Greetings from CEFS! It’s the middle of summer and yes, it’s hot. According to a recent article by Bill McKibbon published in Rolling Stone: “June broke or tied 3,215 high-temperature records across the United States. That followed the warmest May on record for the Northern Hemisphere – the 327th consecutive month in which the temperature of the entire globe exceeded the 20th-century average, the odds of which occurring by simple chance were 3.7 x 10-99, a number considerably larger than the number of stars in the universe”.
While we have all kinds of great CEFS news to report, we are also aware of the significant challenge that lies before us in terms of food production, especially in a world where the climate is becoming more unpredictable and extreme. As of Tuesday July 16th, USDA had declared agricultural crop disasters in more than 1,100 counties across 27 states. Statistics like this one make the work of developing healthy and vibrant local and regional food systems even more urgent.
In this e-newsletter, you’ll read about some of the work that CEFS is doing to build sustainable food systems that will help meet the challenges of the future. From the policy level – the Sustainable Local Foods Advisory Council – to the farm level – the innovative “CowVac” developed at our Pasture-Based Dairy Unit – and everywhere in between, CEFS and its network of partners are working to create a new future for agriculture.
But, beyond the work, we call on all of us as individuals, our government (both sides of the aisle), and the business community to work together to curb greenhouse gas emissions. We are running out of time. This is not our typical Message from the Directors, but with the heat of summer bearing down, it’s time to explicitly call for action and awareness about the biggest challenge that we face ahead.
Dr. John O’Sullivan, CEFS Director, NCA&TSU
Dr. Nancy Creamer, CEFS Director, NCSU
From the August 2012 E-Newsletter