Our Food Comes from Everywhere

The World in Your Cupboards

You might not fully appreciate the global food system that supplies your home or restaurant menu. Kiwis and blueberries from Peru, raisins from California, tree nuts from Vietnam, chocolate from Western Africa, spices from India, or cod from the Bering Sea. 

It starts with farmers or fishers, whose products can travel thousands of miles before arriving at your local grocer. All this faces increasing risks from climate change.    

Food Is Big Business

Many of us in the US and other rich countries are privileged enough to dine on foods from around the world. We take advantage of a globally interconnected and interdependent food system of farms, transport, storage and processing facilities, wholesalers, retailers, and others. It’s also an important component of the global economy, worth about $5 Trillion annually. In the US, agriculture and food-related businesses provide 22 million full- and part-time jobs or 11% of total employment.

In the US about 8% of farms market locally but a lot of food still travels great distances to get to our table. To illustrate, let’s consider the ingredients in a Kellogg Nutri-Grain bar. They may come from any of these top-producing countries around the world.

Our Food Comes from Everywhere

The World in Your Cupboards

You might not fully appreciate the global food system that supplies your home or restaurant menu. Kiwis and blueberries from Peru, raisins from California, tree nuts from Vietnam, chocolate from Western Africa, spices from India, or cod from the Bering Sea. 

It starts with farmers or fishers, whose products can travel thousands of miles before arriving at your local grocer. All this faces increasing risks from climate change.    

Food Is Big Business

Many of us in the US and other rich countries are privileged enough to dine on foods from around the world. We take advantage of a globally interconnected and interdependent food system of farms, transport, storage and processing facilities, wholesalers, retailers, and others. It’s also an important component of the global economy, worth about $5 Trillion annually. In the US, agriculture and food-related businesses provide 22 million full- and part-time jobs or 11% of total employment.

In the US about 8% of farms market locally but a lot of food still travels great distances to get to our table. To illustrate, let’s consider the ingredients in a Kellogg Nutri-Grain bar. They may come from any of these top-producing countries around the world.

Now let’s consider the delectable banana split, which is made with a banana, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream topped with chocolate syrup, strawberry sauce, crushed pineapple, whipped cream, peanuts or walnuts, and maraschino cherries. Many of the main ingredients are made with other ingredients like the strawberry sauce, which is made with strawberries, orange and lemon juice, vanilla extract, and sometimes Cointreau. Points on the map indicate the locations where ingredients are most likely to come for a banana split eaten in the US.

This complex globally interdependent food system is under increasing threat from climate change.

Read the whole story! Next up, Our World Is Changing…
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