For Consumers
Featured Releases
About Sustainable Agriculture
If you’ve arrived at this page, you are curious about sustainable agriculture
and how you might support a profitable, environmentally sound agriculture
that is good for communities. You’ve come to the right place!
What is Sustainable Agriculture?
Sustainable agriculture encompasses diverse methods of farming and ranching
that are more profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities.
Learn more about sustainable
ag in a brochure that provides snapshots of 10 producers who apply
sustainable principles on their farms and ranches. With a colorful annotated
illustration of practices used on a model sustainable farm, it’s
ideal for schoolchildren!
What can you do to support
sustainable agriculture?
If you care about how your food is produced, learn about and become an
active participant in the food system. As a customer, your food-buying
dollars become your clout, and where you choose to spend those dollars
your vote for or against food production methods. This list
of hints will help you make ecological- and farmer-friendly choices
when you buy food.
Find a farmers market
The number of farmers markets in the United States has grown dramatically
to more than 3,000. Why are they so popular? Farmers markets provide food
purchasers with same-day-picked fresh products, a fun shopping venue and
an opportunity to talk directly with farmers.
Find a community-supported agriculture (CSA)
farm
Buy “shares” in a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm to receive
fresh fruit and vegetables – and sometimes cheese, flowers, eggs and meat
– weekly throughout the season. CSA members accept part of the financial
risks of farming and enjoy access to “their” farms for educational events
and volunteer opportunities.
Chefs A’Field
A new public television program partly supported by SARE features the
talents of the nation’s most acclaimed chefs and the farmers they rely
upon. “Chefs A’ Field: Culinary Adventures That Begin on the Farm” takes
viewers onto the farm for an over-the-shoulder view of chef-farmer exchanges.
more
Innovations
in Agriculture: An Introduction to the SARE Program (video)
'Fresh from the Farm' Notecards
Each notecard in this series of eight publicizes
the benefits of environmentally sound farming and encourages consumers
to support sustainable agriculture with brief, action-oriented messages.
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