Ten Rivers Food Web

Ah, another good site! Ten Rivers Food Web, in their own words "... provides strategic leadership to build a robust and resilient food system in the Mid-Willamette Valley." They are focused on the Cascade to Coast area of Western Oregon and food security. 


Food security, a term that I only heard for the first time about four years ago, used to be applied mostly to developing and conflict-ridden areas. Now you hear about food security close to home. And it's about time.  Food security encompasses everything from food production, soil health and management, to access to food and the nutritional quality of that food supply. As we transition away from a largely agrarian economy to a service economy or information economy (take your pick) food security must become something we are all interested in (and water rights are intrinsically linked to that). 


Don't get me wrong, farmers in the US still produce enormous amounts of food and we have the ability (land, water, chemicals, seed stock, and money) to feed the world. That said, as food production moves into fewer and fewer hands and more and more farms produce grains for export/feed/fuel etc. we have to keep our own food access in sight. I think a good example of this are urban food deserts. Cities where residents must travel outside of the city to buy more than convenience store items and many folks are unable to obtain healthy, fresh foods within their own neighborhoods. 


Check out Ten Rivers Food Web if you live in Western Oregon and test your food literacy!