A sustainable food system is increasingly on the minds of consumers when considering the foods they purchase. Yet sustainability is nothing new for farmers; in fact, it has long been a “way of life” for them.
Today’s consumers are making their food purchase decisions differently than in past generations. Sustainability and an emotional connection to the brand are influencing consumer choices, in addition to price and taste considerations.
I recently had the privilege of touring the Esmond, Illinois, family farm owned by Paul Taylor and his wife, Barb. Paul is passionate about sustainability and explained it this way: It’s a three-legged stool that needs all three legs to sit evenly – economic, social (the family unit) and environmental.
He also demonstrated a rainwater simulator that showed the different amounts of water runoff with five different types of tilled soil. Watching this was fascinating to a non-farm gal like me!
For more on this tour – and a few photos on that day – please see my blog sponsored by the Illinois Farm Families.
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