April 2010 Archives

Industrialization and globalization has led to major changes in agri-food systems, particularly in the way food is produced, where it is sourced and how it is distributed. There have been pros and cons to those changes. While it means we have increased varieties of produce to choose from - nectarines from Chile, bananas from Ecuador, avocados from Costa Rica - we have also had increased incidences of food contamination - salmonella, E. coli, listeriosis. This has led to consumers taking a vested interest in where and how the food they eat is grown. There has been a growing emphasis on sourcing locally grown food to achieve a perceived "quality control" for consumers as well as fair pricing and treatment for producers.

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