The Future of Food in Northern California: Rural and Urban Environments




Endive & Citrus Salad with shaved pecorino romano cheese

The outlook for the food system of Northern California is promising. The foundation of its food system is sustainability, which should enable the food system to withstand the various challenges that threaten its existence. Challenges such as water rights issues, people who are not environmentally conscious, an organic niche market, and state budget deficits could limit the growth and demand for foods produced by local small scale growers. At Gizdich Ranch we heard about the dispute over water rights that have been revised , which leads to new or increased utility expenses. Theses increased expenses threaten a farmers ability to operate at a profit and stay in business.



Endive harvesting

Another issue that could threaten the food system is the lack of awareness among the general public for high quality foods. According to Rich Collins of California Vegetable Specialties their “biggest challenge is ignorance” a lot of people don’t know what his product is or what to do with it. A large portion of our country eats a poor diet, is uninformed about healthier food alternatives, or cannot afford the more expensive organic products. These individuals are potentially less conscious of the environmental impact of their food decisions and this could work against the efforts of the green movement. This creates a imbalanced food system that has  educated high income  individuals eating  quality organic foods in relative small quantities  on one side and everyone else eating massive quantities of conventionally processed foods on the other.   Budget deficits may also challenge the food system in California. As the state  and local governments look for ways to increase revenue; small business can end up being the scapegoat. Tax increases, increased regulation, and a reduction in government subsidies for small farmers could strip any hope of making a profit out of the farmers hand. If this scenario played out even in part we would see farms sold or abandoned leaving gaps in the food system in Northern California.

The culture of  Northern California informs food practices in rural environments through its “back to the farm” culture. Here people live out what they believe and quality over quantity is the dominate ideology. Harley Farm is a good example of the hard work and dedication that goes into producing goat cheese that is representative of the place. These business savvy farmers understand the importance of multiple streams of income and offer a diverse line of products from soap & lotion to goats milk feta. Here is where urban culture meets rural. The urban influence of Northern California penetrates the rural culture by providing the business expertise developed by fortune 500 tech companies to organic farmers. These farmers apply the same diversified product line techniques that a Starbucks or Bath & Body Works might offer. While not on the same scale but in principle.

The diversity of  the Urban environments in No. Cal. also informs the food practices. The diverse population contributes cuisines from around the world. With the influx of cuisines from other countries comes a demand for fresh produce similar to what a given culture produces in its own country. And this is where No. Cal. excels in its ability to meet this demand for fresh produce.