Florida's Food Basket: Protecting Our Own

I grew up in a small southern town in northeastern North Carolina where folks grew their own food. Whether livestock, or produce, or seafood, we were self sufficient when it came to putting food on the table at mealtime. In a nutshell, the food was wholesome, free of a lot of chemicals, and it was plentifully provided by nature.

Wind the clock forward to adulthood and things have dramatically changed. Our food supply is inundated with chemicals, and pesticides, and growth hormones. No longer do folks take pride in growing the foods that are served at mealtime. No longer do folks take the time to cultivate our food basket. Worse yet, the dwindling pockets of farming and agriculture throughout our Nation do not garner the support of leaders and elected officials as was the case when I was growing up.

Though Florida is known for sun and sea, and for NASA, and for Disney World, the Sunshine State plays an extremely important role in supplying our Nation's food. Just south of the center of Miami-Dade County exists a haven for homegrown fruits and vegetables. Ask anyone who has had the good fortune of visiting NASCAR's final stop on the racing circuit in Homestead, Florida. There are a multitude of fields growing a multitude of plants and trees and food for our homes that are clearly visible as one travels in the southern portion of Miami-Dade County.

The folks in places like Redland and Homestead are the same people I grew up with in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. They are kind and decent, as well as hardworking. Categorically, we as a State and as a Nation must do more to ensure that such remaining pockets of agriculture are given the best opportunities to thrive and to endure over time. Our food supply and our well-being both hinge on the success of my fellow Floridians who work the land as a way of life.

We must protect our own!

Sincerely,

Marion D. Thorpe, Jr., MD, MPH

doctormarionthorpe@gmail.com