The 2009 ASHS Annual Conference

The demand for agriculture to produce safe, quality foods to sustain life has been on-going in every population group since the beginning of farming.  While food productivity through the ages has increased through the cultivation of additional land, the introduction of mechanization, and the development of technology, questions have arisen about the economic, environmental, and social costs when the expansion in farm output leads to fewer, but larger farms, disrupting rural communities and distancing the grower from the consumer.  A growing consumer movement over the past 30 years has challenged the concept of mass, high-tech production and has begun to support more local production in which the grower is part of the community and utilizes farming practices that protect the soil, water, and other resources.  This presentation begins the examination of whether this change is truly sustainable, good for horticulture, and adaptable to international trade.