What are the 5 stages of the food system?

The term food system or supply chain describes this series of interdependent links, including the people and resources involved at each stage. We can also see food systems working locally, regionally, nationally or internationally. Production, processing, distribution and consumption: Food systems require many steps, each with a variety of inputs and products. Production can look very different depending on the scale and cultivation methods used.

Whether they cultivate a half-acre plot or a 50,000 acre ranch, food producers have to make a lot of decisions about how they will grow food, including whether they will grow a crop or a diverse variety of fruits and vegetables, and whether they should apply organic or synthetic fertilizers. While some farmers produce resources on the farm, there is an entire industry based on production inputs, including seed companies, plant nurseries, animal feed companies, fertilizer producers, and others. Smallholder farmers often have trouble accessing existing processing facilities, but building new ones is an expensive task. Currently, most meat consumed in the United States is processed in only a few slaughterhouses, but the recent shutdowns of meat-packing plants due to COVID-19 have highlighted the danger of this practice.

In the distribution stage, food reaches those who will prepare it for consumption. There is an almost infinite variety of ways to distribute food, both for free and for a fee. Wholesalers combine products from many producers to sell to schools, hospitals, restaurants and grocery stores. These large-scale buyers often have different requirements than those of those who sell food to the general public, such as liquid eggs for restaurants and boxed milk for schools, and producers can find it difficult to quickly adapt their production systems to meet different market needs.

An important issue related to distribution is access to food. Programs like SNAP and WIC are essential social safety net programs that help households buy nutritious and culturally relevant food. SFC is currently leading the statewide expansion of the Double Up Food Bucks program, which doubles the value of SNAP and WIC benefits at many local farmers' markets and other food outlets so that everyone can support their local food economy, regardless of income. The final stage of the food system involves facilities that serve consumers.

Grocery stores, corner convenience stores, and vending machines represent the retail sector of the food system, where consumers buy food products to take home. The food service sector includes food served in restaurants, schools, coffee shops and the airline industry. Concerns about transparency and traceability have increased due to food safety issues, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and Escherichia coli (E. Once the crops have been harvested or the animals have been slaughtered, the resulting food products are sold to processors who transform them into finished products.

On the contrary, facilities such as regional cereal factories and small-scale meat processors help make the local food system more. Urban agriculture is another promising technological advance for food systems, as it could allow food production closer to urban consumers, thus reducing the energy and resources needed for distribution and helping to address food accessibility challenges in cities. In addition, it is estimated that 35% of adults worldwide suffer from overnutrition that causes health problems, and the disparity in the global accessibility of food is evident. Food products can be shipped hundreds, or even thousands, of miles before finally reaching the consumer.

Organic processors must understand the organic state of each ingredient they use, whether they are creating food for human consumption or for animal feed; only products made with a certain threshold of organic ingredients can obtain the organic label. It contrasts with industrial food systems by operating with reduced food transportation and more direct marketing, leading to fewer people between the farmer and the consumer. After the Second World War, the advent of industrialized agriculture and stronger global trade mechanisms have evolved into the models of food production, presentation, delivery and disposal that characterize today's conventional food systems. Traceability, on the other hand, is the ability to trace back to their source all the components of a food production and marketing chain, whether processed or not processed (e.g.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees this system by certifying food producers and handlers that they meet organic standards. As the country's food system increasingly adapts to diets rich in meat and other animal products, vegetable crops such as corn and soy are increasingly being produced not for human households, but for CAFOs. While conventional agricultural practices have increased crop yields through the use of climate-smart agriculture (CSA), small-scale farming systems and limited knowledge of the CSA continue to be obstacles to enjoying economies of scale and sustainable agricultural production and food safety.

Food systems look different depending on the geographical location and socioeconomic level of a region and the cultural context in which the system operates. Local food systems can be attractive to consumers who want to support farmers who prioritize high animal welfare standards and preserve local landscapes and resources. . .