A New England Food Vision
Where Are We Now?
Farming and fishing were once at the heart of New England. The enduring presence of dairy farms, vegetable stands, sugarhouses, working waterfronts and fishing boats testifies to the cultural heritage that underlies our landscape and economy.
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5%
of land in New England is producing food
-
90%
of New England’s food comes from outside the region
-
15%
of New Englanders regularly do not have enough to eat
Challenges to the commercial fishery are many. They include overfishing of depleted fish stocks, high nutrient concentrations and pollution from runoff, and climate change. Cost of boats, gear, fuel, crews, and permits, as well as uncertainties about regulatory catch limits make it hard to plan and to assure an adequate return on the difficult and dangerous work of fishing.
New Englanders eat excessive amounts of refined grains, fats, and sugar and too few fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other diet-related health problems shorten lives.
The sharp decline of farms and farmland over ~100 years slowed around 1970, and has held at around 2 million acres (5% of the region) with a slight rise recently in (mostly small) farms.
A New England Food Vision envisions New Englanders in 2060 eating more diverse and healthier foods than today, with three times as much land (15% of the region, or 6 million acres) producing food.
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