What Sustainability Means to Sweetpotato Farmers
Sustainability is a trendy word these days. And while each consumer probably has his/her own individual idea about what it means and conveys, it’s important to remember that it has many meanings, depending on the individual, location, scenario and circumstance.
According to the UN World Commission on Environment and Development, sustainable development is: “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Another take on sustainability, from Sustain.UCLA, says that sustainability is “the balance between the environment, equity, and economy.”
Many consumers tend to think about sustainability from the lens of keeping the environment safe, renewable and “healthy.” And this is certainly important to farmers, the ultimate caretakers of the land. Jose “Pepe” Calderon, of Farm Pak, says that, “as farmers and good stewards of the land, which is our most important tool,” we have to nurse our soils and water to assure a good healthy production of food with minimal impact to nature.”
However, while caring for the environment is important to all farmers, there’s much more to the equation. It’s even fair to say that sustainability plays a role in nearly every aspect of their operation.
Here are some other points of sustainability:
- Crop rotation – Crop rotation is key in keeping soil healthy, which translates to more sustainability and profitability. If farmers don’t produce healthy crops with good yields, they cannot be profitable nor sustainable.
- Profitability – The financial impact of farming is also important to consider. If farmers aren’t making a profit, they can’t keep their businesses and operations going, therefore, they won’t be sustainable. They need to minimize costs and earn a profit to support resources for storage of crops, transportation, and of course, paying employees. Profit also allows improvements to be made to the infrastructure within the farm and equipment to be upgraded as needed, which can lead to more sustainable outcomes.
- Efficient Equipment – Some farms can reuse equipment for different crops, which is a great use of resources and sustainable for the environment and their businesses. For example, Kim Kornegay LeQuire, of Kornegay Family Produce shares, “We are able to use the same tractors for cultivating and plowing implements on all of the land for prep work. When it comes to planting and harvest, we use specialized implements for each particular crop, but still use the same tractors. We properly maintain our equipment so it will last as long as it can.”
- Technology– Technology seems to be a double-edged sword in today’s world, but it can definitely help with sustainability intitaitves and reducing waste. As technology advances, farmers can monitor and control the output of applications, keep track of rainfall, perform traceability on produce crops, and monitor and control irrigation. This leads to a reduction in waste and resources, key points of sustainability.
- Thinking Ahead – Farming is a long term mindset, and having the ability to properly plan and think ahead is critical to saving resources, equipment and more. Some things to think ahead about include H-2A workers and availability for their housing, garnering temporary work visas, equipment needed, how many acres of crops will be planted the next year and following, the money needed to grow said crops and pay labor, varieties of seeds to plant, fertilizers and chemicals needed, and more. Sustainability happens in the future by doing this.
Here’s what some of our sweetpotato farmers think about sustainability.
Kim Kornegay, of Kornegay Family Produce, refers to sustainability as, “something that can be maintained throughout generations and can last and thrive, especially in times of challenge.
“There are very thin profit margins in farming, so it also has to be something that you can maintain economically,” she adds. “If we’re pouring money into something just to keep it afloat, that’s not really sustainable [from a business perspective]. Instead, that’s draining our resources. It can take a long time for an operation to realize what is and what isn’t sustainable for the long term, so they pivot and do things and practices that are.”
Caroline Hines, of Hines Family Produce, likes to think about sustainability as a long term mindset. “Every decision made in Agriculture is thoughtfully curated,” she says. “From the seeds studied and researched for 7-8 years before being sold to the farmer and put in the ground, to our 3-5 year + crop rotations that are based on soil testing, analysis and history, farmers build and invest millions in infrastructure and equipment so we tend to think next generation ahead. Farming is not an overnight or yearly venture. There is so much to think about months before the dirt is stirred and a seed put in the ground”
Farmers also bring up the mental toll that sustainability can take, from all aspects. For example, if farmers are experiencing more bad days than good and there is no teamwork, that’s not sustainable on any level, either.
As final thoughts for consumers to consider, Hines adds, “What I want the public to understand is just how much goes into what they are consuming. How much stress we undergo as farmers, and how many decisions we make every single day. Our goal is to feed the world as effectively and efficiently as possible while keeping our farming legacies alive for the next generation.”
Jose “Pepe” Calderon adds, “Farming tends to receive bad publicity at times and some people look at us as evil for the environment. But the truth is, no farmer will intentionally waste money or damage nature. We have strict regulations of the types of inputs we can use for crop production, which are approved and tested to be safe. We enjoy what we do, but it’s definitely hard work.”