Nutritious food: Essential for all or a perk for some?

Caryn Lipson

October 16, 2024

Don't we all deserve clean and nutritious food?

Recently, NJ Senator Cory Booker, a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, introduced a bill, "Safe School Meals Act" (SSMA), to reform the National School Lunch Program. He was spurred to take action after learning about the alarming results of the school lunch tests commissioned by Moms Across America. The bill addresses heavy metals, pesticides, harmful additives, and food packaging chemicals found in the lunches served. "Of the 43 lunches that they had tested, all of them contained heavy metals, most contained glyphosate, a majority contained other harmful pesticides, and all were extremely low in nutrition." Senator Booker suggested that organic farms could provide students with safe, nutritious foods.

Senator Booker suggested purchasing from organic growers and regenerative farmers emphasizing that they have been producing nutrient-dense foods for decades. His bill would "support these responsible growers and manufacturers by connecting them to the $17 billion National School Lunch Program.”

Our children are important and should have access to the best nutrition possible. But, don't we also deserve to have access to clean and nutritious food, whether or not we can afford to buy organic? And, shouldn't growers be able to provide more healthy, nutritious produce even if they don't go organic? Fortunately, some innovative growing techniques can provide higher quality crops naturally and eliminate many pests without pesticides.

Greenhouses - a potential game changer

One particularly effective approach is growing crops in greenhouses. Greenhouses serve multiple purposes as they regulate temperature, climate, and humidity, enabling farmers to grow higher-quality crops, including those that might otherwise be unsuitable for local conditions. According to GrowDirector, greenhouses provide the following ten benefits:

     1. Greenhouses extend the growing season. In cold climates, greenhouses can be used to start growing crops earlier in the spring and continue growing crops later into the fall.
    2. Greenhouses protect crops from adverse weather conditions. Greenhouses protect crops from wind, rain, hail, snow, and extreme temperatures.
‍    3. [Greenhouses] improve crop yields. Greenhouses control the environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and light levels, to create an ideal environment for plant growth.
‍    4. [Greenhouses can be used to] grow crops that would not otherwise be possible. Greenhouses can be used to grow tropical fruits in cold climates.
‍    5. Greenhouses produce high-quality crops. The controlled environment of a greenhouse helps to produce crops that are free of pests and diseases.
‍    6. [Greenhouses] reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides. The controlled environment of a greenhouse makes it easier to control pests and diseases without the use of chemicals.
‍    7. Greenhouses conserve water. The controlled environment of a greenhouse helps to conserve water by reducing evaporation and runoff.
‍    8. Greenhouses create jobs. The construction and operation of greenhouses require skilled labor.
‍    9. Greenhouse farming improve[s] food security. Greenhouses can be used to grow crops in areas that are prone to drought, flooding, or other natural disasters.
‍  10. Greenhouses reduce our reliance on imported food. Greenhouses can be used to grow crops locally, which reduces our reliance on imported food.

While greenhouses have traditionally been used to grow crops for many years, new technologies and automation systems are helping farmers decrease greenhouse costs while increasing productivity, as The Packer relates:

“We are seeing increased investment in research and development of new technology and automation systems for greenhouses and this investment is vital to improve productivity and crop yields while reducing the cost of greenhouse operations,” Gotham Greens Co-Founder and CEO Viraj Puri said. “Advancements in climate control, lighting and automation technology have been particularly compelling.”

Gotham Greens’ newest facilities, including its recently opened greenhouse in Davis, Calif., are equipped with enhanced automation, climate control and data science capabilities. It’s the most advanced technology the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based company has ever used, said Puri.

GrowDirectors agrees that the new technology is a potential agricultural game-changer.

Greenhouse farming technology is a rapidly growing field with the potential to revolutionize agriculture. By understanding the basics of technology, farmers can use it to improve their crop yields, reduce costs, and protect the environment.

An example of how greenhouses can transform agriculture can be found in Southern Australia’s South Adelaide Plains. It grows one-third of Southern Australia’s vegetables and boasts the largest concentration of greenhouses in the Southern Hemisphere, with 1,000 hectares [2,471 acres] of greenhouses, and expanding, as Kate Higgins reported for ABC News.

Beneficial bugs replace pesticides

Greenhouses are not the only reason this region stands out. Given the tightly packed nature of the greenhouses, the risk of pests spreading from one farm to another is typically a significant concern. Yet, some farmers are eschewing pesticides in favor of natural pest control methods and are, instead, “employing integrated pest management (IPM), which utilises beneficial bugs to address these risks.”

Higgins interviewed Andrew and Zurriyet Braham, who grow peppers (called capsicums in Australia). They explained that IPM is a preferable long-term pest control, especially because bugs often build up resistance against pesticides over time. Now they are using “beneficial bugs as a chemical-free biological control.” Mr. Braham, happy with the results, said, "We haven't looked back since."

Andrew Potter, the head grower at P'Petual Holdings, also employs IPM to produce tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and eggplants. Potter told Higgins that beneficial bugs are placed in the greenhouses while the crops are being planted; the bugs work 24/7 to continually manage the pests.

. . . These bugs are working seven days a week and continue to breed in there so it doesn't interrupt operations, whether it's with holding periods for picking or having to get staff out of [the] greenhouse for spraying," Mr[.] Potter said.

"So we've pretty much got an army of bugs that are looking after our borders.

Bug providers

Who provides the beneficial bugs? One company that does so is Biological Services, which has insectaries in the South Australian Riverland and Western Australia. Anita Marquart, who breeds the bugs, provided Higgins with an example of their effectiveness:

"We've got a little wasp. It's called Aphidius. It's super cool because basically the wasp comes, looks and searches for an aphid, and then it goes and lays its egg into the aphid," she said.

. . .

The aphid dies but gets turned into a cocoon from which a new wasp hatches.

"One female wasp can actually go and parasitise 300 aphids just within a few days," Dr[,] Marquart said.

Dr. Marquart emphasized her commitment to IPM, stating, "We’re trying to make the world a better place by producing healthier food, which is good for our kids and everyone in general."

How IPM works

Integrated pest management, as its name suggests, is more than just adding insects to the fields. It is a way of managing crops and solving pest problems that also protects the environment. CABI BioProtection Portal's author Fanny Deiss describes how this environmentally friendly strategy aims to resolve pest issues while limiting negative effects on health and the environment.

This strategy includes implementing biological, chemical, physical, and crop-specific methods to encourage healthy crops while minimizing pesticide use. Reducing pesticide application lowers health risks and fosters sustainability, as IPM aims to:

▪ Manage pest damage in the most economical way

▪ Limit impact to people, property and the environment

▪ Avoid negative implications for the farmer

▪ Improve biodiversity and conservation

▪ Protect the human right to food

CABI BioProtection Portal provided this graphic (image below) to illustrate how IPM works.

The CABI BioProtection Portal is a free resource that makes IPM information and resources accessible to growers worldwide.

CABI BioProtection Portal provides a free global resource to help growers with biological pest management, featuring a searchable directory of nationally registered biocontrol and biopesticide products and “comprehensive information to help agricultural advisors and growers to source and effectively use sustainable natural products within integrated pest management programmes.”

A community effort

Food, clothing, and shelter are the three basics that everyone needs for survival. But can food that contains toxins and lacks nutrition truly be considered food? Access to clean and nutrient-dense food, essential for sustaining humanity, should not be viewed as a privilege reserved for those who can afford to buy organic; it is vital for everyone's health and well-being, including future generations. While the Safe School Meals Act aims to improve the quality of food served to our children, it also highlights the broader issues of food deprivation that many Americans face daily, and the lack of clean, nutrient-dense foods available to the general public.

Growers, whether large-scale or home gardeners, can play a vital role in transforming our food supply. By adopting natural, toxin-free, eco-friendly practices and prioritizing a diverse array of nutrient-rich crops, they can significantly enhance the health and resilience of their families and communities. Community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs and urban gardening initiatives also empower individuals to take control of their food sources, fostering a deeper connection to what they eat.

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