If we build it, they will come (to eat)

My poor attempt at commissioning the quote from Field of Dreams to my cause actually does relate to how I foresee changes in the American Food System coming about.  There has been a recent effort to reconnect the city man to his rural roots, by reintroducing greenery into urban areas, especially with food deserts. Even though there are small efforts few and far in between, the success of current programs has the ability to spur the growth of similar city-greenhouses. Subsidizing these initiatives will not only bring employment to city areas hit hardest by growing urban poverty. Targeting food deserts will become more of a priority in the foreseeable future as obesity rates are skyrocketing despite hunger rates in urban areas, but also are a beachhead for propelling effecting farming practices.

In 50 years, I see the food system dominated by two main forces, subsidized highly efficient and high-density farms in neighborhood and urban settings which provide the majority of produce local populations, and then the large staples farms will continue to produce rice, grains, and maize. Because much of our economy is based on serving as the breadbasket for the world, disassembling that system will be difficult, if not impossible. That being said, I also see the increase of eating more locally grown staples because of the implementation of a food transportation tax. This is an artificial way to control demand because there will be fines attached to foods which travel long distances, which can help disassemble the expectation that, for example, I can have avocados everyday of the year. Regional and time-based food cycles help encourage the reemergence of local diets and cuisine, which are typically more well-suited to the environment and the consumer's health. 

As I see the large companies/farms remaining in control of the staple crops, the biggest change will come in the localizing of produce. I see farm companies which currently grow produce on a massive scale turning to in-city projects as well as helping subsidizing and starting efforts to promote local produce production. I see people who might now be out of work now being 'sent back to the fields' for part-time work. With enough support, cities will be fully reliant upon their own sources for produce, and will bring in crops they cannot produce, the staples. This will cut down food transportation costs and the environmental impact.

I see this being possible because of the relationship that man has with nature. It is rare to come across people  who scoff at the idea of being out in nature. It's the entire reason we have parks in cities, appraise houses with nice gardens, and even sell house plants. It's a way to remain close to nature, despite being removed from a rural naturalistic setting. The Hook piece this week really touches on this, how there is a natural relationship and desire to be with the land. It may be because of how I was raised, but I need never as complete as when I am surrounded by nature, and working in gardens gives me the same satisfaction. There seems to be an innate relationship between us and the land, and with life satisfaction decreasing with the spread of urbanization and consumerism, I believe putting being back to work in the dirt will be a way to improve livelihood while setting up a new system which decreases our impact on the environment.