It seems of late I am constantly running into stories which have an element of food security to them, or at least revolve around people becoming more interested in taking back some control of their own food.
There was a picture as the Assiniboine Food SecurityAlliance (AFAS) launched the first of its produce share markets in Yorkton.
Then there was a poster of a ranch selling grass fed bison, beef, and pork, and free range chicken.
Pop forward a few days and I am interviewing a local woman who is passing on the knowledge needed to make kefir and kombucha, fermented drinks high in probiotics, a current health food interest for many.
And then the City of Yorkton holds an open house for feedback on the new Community Plan being developed in the city.
Warren Crossman and Glorianne Kada, both with AFSA were on hand checking out how well the plan deals with the increasing interest in personal food production.
All the recent connections had me contemplating the desire a growing number of people seem to be developing in terms of food security.
The realization I have come to is that food security is really something based on trust.
In one conversation amid the recent ones, was a concern over genetically modified crops, another mentioned growth hormones and drugs in the dairy sector.
The comments reflect a trust concern in both cases.
And that trust concern extends across two major areas which are somewhat disconcerting from an agricultural point of view.
The first trust issue is with producers. If a consumer has a concern over GMO or hormones it suggests they are also concerned about a producer's decision to incorporate such things into their production systems.
Then there is the issue that government agencies, such as Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, have established safety levels in terms of livestock feed additives, and guidelines for approval of new crop varieties, including those based on genetic modifications.
Consumer concerns would also suggest a reduced trust in regulations being sufficient to ensure safe food on the table.
The lack of trust regarding government regulatory systems should be expected, since history is spotted with major failures including lead in paint, asbestos insulation, and the drugThalidomideand polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
That such health hazardous products were ever allowed is enough to at least question whether the government might have missed potential health issues with new developments such as GM-created ones.
So taking back direct control of food security by buying from known producers, or growing their own, will be an option for some.
It is unlikely it will ever be as it once was, where every home had a huge garden, but for some it is something well-worth pursuing.
