside of food transport over
long distances. One important aspect omitted from the discussion is that
it becomes more and more difficult to have true cycling of nutrients.
This means that there is an overabundance of nutrients in parts of the
country (world) and depletion in others. The nutrient depleting farms
need to import commercial fertilizers (concentrated nutrients) and this
results in a host of problems as well (energy use to manufacture and
transport the fertilizers, environmental damage at phosphate mines, etc.).
On the other hand, the nutrient accumulating animal farms (factories)
and cities suffer from an overabundance of nutrients and this results
in water pollution. If food was consumed near where produced - by both
animals and humans - this issue could be dealt remedied easily.
Please feel free to forward this if you wish.
FRED
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Fred Magdoff
Northeast Region SARE Program
Hills Building
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT 05405
tel:802-656-0472
fax:802-656-4656
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