by Gerald Drueppel

Created on: April 17, 2009

Centralization of any basic necessity adds vulnerability to any populace. Just the infrastructure alone necessary to transport produce from state to state is staggering when we consider just how many trucks it takes to ships tons of what amounts to water weight. Causing significant wear and tear on our roads and bridges. The quality naturally suffers due to various methods of preserving said produce for transport and even the genetic modification techniques, meant to enhance durability and not nutrition, may introduce complications down the road from which we would have little to no warning. Centralization of our food at distribution points poses such a national security risk due to the fact that a single individual given the proper knowledge and ambition could disrupt our supply lines many magnitudes of order greater than if all food was grown locally, preferably using some of the latest methods of aero-ponics and aquaponics and other synergistic systems that would allow us all to work in harmony as nature intended. Which I assure you was not to line the pockets of anyone devious enough to get between you and the basic necessities of life. Take profit out of the equation and true prosperity will far outgrow anything you can put a green thumb to.

Accountability is directly tethered to reputation as far as local growers who share their efforts with others. If you get sick you can trace the origin of contamination within minutes instead of weeks or months which cost more lives. Living on the Texas coast and having went through two hurricane evacuations in five years. I know first hand of situations in which food is worth more than gold and martial law was the only thing standing between us and complete chaos.

If we cannot find it within ourselves to adopt a policy of localization instead of centralization whose only true agenda is to maximize profits by getting between us and what we need to sustain life then you leave your well being in the hands of those who only refer to you as consumer 135617. Whereas the local grower would call you by first name, asks you how your spouse and children are and recommend the best asparagus you ever sunk your teeth into with a handshake and a smile. A far cry from the mandatory policy human services and customer relations associated with any major grocer. It is quality versus quantity. Sustainability versus marketability. In any crisis, whether global or local, the only commodity that matters is sustenance.

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