Agriculture and Food
Local Agriculture
Very little of the food consumed in the Houston area is produced nearby. Only pecans, rice, peanuts, soybeans, beef, and perhaps seafood are produced in sufficient quantities in the eight-county region to satisfy demand.
Remote Agriculture
More than 90 percent of the food eaten in the Gulf Coast region comes
from elsewhere, and a large proportion comes from outside the state or
nation. Our remote, large-scale agricultural production and distribution
system carries with it a variety of environmental consequences, including
use of fossil fuels with their attendant pollution for processing, refrigeration
and transport. Wasteful packaging is also a problem. Remote agriculture
has economic impacts, too. As food is imported into the region, revenues
and jobs are exported. Compounding these impacts are global trade agreements
such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and, its extension further
south, the Central American Free Trade Agreement, which open our borders
to environmental problems. More and more, Houstonians are eating produce
grown on farms in countries that allow the use of pesticides banned in
the United States.
Globalization also complicates transport problems. A NAFTA provision
allows trucks to enter the US from Mexico that do not
meet standards for diesel emissions. A 2003 study found that the impact
might raise Houston's level of particulate matter by as much as 17 percent
and make it impossible for the city to meet its 2007 clean air deadline.
Conventional Agriculture
The environmental consequences of conventional agriculture include
pollution of lakes and streams by fertilizers and
pesticides; habitat destruction; soil erosion; depletion of water resources;
and destruction of soil quality through overgrazing, overtilling, and
monocropping.
Pesticides and food
A 1998 study by the Food and Drug Administration found
pesticide residues in 35 percent of the food tested.
Commercial growers and chemical manufacturers have
long argued that pesticides are not dangerous at low levels. However,
no research has been done into the cumulative effects of pesticides as
they remain stored in the body's fatty tissue and accumulate over time.
Although exact health effects are difficult to determine, scientists
have linked pesticides to many types of cancer and to nervous system
disorders, genetic mutations, and immune system dysfunction.
There are also economic impacts of the widespread use of pesticides
in commercial agriculture. The Texas Agriculture Statistics
Service estimates that Texas farm and ranch operators
spent $376 million on pesticides. When this is combined with $642 million
in fertilizer costs, it equals one-third the net cash income received
by all Texas farmers and ranchers
Food Quality
Quality
Many conventional fruit and vegetable growers choose produce varieties
based on ability to last long after harvest, transport well, and look
attractive to consumers. These qualities are often preferred over flavor
and nutritional value. Additional nutrients are lost as food is processed
and stored for long periods.
Seafood
The Texas Department of Health currently maintains a health advisory
concerning fish caught in twelve state water bodies including the entire
Gulf Coast, the Ship Channel and upper Galveston Bay. It warns adults
not to eat more than 8 ounces of any species of fish or crabper month
from the Ship Channel northwest of the Lynchburg Ferry Crossing or from
the San Jacinto River below the Highway 90 bridge because of elevated
levels of chlorinated pesti-cides, PCBs and dioxins; children and women
of childbearing age should not eat any fish or crabs from these areas.
TDH recommends these same consumption limits for catfish and crabs from
upper Galveston Bay; fish and other seafood from lower Galveston Bay has
been deemed safe. Mercury contamination is also a concern. The heavy metal
is emitted from coal burning power plants, contaminates soil and water,
and bioaccumulates up the food chain. Mercury has been linked to development
and neurological damage, especially in children and can affect the nervous
and immune system of adults. Texas leads the nation in mercury emissions.
Biotechnology
Genetic engineering incorporates genes from one species into another
in order to transfer beneficial traits. Advocates for genetically altered
crops claim they increase productivity, reduce the need for pesticides,
and improve the nutritional value of food. Critics deny these benefits
and say that the risks are far too great. Currently commercialized GM
crops in the US include soybeans, canola, corn, papaya, zucchini, and
squash and potatoes.
Introducing new genes into plants may cause unanticipated effects. Genetically
altered food may contain unknown toxins or allergens,
have reduced nutritional value, or spread antibiotic
resistance. The ecological consequences are uncertain
as well. Pollen, insects, microbes, and wildlife may spread genetic contamination.
Already, reports of cross contamination are causing concern. Unwanted
effects may include the creation of herbicide-resistant weeds and new
pathogens, reduced efficacy of organic insecticides, and loss of biodiversity.
In 2002, Texas-based Prodigene became the first company to be sued for
contaminating traditional crops with engineered seed. In 2003, the FDA
revealed information about more than 100 similar cases it had previously
withheld. Currently, two-thirds of the processed food in the United States
is estimated to contain a genetically engineered product. These foods
are not labeled as such. The only way to avoid consuming them is to buy
organic products.
Animal Agriculture
Producing animal products is much less resource efficient
than producing plant products. Some estimate that
it takes up to sixteen pounds of grain to produce a
pound of beef and up to six pounds for a pound of turkey or eggs. Animal
agriculture also uses substantially more water than plant agriculture.
Environmentalists point to the air, soil, and water impacts of con-fined
animal feeding operations and large-scale poultry farms, and many are concerned
with the multiple hazards faced by often immigrant laborers in the large
slaughterhouses.
Recent Progress
A decade ago, organic gardening in the Houston area was limited to a very few individuals. Now, Urban Harvest, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to ecologically sustainable land use and horticulture, estimates that there are more than 500 organic home food growers, 10 to 20 organic market farmers, and a network of 95 community gardens in the region. The group has also built the infrastructure needed to train people to grow food sustainably.
Urban Harvest
A decade ago, organic gardening in the Houston area was limited to a
very few individuals. Urban Harvest, a local nonprofit
organization dedicated to ecologically sustainable
land use and horticulture, now estimates that there are more than 500
organic home food growers, 10 to 20 organic market farmers, and a network
of 90-plus community gardens in the region. The group has also built
the infrastructure needed to train people to grow food sustainably.
Heights Farmers Market
The Houston area finally has its first true farmers' market. The small
but popular venue operates out of the parking lot of the Onion Creek
Café. Every Saturday, local organic farmers, restaurateurs. and merchants
exhibit their wares as neighbors sample food and get to know one another.
Last Organic Outpost
The Last Organic Outpost, founded in November 2001, is an agriculture
park near downtown Houston. The founders' mission was
to prove that fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables can be produced
in an urban setting. The Outpost has become a popular market garden,
selling to local co-ops and restaurants.
Community Co-ops
A handful of community co-ops has sprung up and more are likely on
the way. Contact Urban Harvest for a list of co-ops
around the Houston area.
What You Can Do
Grow your own food
With a little know-how and a very small piece of land, area residents can grow a large percentage of their own high-quality, organic produce inexpensively. Gardening also provides exercise, promotes a healthy diet, and protects the environment.
Buy locally and seasonally
Buying locally grown, seasonal produce reduces the resources needed for transportation, storage, and packaging of food. Look for “Go Texan” stickers on produce, which ensures that it was grown in the state.
Support organic agriculture
Most grocery stores now offer at least some fruits, vegetables, and animal products produced without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones. Keep in mind, however, that organically grown food transported from far away may be better for your health but also may cause more environmental problems than conventional produce raised in the region.
Eat lower on the food chain
Consuming fewer animal products lowers the health, environmental, and social impacts of agriculture.
Start a community garden
Community gardens are collaborative projects that use common space to create positive environmental, economic, and social impacts in neighborhoods. Community members share in the maintenance and rewards of the garden. For more information, contact Urban Harvest at 713-880-5540.
