Eph and Jeff with Annie Heuscher

Eph & Jeff interview Annie Heuscher, the board chair of AERO (Alternative Energy Resources Organization), and CFAC (community food and agriculture coalition), both of which look at improving local sustainable agriculture.

AERO is in its 40th year, and focuses on innovative ideas linking people, alternative energy, and sustainable agriculture in the state of Montana. It’s a strong movement looking to connect people together to help grow an abundant local movement of sustainable living.

There is a huge impact on the environment from food production. One third of emissions are from food production, and  a great deal of waste water and damage. It behooves us to consider different methods of doing farming – whether that means going backwards with certain ideas, like integrating livestock with crops, or going forward with new technologies.

We look at how livestock can vastly improve land if done a certain way. We also look at movements like the Quivira Coalition in Albaquerque, which has done serious work in the areas of using livestock to improve the land. We also discuss the issues with raising cattle in Montana, but processing them in Nebraska, and the negative factors involved with that practice.

What is local? Keeping food closer to home does help. Even food that may be grown in the USA, but is a few thousand miles away, does have a negative consequence – fuel used in transportation, quality of unripened produce, and the fact that you can’t know your farmer. There are lots of resources to help local, sustainable agriculture. To know more, look at the largest sustainable agriculture lobby, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, for what is happening right now with food laws.

Learn more by listening to the complete podcast.