Yesterday, in the New York Times, was an op-ed by journalist and author James McWilliams, about the true impact of the local food movement on the global environment. In the article, McWilliams, himself an enthusiastic member of a CSA, reports that,

“Researchers at Lincoln University in New Zealand, no doubt responding to Europe’s push for “food miles labeling,” recently published a study challenging the premise that more food miles automatically mean greater fossil fuel consumption. Other scientific studies have undertaken similar investigations. According to this peer-reviewed research, compelling evidence suggests that there is more — or less — to food miles than meets the eye.”

These studies, McWilliams writes, actually prove that once factors other than “food miles” are entered into the equation (such as a farm’s water, energy and fertilizer/pesticide use; packaging, etc) the total carbon footprint of food purchased from half way across the world is often actually lower than that purchased from locally-grown sources. Quoting a noted New Zealand environental researcher, McWilliams notes that locally grown food, “is not always the most environmentally sound solution if more emissions are generated at other stages of the product life cycle than during transport.” McWilliams goes on to urge fellow local-food supporters to view these findings not as a threat, but as a challenge to look at the food system in a new way, as both environmentalists and pragmatists.

There is certainly a large challenge present in this article. For one, it could generate unfavorable press for the local food movement when certain elements of McWilliams’ presentation are taken out of context, or are manipulated for political purposes. For some of us, this information might force us to reconsider whether the other values of local foods (taste, freshness, supporting local farmers, community development, worker’s rights, to name but a few) would still compel us to choose the low-spray apples we buy from the local farm, or, as John Mackey of Whole Foods would claim, we’d be better off buying certified organic ones from across the country.

It’s a discussion worth beginning, even if our answers lead to more questions.

FYI, here is McWilliams’ original article from the Texas Observer, on which the NYT piece was based.

And here are some other perspectives on this issue.

Rabbi Morris Allen has served Congregation Beth Jacob outside of St. Paul, Minnesota for 22 years. In his “spare time,” he is also the founder of Hechsher Tzedek – a proposed certification put forward by the Conservative movement last December that would endorse foods that are traditionally kosher and also produced in a socially just and sustainable way.

Hecsher Tzedek has received significant acclaim, and also sharp criticism since the idea was piloted eight months ago. I spoke with Rabbi Allen recently to find out the latest news.

“Kashrut is not simply a statement about what we can and cannot eat,” Rabbi Allen told me. “There are so many people who worry about whether a cow’s lung is smooth [glatt] or not, but have no worry about whether someone’s hand was mutilated in the process.”

After my goose bumps subsided, I asked him what this vision looked like in practice. He identified six criteria that will be the “meat and potatoes” of Hechsher Tzedek as it develops:

Read more »

Yesterday’s SF Chronicle had an in-depth look at Bay Areans leading Farm Bill reform. While Michael Pollan is a mere mention, I was struck by this photo of him, as he looks positively guru-like, sitting in some kind of Garden of Eden (that mind you, looks a little too green to be in California at this time of year, even though tonight it rained in July, which never happens.) The article can be found here.

Check out this video news from The Washington Post about Congregation Tifereth Israel’s offering kosher, organic meat in the DC area. Devora Kimmelman-Block is a mom and sustainable agriculture fan who is also Hazon’s Tuv Ha’Aretz Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) site coordinator for the congregation as well. Check out her interview on Hazon’s web page here!

A great article in the Washington Post today about eco-kashrut — including Tuv Ha’Aretz’s Devora Kimmelman-Block, Nigel Savage and a shout out about The Jew and the Carrot!

First she had to find an organic cattle farm near Washington. Then a shochet, a person trained in kosher slaughtering, who was willing to do a freelance job. Then a kosher butcher to carve the beef into various cuts and other families from her synagogue to share it.

All told, it took Devora Kimelman-Block of Silver Spring 10 months to obtain 450 pounds of meat that is local, grass-fed, organic and strictly kosher. Which is a lot of effort — and a lot of meat — for someone who keeps a kosher vegetarian household.

Read the article

The article also suggests that the Tsedek Hekscher, under development by the Conservative movement to certify that food is not only kosher but meets criteria for worker health and safety, could be attractive to non-Jews as well as those Jews interested in keeping kosher. Or l’goyim (light to the nations), anyone?

I was priviledged to work at New Voices magazine, the only national magazine written by and for Jewish college students, and truly support their work — the magazine is free free free so suscribe yourself or your synagogue’s students today — getting the voices of the next generation of Jewish writers, editors and thinkers out into the community. This month’s excellent issue — The Body Issue — contains a superb wrap-up by Michael Croland (read his blog here) of the controversies facing the kosher industry and a humane treatment of its animals:

“The kosher meat industry of today is not the perfect, painless slaughter that is alluded to in the ideals of shekhita. The industry’s future success and its treatment of animals may depend upon how consumers react now that the spotlight is shining.”

Read the full article.

We are excited and humbled to announce that Jcarrot won the Jewish and Israeli Blog Awards in both of the categories we were nominated in:

Best New Blog  -and-
Best Kosher Food/Recipe Blog
Thanks to all of our amazing contributors, and to everyone who reads and comments on posts, for helping to make Jcarrot the front page voice of the New Jewish Food Movement.

Thanks also to our blog friends, Gluten Free by the Bay (which currently has an amazing recipe for roasted garlic, artichoke, and white bean spread)  and Two Heads of Lettuce, which placed in 2nd and 3rd in the Best Kosher Food/Recipe Blog categories.

Thanks again, and here’s to what’s next!

In a recent article in the UK’s Jewish Chronicle, Michael Green of our ally across the pond, Swords and Ploughshares, writes about the questionable kashrut status of genetically modified foods:

A long tradition of Jewish thinkers has emphasised the importance of protecting the natural environment, but Jewish voices have failed to reach a consensus since GM food hit the shops in 1996. . .

As Jonathan Sacks puts it, God and man are “partners in the work of creation”. The ancient covenant is mirrored in the modern concept of sustainability which seeks to “meet the needs of the present [generation] without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Or, in biblical terms, the environment must be preserved l’dor v’dor, from generation to generation.

Read more »

The first Jewish CSA, Tuv Ha’Aretz, gets a shoutout in PA’s Jewish Exponent:

Part of the process is “to examine our thoughts about food and examine what’s been taught in Judaism” on the subject, she said. [organizer Robin Rifkin, a nutritionist] The group plans to schedule discussions on conservation; what it means to say blessings before and after meals; and why organic and local foods are so crucial these days. The Jewish heritage of farming and Jewish agricultural holidays will be examined as well.

In addition, the role of charity and food will be explored. Jewish law is very specific about how much land and foodstuffs go to the poor, she noted. Kol Ami will be donating any extra or unused shares to the Mitzvah Food Pantry, a program run by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.

Still, Kol Ami will face some real challenges. Learning to eat “seasonally” can be daunting for families, especially when they have never used exotic ingredients like dandelion greens and Swiss chard in cooking before. To help participants prepare meals with these new ingredients, Kol Ami will also be holding cooking classes.

…don’t eat it.

That was one of the latest set of recommendations from our fearless leader, Michael Pollan (Unhappy Meals, NY Times, Jan 28) of what and how we should eat in order to maintain our own health and the health of the planet.

Jewishly speaking, we could adopt a similar rule of thumb:

“If you’re not sure which bracha to make over a certain piece of food, (because it might or might not be from the earth, made of the five grains, be a type of cake, bread or something else entirely unrecognizable — such as “Go-Gurt”) — don’t eat it.”

Right on, rabbis!