FSN 201

Foraging- Searching for food in nature

Animal husbandry- keeping animals for food/products (meat, eggs, milk, wool)

Industrial agriculture- Use of monocropping, GMOs, and technology

Monocropping- Producing only one crop at a time

Seed sovereignty- the right of farmers to save, sell, or use their own seeds

Biodiversity- variability among living organisms from all ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part of

Extraction- the transfer of one or more components of biological feed from its source into a liquid component

  • Compare and contrast the differences between traditional agriculture and modern agriculture 

Traditional worked with nature’s cycles and uses sun for energy, waste was used for fertilizer, selective breeding. Modern can be organic or GMO, more energy from fossil fuels, monocroop practices.

  • Identify the differences between traditional plant breeding and genetic engineering (GMOs)

Genetic engineering allows for more precise breeding of specific genes to make the crops better

  • Define and explain the concepts & benefits of the Green Revolution 

In the 1960’s there was a population boom which lead to too little food. The production of food increased due to different seeds and chemical pesticides/fertilizers (more food but more resistant to chemicals and more expensive)

  • Explain the basic concepts and differences of permaculture, organic, regenerative, and conventional agriculture methods 

Permaculture is learning to live in one place rather than migrating (thrives on biodiversity)

Organic produce is grown without certain pesticides, fertilizers, sewage, GMOs, or growth hormones.

Regenerative farming is cycling crops that replenish nutrients in the soil

Conventional farming is everything that isn’t certified organic or GMO

  • Sustainability issues of food production, including water use and food waste. 

High food waste and water need making food production unsustainable. Organic uses less energy, produces less greenhouse gases, and are more sustainable.

  • How is world food demand going to change and can we meet this need?

Food demand expected to grow 1.1% per year. 60% increase in production is needed. Reduce food waste, meat consumption, land degradation, destruction of fisheries, reliance on petroleum, and increase genetic diversity and rain-use efficiency.

High food security- household with no problems or anxiety about accessing adequate food

Marginal food security- households with problems or anxiety about accessing adequeate food but the quality, variety, and quantity was not substantially reduced

Low food security- household reduced the quality, variety, and desirability of their diets, but the quantity of intake and eating patterns were not substantially disrupted

Very low food security- Eating patterns of one or more household members were disrupted and food intake reduced because lack of money and resources

  • Be able to discuss the difference between US malnutrition and other countries we have talked about in class 

Malnutrition in the US is primarily obesity rather than undernutrition

  • Identify the basics federal food programs such as WIC, SNAP and Free/ Reduced Rate lunch, etc. 

SNAP is national food stamps, WIC is women and children, for those who are 130-185% below fed poverty level

  • Explain how food policy determines how we eat in the US 

Its cheaper to produce convenience foods than fresh whole foods

  • Understand the Thrifty Food Plan from USDA and why this choice creates nutritional deficiency in the US for those on SNAP 

The Thrifty food plan is the cost of groceries needed to feed a family of 4. SNAP benefits are based on the thrifty food plan. It requires individuals to have a high nutritional literacy to shop for nutritious foods on a budget. It also doesn’t take into account the difference in cost in different states.

  • Provide examples of disparities in food access in the US. Understand and be able to describe how systemic racism, among other policies, created those disparities. Systemic racism impacts this through education and the workforce. 

Black and hispanic households are most impacted for food security. 

  • Explain the positive and negative elements of federal food programs 

Don’t help people get off government support but can prevent hunger. Gaps in coverage

  • Understand how obesity and hunger co-exist in the United States 

Wide variability in income and convenience foods are cheap

  • Be able to discuss whether charity can solve all hunger issues or if federal food programs are necessary

Food program reforms are necessary