Final Reflection Assignment

Technorati Tags: Natural Food,Sustainability,Organic,Wholesome,Environment,Social Responsibility

 

Here, I provide the last of the course requirements for my blog entries... my final reflections....

 

 

My Responses:

1. What do you think is the most valuable thing you learned from your experience in this class? Why do you think this?

The most valuable thing I learned is how we are are all interrelated. Not just from the perspective of how the earth is a system of cycles where each organism has its respective place within an ecosystem, but also from the perspective of group or team effort.

Our project could not be completed without each member fulfilling their particular role, our project would not have been assigned if not for the course within the school system, and the course would not have been nearly as effective without the support of the community organizations that participated.

Our course emphasized that each species and organism has a particular purpose and that supporting and encouraging life's natural roles lead to a synergy and harmony that is not duplicated with industrial manufacturing techniques. I learned we should seek similar synergy and harmony in all aspects of life.

2. How was the experience during your group project? What benefits and challenges did you encounter along the way? If you could give grades to your group mates and to yourself, what grades would you give and why?

The natural food industry and cooperatives were well outside my realm of experience and the overall experience from the course was fascinating and enjoyable.

Coordinating as a group was particularly challenging.

*** I don't believe a single group member had a poor attitude or failed to learn, grow, or participate. ***

I do feel that our schedules happened to be nearly polar opposites. Further, our topic was very broad or wide and left many alternative options for focus. What happened is that each of us would leave the group with some form of common consensus, but then the alternatives were so wide that by the time we met again, we each could see very different directions to target. Having different schedules made it difficult to coordinate because several times members could not meet again for several class sessions.

I believe we mostly overcame these obstacles and I also understand that not everyone was necessarily able to add value as they would have liked; however, aren't these issues expected with group projects - especially where the group is newly formed? Thus, one benefit was learning to adapt to such challenges. The challenges actually were the basis for some benefit (skill) we gained.

Based on my understanding of the goals of the course (listed in the next question), I believe each of us demonstrated them exceedingly well and would grade all of our efforts as outstanding - an 'A'.

 

3. Topically, our Capstone class learning goals included the following list. In your opinion, did we meet these goals?

• Introduce students to the complexities and challenges of healthy communities, related to urban design, society and food issues
  
  ANS: Yes, from understanding the challenges local farmers face, to understanding cooperatives and the cooperative business model, to the inter-relationships amongst community members and a multitude of various organizations.
  
• Orient students to the particular history and culture of cooperative businesses and the natural food industry
  
  ANS: Yes, We started with the basics of the cooperative business model, continued to learn that different cooperatives (Food Front, versus People's, versus Alberta) may different approaches (I.e. People's 'living wage' policy), how most follow the seven cooperative principles, and finally how cooperatives play a major role in the natural food industry.  
  
• Provide students with ethnographic tools to successfully interact with individuals, groups and cultural landscapes, and be able to document and analyze their observations and communicate them to others
  
  ANS: Yes, all groups were introduced to understanding various demographics and statistics so that we can evaluate objectively from a distance. We also learned how to employ sensitivity and understanding (directly) when interacting with others such that we appreciate and concentrate on the value within various cultures. Further, we learned to interact directly with individuals by emphasizing acceptance, openness, and tolerance.
  
• Gain a cultural sensitivity to be able to work with and understand the experiences of a diverse community of people
  
  ANS: Yes, this relates to the latter question where part of the tools are using and employing sensitivity.
  
• Learn environmental and social ethics related to sustainable agriculture, land use, and food issues
  
  ANS: Yes, the topic was covered extensively or deeply. We learned to understand the cycle of energy: from the sun, to plants, to animals, through to understanding the symbiosis of organisms and their inter-relationships. We covered industrial farming techniques using pesticides and synthetic fertilizers and learned of more natural and sustainable alternatives which involve ensuring the complete eco-system is maintained and that all organisms within the chain are allowed to interact as they do - naturally.
  
• Apply experiences into a final presentation which demonstrates strong communication skills, critical thinking and reflection
  
  ANS: Yes, but only the instructor and other participants can truly evaluate the result.
  
• Learn skills working with others, especially related to taking initiative and communicating in a direct and timely manner
  
  ANS: Yes, communication and working with others was amongst the most challenging aspects. Our project could not have been completed without learning and employing these skills.

4. How well did this Capstone help you to engage in issues of social responsibility? Provide specific examples.

Our project involved comparing People's Food Co-op to its surrounding community in order to discover if there were any differences between People's and the surrounding community. We especially wanted to understand if People's was perceived as 'open' by its community members. Was People's somehow, either directly or indirectly, perceived as oppressive? This project greatly enhanced our understanding of how an organization relates to its community and that organizations have a responsibility to understand the details of the relationship and to act responsibly.

Through our text, various readings, movies, and presentations we learned about, discussed, and analyzed the topics of sustainability, local versus imported, conventional versus organic, and community versus individual. We learned that everything has a particular role (in some cases many roles) and that natural systems like our ecosystem must be managed along with any business systems.

As I noted in question #1, the most valuable thing I learned was a deeper understanding and the importance of inter-relationships and that we must be aware of foster harmony.

5. How was your experience working with our community partner? How would you change things for future students?

People's members were welcoming, warm, and helpful. They continually took time to assist and to make available resources for our group. I also want to mention to the positive support from Food Front, Alberta Cooperative, Food for Thought, and other organizations. People's demonstrated how businesses, that from many points of view may typically be considered competitors, can cooperate and support each other.

I wouldn't change anything.  The dynamics involved were particularly relevant and effective.

Food For Thought Coop Bulletin Unveiled

Technorati Tags: Coop,Cooperative,Organic Inc,Local,Natural Food,Capstone,Community

 

The ribbon is cut!

If you want to discover information about local cooperatives in the Portland Oregon area, stop by Food For Thought Cafe in the basement of the Smith Memorial Union building of the downtown Portland State University campus.

Now  you can find information on several local food cooperatives such as People's Food Co-op (http://www.peoples.coop/), Food Front Cooperative Grocery (http://www.foodfront.coop/), and Alberta Cooperative Grocery (http://www.albertagrocery.coop/) where you can keep up with various events related to the natural food industry.

Food For Thought Cafe is a small student run cafe emphasizing locally grown and sustainable foods.

Assignment #4

Technorati Tags: Organic,Health Food,Natural Food,Cooperatives,Coop,Coops,Omnivores Dilemma,Organic Inc,Slow Food Nation,PSU,Capstone

Create a proposal for our community partner, People’s Food Cooperative, identifying…

1. A problem area related to a wider food politics or food industry context (this should be a paragraph or two summarizing general trends, with references to readings; include a bibliography at the end).

In The Omnivore’s Dilemma, we learned that food choices often seem simple when, in fact, our choices are based on a complex underlying system; a system where understanding the details or specifics of the entire food chain: from growth, to processing, to shipment, to the final destination of the dinner plate complicates the omnivore’s dilemma: “What should we have for dinner?” We are raised with traditions; traditions that have evolved to keep us nourished and safe; traditions that developed along with our eco-system over a great period of time. Recently, mass production and its associated processing have fueled a separation or a widening gap between the farmer and the end-user: the consumer of food. Michael Pollan identifies the issues with modern chemistry and the underlying effects of feeding animals, like corn-fed beef. Today’s beef is greatly different from the beef of 50 years ago (one could say we feed them unnaturally) and the politics of the food industry today surround transparency, truth, sustainability, and a deeper understanding of our food system. The rising growth of cooperatives, demand for local food, and demand for organic food are testaments to these concerns: cooperatives are centered at the core of food industry politics.

 

In Organic Inc., Samuel Fromartz starts with a search for tasty, wholesome food and begins a journey of exploration related to food. His journey was about becoming a more informed consumer.

“Another study looked at pesticide residue data from 94,000 food samples from 1994-1999 and found organic food had about two-thirds less residues than conventional food.”
(Organic Inc. p2)

Samuel became concerned, along with many others, that the widespread use of pesticides may be inflicting a multitude of health problems. Key to most, if not every definition of organic food versus conventional food, is the restricted use of pesticides. While there is no universally accepted definition of organic food, the general idea is that pesticides and chemical use (especially synthetic fertilizers) is substantially restricted. In order to fertilize “naturally” crops should be rotated, the over-all eco-system should be managed to use natural means to control pests, bacteria, and diseases versus chemical or man-made means. The goal is sustainability and the healthiest most wholesome food as a product.

Carlo Petrini in ‘Slow Food Nation’ emphasizes that the rush for quick industrial solutions is killing the soil; it comes at great expense. Plants could not grow – naturally – in the densities and quantities maintained today without artificial assistance. Further, the global eco-system effects are substantial. Not only does he believe our current industrial food system is unsustainable, he believes it is dangerous. Carlos offers more than awareness in his book, he leans towards solutions and the following quote demonstrates Carlo’s direction towards a solution:
“We must begin, in this case too, by rejecting everything that is unnatural, everything that introduces unsustainable artifice into the relationship between man and earth”
(SlowFoodNation p110)

These books highlight why people have been collectively gathering to form cooperatives; they are all related to issues surrounding the industrial food industry and highlight significant problems. Local food market or grocery cooperatives all seem to spawn as a way to build awareness and develop solutions related to the food industry by reaching out - directly - to community members.

People’s Food Coop adopted the seven cooperative principles (SevenPrinciples) and these principles are the core foundation underlying the organization. Our proposal directly relates to the trend of growth related to coops and the potential impact coops have upon their respective communities. Our specific proposal stems from concerns directly expressed by People’s members: to develop community awareness and outreach with particular emphasis to maintain diversity, avoid oppression, and maximize the community’s perception of People’s such that they are perceived as open to all community members.

2. The position of a food coop like People’s, in the expanding natural food industry and in local markets (this should be a paragraph or two based on your reflections of the site visits to natural food stores and coops in the Portland area, as well as your understanding of People’s mission, history, and short/long term plans – refer to actual documents and figures when you can).

People’s represents an extension of the community itself where the community concerns are the basis of their principles. People’s members seek a true democracy. Contained within People’s mission, vision, and values statement:

“We envision an involved & active community, cultivating an evolution of society by advancing localization, the cooperative principles and values of social, economic and environmental responsibility.” (PeoplesVision)

People’s represents decision making on a collective basis. Their goals are based on long-term thinking with an understanding of the full-cycle affects on the decisions made. In other words, they don’t just consider the quality, nutritional value, price or other traditional capitalistic features of a product alone; they consider the local impacts on the earth, the eco-system, the food chain, the environment, and society. Thus, sustainability and social responsibility are major identifying characteristics encompassing their organization. People’s manages decisions collectively via consensus:
“The Collective at People’s uses consensus for full-group decision-making in the log and at staff meetings. The same principles we use in these settings can also be applied to teams, committees, and other small groups.” (PeoplesConsensus)

The employees at People’s are paid based on a “Living Wage” principle and no employee should earn more than slightly twice that of the lowest paid employee. This reflects People’s particular emphasis of collective equality. This quote (from People’s ‘Green Features’) emphasizes People’s commitment to sustainability:
“We took extensive measures to build a store that lessens environmental burdens & strive to run it with a minimum of resources.” (PeoplesGreen). These green features were also found in pamphlets distributed throughout the store.

The Food Front is a cooperative grocery emphasizing democratic “capital” ownership.

“As a consumer cooperative, Food Front builds from the vision of its owners to strengthen and extend the social fabric by democratizing capital ownership (social, natural and economic) to create a sustainable community.” (FoodFrontMission)

In our meeting with Lee Lancaster, the Finance Manager of Food Front, we learned that the overall capital ownership is essentially the same as People’s where members can buy a single share for a relatively low price and have options to make payments over a long period. Owners can opt-out and their original capital investment will be returned. Both cooperatives can earn profits, but the profits either fund growth and/or some portion may be returned to members based on their level of shopping. Both stores operate to serve their communities and their respective members and membership has some level of privileges.

The Food Front seeks organic and local food, but does not limit the food offered to local and organic. Currently, People’s is a vegetarian only food market. It is unclear if People’s will remain vegetarian only or they will eventually offer meat products. The Food Front does offer meat:
“Our meat and poultry is from pastured and free-range animals raised naturally by ranchers who are committed to sustainable practices and humane standards.” (FoodFrontMeat)

Further, Food Front offers more conventional foods than People’s. Some may consider People’s more restrictive and less accommodating while others may taut their resolve on principles. There is simply a difference between the stores based on product selection. We also learned in our meeting that the Food Front has a more traditional management structure and they do not have any specific ‘living wage’ guidelines, nor do they have a cap on employee wages. One may find that it is possible to earn higher wages for certain positions at Food Front compared to People’s. One may also find that People’s offers a higher minimum or a higher floor for their employees. Decisions at Food Front are not necessarily based on consensus; management members make decisions through greater autonomy at Food Front than at People’s. Generally, People’s tends to be more collectively organized than Food Front.

Our proposal concentrates on the relationship between People’s and its surrounding community including other organizations and cooperatives. Maybe other cooperatives have differences that could be modeled for future changes, or maybe the differences are already more beneficial for People's and no changes should be implemented. We do not seek to have pre-conceived results, only to be open to what the results indicate; albeit, some form of bias is nearly impossible to eliminate.

3. A research strategy for investigating the problem you have identified, including:

a. Your methodology - how you will study the problem you identified.

In order to achieve our goals, we intend to address these questions:

1) Are the demographics of People’s membership representative of its surrounding community?

The intent is to discover if there are any discrepancies that may indicate some violation of the cooperative principles and to address these concerns directly. To achieve this, we need to compare the results of existing polls that provide demographic information as well as the opinion of People’s membership collected during the polling process. We will then compare published demographic data to the polls.

2) Is People’s product selection/availability limiting or even oppressive?

We have members of our team that theorize that many people cook their meals based on their respective customs and traditions; therefore, they shop where selection is most aligned with their respective meal choices. Simply put: many Mexicans tend to eat Mexican food, Hungarians eat Hungarian, and orthodox Jews only eat food acceptable to their traditions and beliefs. We intend to examine the product selection of other food markets within People’s surrounding region and examine product availability. We intend to discover if simple product selection choices could inadvertently result as some form of barrier between community members and People’s. The main goal is to expand awareness.

3) How could People’s maximize community outreach and openness?

In order to answer the previous two questions, we would have to collect and analyze demographic data, polling data, and use our own observations. The previous two questions may highlight potential problem areas or identify that no significant problems exist. Either way, we believe recommendations towards improvements, better efficiencies, or even solutions to problems identified should coincide with the results.

b. Your theories about what you would expect to find from your study.

People’s must face interesting dilemmas related to their principles and their business strategy. Thus far, People’s have run their coop as a no-meat market. This is one element related to question (2). The Food Front and other coops have not elected to eliminate meat and it appears that offering meat is not a violation of the coop principles. According to a poll conducted by the Vegetarian Resource Group in 2006 (VegetarianJournal), 2.3 percent of adults aged 18 years or older say they never eat meat, fish, or fowl and, thus, are vegetarian. Is People’s choice somehow affecting or limiting the involvement of others because of its decision to be vegetarian? Not offering food that is consumed by 97.7% of the population is significant and we expect to find that this is a factor.
As we noted in question (ii), we also suspect that product selection may be a factor in limiting or restricting certain community members. We would seek to understand some level of significance and what solutions may be possible.

 

c. An approximate timeline which demonstrates the steps your group will take to research and conclude your project, including particular student responsibilities.

Members: Ersun, Joe, and Trevor

Objective: Determine if the demographics of People’s Food Coop is representative of its surrounding community and identify disparities or inconsistencies, if any, that may be indicated from our observations. We are also attempting to identify community organizations where a bond can be formed between People’s and the respective organization. The purpose is to ensure that People’s is perceived as open as possible to all of its respective community members. Each member is assigned a zip code within an area targeted as potential growth (a new store) for People’s and these areas (zip codes) may simply have a different mix of community members; therefore, the different strategies may need to be applied to expand into such an area; our task is to identify any notable differences that may impact expansion decisions.

Method: Compare demographics and statistical information (as collected by People’s Food Coop via member surveys) with subjective data collected as objectively as possible, individually, in the following three zip codes: 97214, 97215, and 97206. We are each to note demographic, product, community or any relevant differences between the community and People’s current membership. Each member is assigned a zip code, and each member is tasked with researching their respective zip code including physically visiting, photographing, and collecting data from at least two food stores and one community organization. The organization must have what we would estimate as strong potential to develop a long-term relationship with People’s.

Product: A final presentation based on Microsoft Power Point supporting summary documentation for use by People’s members as needed. There are three major areas to develop the project besides the individual data collection: The Power Point Presentation, The Combined Data Summary (charts/tables), and The Written Summary. The product should note any differences, if any, between People’s membership and its community members that may affect the perceived ‘openness’ of Peoples to all community members. The product should offer suggestions related to potential store expansion related to openness or the perception of community members as well as any basic ‘outreach’ suggestions. Further, the report may suggest any number of ideas, programs, or alternatives that affect People’s, cooperatives in general, the community in general, or any aspect that seems relevant to the task.

Timeline

Wednesday, February 27^th

Trevor:

· Contact SE and obtain list of potential contacts/organizations

· Buying Clubs

· Coops (an type, not just food)

· Churches/Charities

· Any organization open to relationship with People’s (if not why?)

· Create (this) Timeline Document

Monday, March 3^rd

All Members:

· Individually contact, photograph, and collecting data from at least two food stores and one community organization with strong inclination for positive relationship with People’s. Have summary data and photos ready for all members. Meet to discuss preparation for Wednesday, March 5^th and assign tasks as necessary.

Ersun:

· Have collected and summarized his individual data (including photos) related to his zip code (97214)

· Collect relevant snippets and summarize from the data collected in People’s membership surveys with emphasis on the expected (anticipated) finding discussed in group meetings.

· Estimate the results from the other members to have ready a ‘rough draft’ of the data summary needed for the overall final product (to include charts and tables) – related to above.

Joe:

· Have collected and summarized his individual data (including photos) related to his zip code (97215)

· Have a ‘rough draft’ of the summary report (based on estimate of other member’s results)

· Collect and summarize information on ‘buying Clubs’ (if completed early – email to group members)

Trevor:

· Have collected and summarized his individual data (including photos) related to his zip code (97206)

Wednesday, March 5^th

All Members:

· Have discussed and combined individual aspects into a “rough draft’ final such that it should be ‘mostly-complete’ per the tasks assigned on Monday, March 3^rd.

· Assign tasks, as necessary, to “polish” the final presentation. Be prepared to perform unexpected tasks in order to meet unexpected challenges. Essentially, we need to be ready to to do what is necessary for the group.

Monday, March 10^th

All Members:

Be prepared for Executive Summary of final (brief synopsis) – the product should be done at this point, although it could still be ‘tweaked’ for best effect as necessary. It is a ‘bad sign’ to still be working in any major capacity on the project at this point. Again – tweaking is expected and just fine. We should have some time set aside, ‘just in case’.

Wednesday, March 12^th

All Members:

Make final Presentation on group project!!

d. The form of final presentation that will most clearly communicate your findings.

The final presentation will be a personal presentation via Microsoft Power Point in conjunction with summary documentation or an executive summary for use by People’s members for later reference.

e. The final product that you will have finished by the end of the term.

The product is a summary of findings related to the comparison of people's membership and People's surrounding community. The product should note any differences, if any, between People’s membership and anything that may be affecting the perceived ‘openness’ of Peoples by its community members. The product should also offer suggestions related to a potential store expansion into southeast Portland. Further, the report may suggest any number of ideas, programs, or alternatives that affect People’s, cooperatives in general, the community in general, or any aspect that seems relevant to the task.

4. How will YOU, personally, focus your time and energy on this particular inquiry?

I will travel to the southeast area of Portland (related to the zip code assigned as well as the general expansion area) and physically visit numerous related food stores to compare demographics, food selection, price selection, and other relevant criteria. I will physically visit other cooperatives (not just food cooperatives) and community organizations to try and establish potential partners with peoples and gain further understanding about the community.

In addition, I will take a camera and collect photographs for use within the Power Point presentation. Throughout the process we are to seek any relevant information that may be pertinent to a potential expansion into southeast Portland.

My  assigned task is not only to collect individual data to be combined into a group summary, but I  am solely responsible for the creation of the Power Point presentation; therefore, I am also the presenter. The individual task assignments were discussed collectively and agreed to by all members of the group. If the presentation is not satisfactory, it is a reflection upon my individual effort.

Certainly, a significant portion of the overall effort is making sense of all that we collect to produce information out of the data. Even more challenging is taking the time to research appropriately (many hours online), to relate our course content (read and reread text books and notes), and put together something that reflects upon the assigned task, is on time, and to prepare and practice in order present professionally.

5. How do you think your inquiry relates to the four University Studies Goals? Name the goals and describe how you think your project relates to them.

1. Critical Thinking - our group was tasked with identifying differences, if any, between People's Food Coop and its surrounding community. We have to collect data from surveys, perform observations, and draw conclusions based on evaluations of our findings. There are numerous aspects involved: race, gender, age, culture, or any of many aspects that may be deemed pertinent.
   
   During our course, we read: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Organic, Inc., and Slow Food Nation. We watched various films such as Super Size Me and King Corn. All of the course content was geared to help us understand issues specifically related to the Natural Food Industry. In this material, we learned about cooperatives, the seven cooperative principles, issues related to sustainability, and issues related to community. All of the material is relevant to our task and requires us to consider the issues raised deeply.
   
   Most importantly, our task requires that we cross over or transcend beyond theory and into practice as we are directly involved with organizations and community members that are within or impacted by the natural food industry.
   
   All of these elements require substantial critical thinking in order to draw conclusions based on the myriad of resources available.
   
2. Communication - We have to collect observations individually, share our observations with each other to create group conclusions, and then need to create presentations and summaries to others orally, verbally, via charts and graphs, as well as through group presentation.
   
   Our task touches nearly every possible form of communication: speaking, informal email, formal writing, informal and formal presentation, Internet blogs, and Power Point based presentations.
   
   In order for our task to be completed, we must continually communicate with People's members, group members, the instructor, as well as various members of various organizations within the community.
   
   Overall, our task requires demonstrated communication ability via most communication channels.
   
   
3. Ethics - Our task addresses ethics head-on as we are directly collecting information and drawing conclusions to answer the question, "Is People's perceived to be 'open' by its respective members of its community." We need to consider potentially sensitive areas such as race, gender, culture affiliation, economic identity, or any number of potential areas that may directly or indirectly oppress a certain group of people. The oppression, if any, may be real or perceived and not only are we building awareness related to ethically significant areas, but we are also leaving the classroom environment and are interacting directly with the outside community.
   
   Our own ethics are possibly challenged: if we happen to discover any form of oppression, it can be ethically challenging to address the issue appropriately.
   
   We must interact with people while maintaining sensitively and by applying caution. Are our words, phrases, or actions possibly offensive or inappropriate? Just trying to collect information in sensitive areas can lead to potentially problematic scenarios, if not handled appropriately.
   
   Our task is an ethics topic.
   
4. Diversity of the Human Experience - our topics deals directly with understanding and appreciating the multitude of differences between a diverse (varied) people and their unique respective experiences.  We could not align more perfectly to address this topic. Even a small section of Portland, let alone the members of a single cooperative, contain a wide variety of human experience. There are differences in age, differences in income, differences in race, differences in religion, and music, and culture, and on and on.
   
   We are tasked directly with researching and understanding the diversity of People's Food Co-op and are required to research and understand the section of community surrounding People's. We are assigned with comparing the results such that we make determinations,  learn, and ultimately share our knowledge and experience with People's.
   
   We found differences and addressing these differences is enlightening and challenging and covers ways to appreciate differences in food selection based on traditional/ cultural values and habits, based on religious beliefs, based on affordability, based on the impact to the community, and based on sustainability: the overall impact on the environment, its ecosystem, and its people.
   
   Our task was all about and is an in-depth study of the diversity of the human experience.

    

References

Capstone
  Portland State University, www.pdx.edu
  "Senior Capstone"
  March 2008
  http://pdx.edu/unst/capstone.html

SevenPrinciples
  People’s Food Cooperative, www.peoples.com,
  “The 7 Cooperative Principles”
  Feb 8, 2008
  http://www.peoples.coop/idea/coopprinciples

International Co-operative Alliance, www.ica.coop,
  “Statement on the Cooperative Identity”
  26 May 2007
  http://www.ica.coop/coop/principles.html

PeoplesVision
  People’s Food Cooperative, www.peoples.com,
  “Vision, Mission & Values Statements”
  Feb 8, 2008
  http://www.peoples.coop/idea/Vision/vision

PeoplesGreen
  People’s Food Cooperative, www.peoples.com,
  “Green Features”
  Feb 8, 2008
  http://www.peoples.coop/store/greenfeatures/

PeoplesConsensus
  People’s Food Cooperative, www.peoples.com,
  “Consensus”
  Feb 8, 2008
  http://www.peoples.coop/idea/consensus/

FoodFrontMeat
  Food Front Cooperative Grocery, www.foodfront.coop,
  “Meat & Poultry, Seafood”
  2006
 http://www.foodfront.coop/WhatsinStore/MeatSeafoodPoultry/tabid/115/Default.aspx

FoodFrontMission
  Food Front Cooperative Grocery, www.foodfront.coop,
  “Our Mission”
  2006
http://www.foodfront.coop/AboutUs/MissionPurpose/tabid/120/Default.aspx

Food Front Cooperative Grocery, www.foodfront.coop,
  “Food Front Ends”
  2006
  http://www.foodfront.coop/AboutUs/Ends/tabid/121/Default.aspx

OmnivoresDilemma
  “The Omnivore’s Dilemma, A Natural History of Four Meals”,
  Michael Pollan
  2006. Penguin Books

OrganicInc
  “Organic. Inc., Natural Foods and How They Grew”,
  Samuel Fromartz
  2006, 2007
  A Harvest book, Harcourt Inc.

SlowFoodNation
  “Slow Food Nation, Why Our Foods should be GOOD, CLEAN, and FAIR”,
  Samuel Fromartz
  2005, Rizzoli Ex Libris, Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.

VegetarianJournal
  Vegetarian Resource Group, www.vrg.org,
  “How many adults are vegetarian?”
  2006 Poll
  http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2006issue4/vj2006issue4poll.htm

Assignment #3

Technorati Tags: healthy,organic,omnivore's dilemma,michael pollan,natural food,food selection,food industry,cooperatives

 
*Note - references refer to the text, 'The Omnivore's Dilemma', and are listed by the first letter of the author's last name (Michael Pollan), a colon, and the page number to find the reference I.e. (P: 245) refers to Pollan, page 245.

1. In the broadest way you can think, considering health, the environment, social factors, and the realities of living in the post-industrial USA, what do you think is the best answer from the "omnivore's dilemma"? From the research you have done in the last few weeks, what do you think Americans should be eating for their meals?
   
   The Omnivore's Dilemma asks the simple question, "What should we have for dinner?" (P: 1) In order to address this question, we must consider the term, 'omnivore' where all food (plant or animal) is an option and the 'dilemma' is the choice of picking a particular food to eat.
   
   "The Omnivore's Dilemma is about the three principal food chains that sustain us today: the industrial, the organic, and the hunter-gatherer. Different as they are, all three food chains are systems for doing more or less the same thing: linking us, through what we eat, to the fertility of the earth and the energy of the sun." (P: 7) 
   
   Michael Pollan established that we should not just consider the food, but also the food chain from which it derives. Simply put: If I grow a crop of carrots and  the carrots become coated in a lethal dose of poison, that poison is carried through to the consumer of the carrot. The organism that consumes the carrot also consumes the poison. Therefore, once an element within a food chain is tainted, everything up the chain is also affected.
   
   "The discovery of synthetic nitrogen changed everything - not just for the corn plant, not just for the food system, but also for the way life on earth is conducted. All life depends on nitrogen; it is the building block from which nature assembles amino acids, proteins, and nucleic acids; the genetic information that orders and perpetuates life is written in nitrogen ink (That is why scientists speak of nitrogen as supplying life's quality, while carbon provides the quantity.)" (P:42)
   
   Most of us surely know that a plant growing in dark, rich soil will surely grow very differently from than an identical plant growing in in dry arid sand. If plants grow differently based on soil conditions, then understanding the composition of soil is certainly fundamental to making proper food selection choices.
   
   "Liberated from the old biological constraints, the farm could now be managed on industrial principles, as a factory transforming inputs of raw material - chemical fertilizer - into outputs of corn. Since the farm no longer to generate and conserve its own fertility by maintaining a diversity of species, synthetic fertilizer opens the way to monoculture, allowing the farmer to bring the factories' economies of scale and mechanical efficiency to nature." (P: 45)
   
   At first, the discovery of synthetic fertilizer seemed to be all-positive, even a miracle. However, experience now teaches us that while synthetic fertilizer does provide major key ingredients to soil and crop growth, it also sacrifices other beneficial ingredients such as amino acids and antioxidants. Even more significant is the breakdown in the natural cycle, the separation of food chain items, or the simple loss of natural order. Grass depends on the sun, cows and insects on the grass, chickens on the insects and the grass on the chickens and cows. There are numerous interdependencies and industrialization has isolated plants and animals from their respective place in the natural food chain and provided substitutes such as synthetic nitrogen and antibiotics to compensate for the breakdown in the natural order. It is important that sustainability and natural order be restored.
   
   "And while our senses can help us draw the first rough distinctions between good and bad foods, we humans have to rely on culture to remember and keep it all straight. So we codify the rules of wise eating in an elaborate structure of taboos, rituals, manners, and culinary traditions, covering everything from the proper size of portions to the order in which foods should be consumed to the kinds of animals it is and is not okay to eat." (P: 296)
   
   Michael established that especially or even solely in the U.S. there exists no national food cuisine. We are a culture of all cultures and are unique in how we are free to make our food choices. His point is that most, if not all, cultural cuisines have significant nutritional benefit tied to the traditional meals as well as benefits from the associated habits that coincide with the meals.
   
   "What is striking is just how little it takes to set off one of these applecart-toppling nutritional swings in America; a scientific study, a new government guideline, a lone crackpot with a medical degree can alter this nation's diet overnight. One article in the New York Times Magazine in 2002 almost single-handedly set off the recent spasm of carbophobia in America." (P: 299)
   
   Here it is emphasized just how easily Americans sway in their food choices and that we are easily led down unhealthy paths.
   
   "The French eat all sorts of supposedly unhealthy foods, but they do so according to a strict and stable set of rules: They eat small portions and don't go back for seconds; they don't snack; they seldom eat alone; and communal meals are long, leisurely affairs. In other words, the French culture of food successfully negotiates the omnivore's dilemma, allowing the French to enjoy their meals without ruining their health."
   (P: 300-301)
   
   This seems to be the 'answer' to the omnivore's dilemma, but it is not quite inclusive enough. As noted earlier, we need to consider more than just proportions and a balanced selection of food enjoyed in mutual satisfaction with community. We need to ensure that the natural order is maintained. We should not fertilize with modified fossil fuel, we should allow each animal and plant to take their respective positions in the natural food chain. This means that diets should differ by region. A food chain in region does not likely survive in another region. Each region should seek to  maximize its variety while maintaining food chains appropriate for their climate and locale. We should seek unprocessed local, organic, and natural food.
   
   
2. Can cooperation (as defined by the 7 cooperative principles) succeed as a business model in the United States? Provide evidence to back up your answer. Check out cooperative development websites online.
   
   

   The 7 Cooperative Principles

   
   
   
   
   
   1) Voluntary and open membership
   2) Democratic member control
   3) Members’ economic participation
   4) Autonomy and independence
   5) Education, training and information
   6) Cooperation among cooperatives
   7) Concern for community
   
   Can the principles succeed as a business model? First, I need to consider what is meant by the term, succeed. I could define that success requires that at least one cooperative continues to exist based on the principles. I could establish some minimum level of market-share. I could require some form of market-dominance. I could also require some form of profit minimum, or a volume minimum, or any of many potential markers for success. Before I do, I want to consider the heart of a cooperative:
   
   

   "A cooperative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise."    
                         (http://www.ncba.coop/abcoop_ab_values.cfm)
   
   Based on this definition of cooperative, I would deem success as some measure of existence (cooperatives must exist to succeed) and that each respective cooperative is satisfactorily meeting the needs of its members (based on their perception).
   
   Some cooperative statistics:
   
   "Cooperatives, both rural and urban, have been part of the American economy for more than 100 years. By one estimate, nearly one-third of the population belongs to some type of cooperative."    (http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/pubs/pa1590.htm)
   
   

   "29 cooperatives have annual revenue in excess of $1 billion, including such well-known names as Land O'Lakes, Inc., and ACE Hardware. The top 100 co-ops have a combined $117 billion in revenues."
   
   "U.S. co-ops serve some 120 million members, or 4 in 10 Americans." (http://www.ncba.coop/abcoop_stats.cfm)
   
   "Since 1929, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) has been the voice of America's farmer cooperatives. Our members are regional and national farmer cooperatives, which are in turn comprised of nearly 3,000 local farmer cooperatives across the country. The majority of America's 2 million farmers and ranchers belong to one or more farmer cooperatives. NCFC members also include 26 state and regional councils of cooperatives." (http://www.ncfc.org/)
   
   

   Cooperatives have successfully existed in the U.S. for some time (the NCFC since 1929). The number of total cooperatives originally rose sharply, then declined slightly and seemed to fluctuate and a reasonably stable level that might indicate some form of stagnation or plateau; however, overall revenue has risen, many cooperatives have combined (reducing the quantity of cooperatives but not their membership or presence), and there is no indication that cooperatives in general are failing or declining.
   
   My personal impression, based on a rise in health food awareness, a rise in demand for natural foods, and a sense that many social factors are triggering greater community awareness leads me to conclude that continued growth is likely. Clearly, cooperatives as defined by the 7 cooperative principles can succeed as a business model within the United States.
   
   

3. What do you think is the future of the organic food industry? Provide evidence to back up your answer.
   
   "The global market for organic food and drink reached $23 billion in 2002, according to Organic Monitor. Increasing demand in North America helped fuel the 10.1 percent increase, as North America overtook Europe as the largest market for organic food and drink. Continued growth is predicted for the global organic food industry, although at slower rates than in the past year." (http://www.ota.com/organic/mt/business.html)
   
   The desire for organic food is not just based on taste, it is not just based on nutrition, it is also based on sustainability and the proper ethical treatment of animals. As noted above, the global market - the world - grew at 10.1 percent. These projections estimate future growth, not decline; although, not necessarily continuing at a rate as high as 10 percent, globally.
   
   "The status of organic agriculture has changed dramatically since USDA-NOP standards were finalized in
   2002. The most recent estimates show that organic crop and pasture land doubled between 1997 and 2001 to 2.3
   million acres, with production in almost every state." (http://organic.colostate.edu/research_docs/Thilmany_paper.pdf)
   
   Within the United States organic land doubled. This is staggering and indicative of substantial growth. When I use my own sense of observation, I have noticed a trend of small specialty stores focusing on organic food expand into local markets and into the mainstream industrial grocery chains. Where only industrial food could be purchased in grocery stores, we now have ever-growing organic food sections. I envision that consumers will continue to raise standards and their awareness and that the organic industry will continue to grow and expand. Global and U.S. growth rates are both strong and the organic industry has clearly not peaked.
   

4. What do you think are People's strengths in the local marketplace?
   
   People's strengths include its focus on local and community. They include its openness and effort to seek a relationship with all members of its respective community. It also enjoys a physical location where walk-in traffic is likely high which encourages its small farmer's market style. The building is aesthetically pleasing and warm. Of course, importantly, the food selection is mostly top-notch with healthy local, natural, and organic foods emphasized.