by Chas Bonner
Good news is hard to beat, and when it keeps coming we start wondering “When will it end,” especially in this era of much negative fear-mongering.
We have long known about the interest in “organic, natural, local, etc.” What is somewhat new is the growing interest in “Grown in the USA.” In a recent Eco Pulse survey of a statistically significant number of Americans, the interest in “Grown in the USA” was attributed to significant worries about foreign production (recall the Melamine scandal in powdered milk in China), followed by (important to US farmers) support of the family farmer and local production, and finally support of the country during recessionary times.
Even though few Americans consistently purchase green products, more and more are concerned about our future, want to recycle, buy local, support simplicity, purchase less “throw-away” product and packaging, and search for efficiency.
One of the most surprising facts of the survey was the magnitude of the switch to “greener” living. Today, almost 70% of Americans think about sustainable, efficient living, a full 10 percentage points above a similar Eco-Pulse survey just 2 years earlier. That much of a switch over such a short period is rare.
Yes, when it rains it pours, and for us in the farming industry, the rain is welcome.
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