postscript to Y2K (fwd)

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <llondon@bellsouth.net>]

Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 17:49:45 -0800
From: Diane Cooner <amani@wclynx.com>
To: "sanet-mg@shasta.ces.ncsu.edu" <sanet-mg@shasta.ces.ncsu.edu>
Subject: postscript to Y2K

Dear Sanetters,
Please accept this postscript to our earlier post about the Y2K
statement that emerged from the EcoFarm Conference at Asilomar, January
23, 1999:

We find it appropriate that the theme for this year's EcoFarm Conference
was
Tending Our Grassroots.

THE DRAFTERS of the 19th Annual Ecological Farming Conference Asilomar
statement [organizations listed for drafter identification purposes
only]

Cho-Qosh Auh-Ho-Oh, Native American story teller and teacher, Willits,
CA
Roger Blobaum, Blobaum & Associates, Washington, DC
Diane Cooner, CCOF, North Coast Chapter, Guerneville, CA
Kathleen Downey, Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI), Eugene, OR
Terry & Carolyn Harrison, Sonoma Antique Apple Nursery, Healdsburg, CA
Fred Kirschenmann, Kirschenmann Family Farms, Windsor, ND
Bryce Lundberg, Lundberg Family Farms, Richvale, CA
Barbara Meister, Meister Consulting, CSA Board, Santa Cruz, CA
Jim & Harlyn Meyer, Cascadian Home Farm, Rockport, WA
Carolyn Raffensperger, Science & Environmental Health Network, Windsor,
ND
Danny Rubenstein, Rubenstein & Associates, San Anselmo, CA
Larry Shook, Journalist, editor of Awakening: the Upside of Y2K,
Spokane, WA

Again, we encourage everyone to utilize this statement wherever possible
in whatever media is most expedient!
thanks, everyone...

                         Y2K and the Food Supply

A Message from Concerned American Farmers: “Prepare”

Our food system - from seed to table - is fragile.  Potential
disruptions of our food supply caused by the year 2000 computer bug
(Y2K) highlight its vulnerability.

· Food travels an average of 1300 miles from farm-gate to the dinner
table.
· Urban areas have only 3 days supply of food in the supermarkets.
· Most food transactions are dependent on thousands of computer chips.
· Farmers rely on inputs of seeds, fertilizers, machinery, electricity,
fuel and water to produce and harvest our crops and livestock.
· Food processors rely on automated systems to turn our harvests into
consumer-ready products.
· Distributors, wholesalers and retailers depend on computerized systems
to coordinate, transport, refrigerate, store and sell food products to
consumers.

According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, "Any
interruption along this farm-to-fork chain can result in a direct loss
to those who supply food. That can mean more expensive, less available,
food supplies.”

We believe that our response to Y2K should be neither panic nor
procrastination, but rather, preparation. No one knows for sure if
January 1, 2000 will be a 'bump in the road' or a widespread breakdown.
As American farmers, we believe the responsible action is to prepare.
It is important to make changes that are broadly beneficial to the
community, farm, and food system, regardless of the uncertain
consequences of Y2K.

Preparation for Y2K provides us an opportunity to shore up the
vulnerability of our food system and make changes that will better
enable farmers to keep the world fed - one community at a time – and to
make our communities more self-reliant in food production.  As farmers,
we believe that 1999 is not a time to 'run for the hills' but rather a
time to head for our town halls to develop community-based strategies on
how to keep our neighbors fed - both urban and rural - in the event of
disruption in food supplies.

We present the following ideas for consideration to prepare our farms
and our communities for the year 2000:

1. Identify the resources and skills within yourself, your family and
your community to grow, process and prepare food.  A variety of skills
will be needed to make the food system resilient to disruption.
2. Ask those with organizing skills to initiate community meetings to
establish local contingency plans for food, security, energy and water
supplies.
3. Identify neighbors who may need extra assistance during a food crisis
- the elderly, those with special diet requirements, and the poor.
Include them in planning a more resilient food system.
4. Establish individual and community gardens, provide classes in
gardening and food preservation.
5. Develop a "Y2K Cookbook for Eating Locally" with the help of chef's,
older folks, and local food editors.
6. Buy directly from local producers.  Opportunities include joining a
CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm, keeping local farmers’
markets open year round and supporting roadside stands.
7. Collaborate with public institutions (hospitals, schools, prisons)
and private institutions (restaurants and grocery stores) to identify
local food sources and encourage them to begin now to buy locally
produced and processed foods.
8. Develop alternative water supplies, collection, storage and
distribution systems.
9. Buy a little extra seed and plant an open-pollinated seed garden.
Plant more storage crops and winter gardens.
10. Fix or replace computers and equipment not “Y2K compliant”.  Contact
suppliers and customers about their preparations.  Make alternate plans
if necessary.

On Dec. 17, 1998 Janet Abrams, Executive Director of the President’s
Council on Year 2000 Conversion, said that the U.S. government
anticipates “a large series of mild to moderate disruptions across the
country...These are situations that in usual times you might be able to
call on the state or the federal government to help solve, but we are
stressing to our local officials that they’re going to have to take care
of these problems on their own.”

This means it is up to all of us.  We invite you to join with others in
your community to build a more secure and resilient food system.   A
good first step is starting the conversation with your family and your
neighbors.  We wish you well.

Statement issued from the 19th Annual Ecological Farming Conference,
Asilomar CA, January 23, 1999