by SFUSA Program Director Makalé Faber Cullen
The names alone can bring a smile to your face. In today’s New York Times, Kim Severson rolls out descriptions of RAFT, and our country’s food heritage, like little pearls of food wisdom.
Industrial farming, which selects for shipability, is the cause of the loss of 93% of our food diversity. In contrast, over 500 RAFT market farmers in over 40 states took on our Grow Out Challenge and returned endangered varieties to their fields, sharing their bounties with chefs and neighbors, and with us.
For three years, small-scale farmers have been the backbone of RAFT.
With our encouragement and without it, farmers across the US have taken on the task of preserving our country’s agricultural biodiversity. We celebrate the delicious successes of our country’s forward-thinking farmers and chefs.
Editor’s note: Nice coverage of the RAFT book also found on Ethicurean. Also, make sure to check out the comments section of the NY Times online version, directly following the article. Good stuff!
