Studying food culture and food production are key factors to understand the development of Southern cuisine. Southern food is the compilation of many diverse food cultures and is a celebrated food identity in the United States. However, traditional Southern recipes have lasting implications on vulnerable populations in the United States. Inaccessibility to local and healthy food options in the American South affect low income families as children and minority populations do not have equal access to nutrient-rich foods. This has created a culture where vulnerable populations are left to create food cultures derived from limited means. Food quality and food security for children, the growth of veganism within African American communities, and the study of local food impacts on southern culture today are notable research topics that influence American food identity in the south.

Camille Harr’s article draws attention as to how food quality and security affect a child’s education. Food security and a strong education are connected, because a child will have limited academic success when they are not getting enough nutritious meals a day. This is because a healthy diet is essential to brain development, foccus, happiness, and physical health. If a child is not provided with the opportunity to have a healthy diet, focusing on school work becomes extremely hard, because the distraction of hunger and other side effects of poor diet take over that child’s life. There are many reasons for food insecurity which includes, but is not limited to economic disparities, food deserts, and insufficient school funding. This article draws on the fact that the best way to provide every child with food security and a sufficient education is through meal programs at school. Since every child is legally required to attend school, and does so five days a week, providing children with at least two nutritious meals a day at school is the best solution to issues of food security and poor education. 

Brenna Creamer’s article, “African American Culture Reclaiming Veganism in the American South” seeks to explain why veganism is gaining popularity within African American communities in the American South today. African American food identities are changing into a more plant-based diet as Black activists are seeking to blend West African recipes to reshape soul food. While traditional Southern cooking and vegan foods appear to be oppositional to each other, it is important to understand how much Southern recipes have been developed out of traditional West-African cuisine, that is mostly plant-based. Through research and analysis of the development of the agricultural South, the influence of African recipes in Southern cuisine, and the reinventing of soul food, it is apparent that many African American communities want their food identities to be a correct representation of African roots and are rejecting the current unhealthy standards of soul foods.

Madeline Young’s research on food yields in the American South seeks to study whether or not states could provide enough food for their respective populations based on government serving recommendations. As the world population grows and climate change is permanently affecting the environment, it is important to study the sustainability of foodways to ensure enough food is being produced and if it is locally sourced so it would have the least effect on the environment . This research is based on statistics from the USDA, The Census Bureau, and other governmental entities in order to study the amount of food needed, provided and wasted by Americans.  The research concludes problems in the food consumption and production in the south to divulge that there needs to be major changes in the American food systems.

Food Security and Education

By Camille Harr

Food quality and security are basic human rights, however so many people around the world face health and other issues from lack of food, or nutritious food options. The Southern United States has the most significant rates of food insecurity for the entire country (Tulane University 2018). Food security and nutrition issues in the Southern United States are most commonly caused by an abundance of food deserts, which is “an area that has limited access to affordable and nutritious foods” (Wikipedia 2020). Food deserts are common in low-income urban and rural neighborhoods, and make it harder for people to make positive food choices, since healthy foods are more expensive and less available than “junk food”.  Among other issues, the lack of quality nutrition and food security greatly affects a child’s ability to succeed academically (Ladea 2012). This is because the lack of necessary nutrients throughout childhood and into young adulthood can limit physical body and brain development, and cause depression (Ivanovic and Larrain 2004) (Ladea 2012). One way to help ensure a child’s success in school and later in life is to provide them with a stable source of fresh high quality foods. The best way to reach children, especially children who do not have food security at home is through school meal programs. Many schools around the Southern United Sates provide free breakfast and lunch to their students, which can change a child’s life, and relieve part of the financial burden grocery shopping causes parents (U.S. Department of Agriculture 2019). However, it is imperative for all schools to provide free meal programs for every student to ensure academic, and social success, but also to ensure that every child is healthy, and not facing issues of malnutrition or obesity.

Literature Analysis

Nutrition, school funding, differences between public and private schools, and historical factors are the main components that lead to the quality and security of food, or lack there of, within southern schools. Each of these elements is also affected by outside factors, but overall these four topics dictate a child’s academic success.

The United States is a society built on the desire to profit and has always wanted to be “number one”, with everything bigger and better. However, in connection to Americans eating habits and the type of food consumed, the idea of bigger and better becomes twisted. Obesity rates are shockingly high in the Southern United States, which is exceptionally detrimental for children, since they develop long-term health problems at a very young age (Centers for Diesase Control and Prevention 2020). While learning this I began to wonder what the main source of childhood obesity is and how much a child’s education could be affected by their eating habits. Therefore, I seek to discover, “What effect does the quality and security of food in schools in the Southern U.S. have on children’s education”?

Nutrition and maintaining a healthy diet is so important for a child’s growth and brain development that it starts before they are even born. While pregnancy you are strongly advised not to smoke, drink alcohol, consume excess sugar, or drink caffeine, and instead to eat an extra 300 calories per day of fruit, vegetable, protein, and whole grains (John Hopkins Medicine 2020). Once the child is born, it is the parent’s job to continue to provide them with healthy amounts of nutrients and amino acids, which are essential to the development of neurotransmitters (Ladea 2012).  Neurotransmitters are released at the end of nerve fibers in the brain, and send different kinds of chemical messages throughout the brain. Neurotransmitters are an extremely important part of the brain that allows brain and body development, repair, and natural responses to the world around an individual (Wikipeda 2020).  Having a well-rounded diet is a huge part of a person’s health, and proteins, fats, vitamins, amino acids, and antioxidants are some of the most important nutrients for young children to get in their diet to ensure healthy development (Ladea 2012). Proper nutrition and healthy diets can be used to help improve issues relating to depression, because poor diets often chemically and physically make people feel worse and actively contribute to worsening depression (Ladea 2012). Diet affects both brain development and depression, and these factors greatly influence a child’s academic success. Daniza Ivanovic and others conducted studies on Chilean school aged children and determined that, “head circumference, the anthropometric index of both nutritional background and brain development, is the most relevant physical index associated with scholastic achievement and intellectual ability” (Ivanovic and Larrain 2004). Dr. Ledea’s research was on the connections between nutrition and depression, and concluded that having a healthy diet and enough supplemental nutrition can help prevent and lessen the symptoms of depression (Ladea 2012). Depression is commonly known for making life seem dull, and even the smallest everyday tasks feel like a challenge. Children who are experiencing depression may not know what is happening, or what is causing them to feel this way, and if they do not feel comfortable talking to anyone about these emotions the symptoms of depression can worsen. School is difficult enough without actively dealing with depression. School can be but this can be even worse of a burden if a child is being bullied for being “stupid”, or being distracted by hunger and an overwhelming sadness or anger, for a seemingly unknown reason. Overall, I found the article, “Nutrition and depression at the forefront of progress”, by Dr. Maria Ladea to be informative and scientific. This article was written in 2012, so I find it to be somewhat outdated in relation to the extended information scientists know about depression now, and the language we use around discussions of depression. The author also did not mention children in this article or how income affects both depression and accessibility to food, which I was disappointed by. I think that for a scientific paper this was well written, but it would have been even more captivating and influential if the author had mentioned other significant factors contributing to the link between depression and nutrition. “Head size and intelligence, learning, nutritional status and brain development” by Daniza Ivanovic, is also a scientific article. I felt that this article had good information, but was hard to read and comprehend the first time through. Also, I personally got a weird feeling when reading about how head circumference can technically determine intelligence, because I do not think this is a trust worthy or accurate way to measure a child’s intellectual abilities. This study reminded me of how “scientists” use to conduct experiments and take measurements of Jewish people during the holocaust, and enslaved people during the era of slavery to prove their own theories of white intelligence, beauty, and proclaim superiority over people with certain physical features different to their own. This study of head size is nowhere close to the inhumane and prejudice treatment I am referencing to, but it does make me question the motive of this experiment. Mostly, I wonder if the scientists conducting this head circumference and intelligence study come from a background of privilege, if they are aware of that privilege, and if they did other more tactile tests of intelligence as well.

One of the biggest elements that contribute to lack of accessibility of nutritious foods is a food desert. A study done in 2009 by Tulane University concluded that 2.3 million people in the U.S. did not own a car and lived more than a mile from any grocery stores, which greatly restricts food security (Tulane University 2018). The same study shows that the largest percentages of city residents living in food deserts are located primarily in the Southern United States. I found this article helpful, but I did want it to provide me with more information of how many children experience hunger, which it did not. The other sources that I found all discussed different aspects of nutrition from how it affects development, intelligence, mood, behavior, and how the highest obesity rates occur in poor neighborhoods. (Ivanovic and Larrain 2004); and also see (Ladea 2012) discussed the science behind nutrition, and how poor diets can greatly harm children and make them depressed. Whether a student is depressed, or distracted because they are hungry, their education is harmed. Good, or poor nutrition can be linked to mood, physical and mental growth, focus, success in academia, and even in social skills and relationship building. All of these sources were however very scientific, so they each discussed different topics of how nutrition affects people, but the points they made all connected, with the general message that good nutrition is vital for good health in all fields.

One of the best ways to help prevent childhood obesity and lack of nutritious foods in a child’s diet is through programs in schools, since it is easier to reach children during school than coming up with a large national program that efficiently helps poor families living in food deserts. Programs, such as “Let’s Move” created by Michael Obama during her time as the first lady were designed to combat issues of childhood obesity. This movement provided public school children with healthy foods, for example more fruits and vegetable, and also taught them different ways of exercising or becoming active (Eschmeyer 2017). This promotional website for the “Let’s Move” program gave me good information as to what the program really did, but it did not talk about how this initiative ended up working. I wished there had been an example of how this program changed a specific school, and what the children thought, and if they personally believed it made a difference. It is hard to know if most children understand the Let’s Move program, if it goes unnoticed, or if it really is able to change habits.

Understanding the history of school structures in southern states and how school lunch programs were developed is essential to understanding the current systems. The overall history of food and agriculture in the Southern United States is one of the first keys to understanding our ideas about nutrition and historic staple foods. Since the beginning of America history food, spices, and methods of cooking have been drawn from all over the world. East and West African staples were introduced by the knowledge of enslaved people, spices from the Caribbean, common dishes that English elites and poor ate, and methods of hunting and cooking used by Native Americans all melted together to create the Southern foods that we know today (Opie 1893).  However, plantations were built to make a profit, instead of focusing on providing food crops for southern states and all of the early Americans. Cotton and tobacco were the main crops planted throughout the South because, plantation owner’s goal was to make a profit and become as wealthy as possible (Ferris 2014). Until the Civil War started, and people realized that without large supplies of food or the knowledge of how to save food products for later use, for-profit crops ultimately harmed the south, because you can’t eat cotton (Ferris 2014). Wealthy white families took pride in having around four huge meals daily, as well as dinner parties often to show off their wealth and feel superior to others (Ferris 2014). Common foods included pies, lots of meat, and little fruit and vegetables, because elite English had no real knowledge of nutrition and believed for a long time that raw fruits and vegetables caused illnesses (Opie 1893). Poor southern people and enslaved people ate lots of potatoes, corn, and many types of greens, fish from near by rivers, rabbit and other rodents, poultry, pigs, and some fruit. Slave owners would usually allow the people they enslaved to have small gardens on the edge of their property, and give them left over meat scraps that they didn’t want to eat themselves (Opie 1893).  When the civil war started and the Union cut off the South’s trade routs and ports southerners of all gender, race, and class struggled to find things to eat. During the era of segregation we see how funding for schools began, and the impact recourses or lack there of impacted children. Even before, during colonial times private trading companies funded, or sponsored local schools (Augenblick and Myers 1997). White only schools were already established, from big school buildings, decorations on lunch tables, and large stoves for school lunch preparations, fresh fruit and other foods, as well as running water (Ferris 2014). However, not all of these amenities were equally provided to schools in poor districts even for the white children, and especially not for black children (Ferris 2014).  Historically, wealthy white children receive that most amenities, support, and nutritional food through their schools. The same unequal and biased treatment and support for children in dominantly white schools still remains, because of the historical structure of schools, and neighborhoods. I believe that “Adding to my Bread and Greens”, and “The Edible South” both did a great job of conveying information that is not talked about in depth when learning about American History. These two readings impressed me and brought new detailed information into the spotlight, in the connection of how food changes culture.

The United States has a history of racism that was established through many different aspects of life, and one of the main factors of inequality that affects a child’s education is the way homes, neighborhoods, and school zones are designed. A school zone is the district line drawn around neighborhoods with one public school within that zone, which is where the people living within that area are supposed to attend school (Wikipeda 2020). School zones have been, and often are still drawn to separate rich and poor families, and many suburban neighborhoods are primarily white, which makes it easier to keep public schools white and wealthy. The way the government and private players distribute funds and how much money they provide for both public and private schools dictates what that money can be used for. Public and private schools can and still receive funding from private sources, such as beneficiaries, donors, and other people connected to or in support of the school as well as federal support (Augenblick and Myers 1997). Eventually, school funding came from a percent of state taxes, and each state is allowed to determine what percentage of taxes goes towards school funding. Funding is based on property taxes for that area, and the state is supposed to make up the difference is the required amount of funding is not reached (Augenblick and Myers 1997). This article provides sufficient information about the history and more recent school funding, but I was disappointed with the lack of connections to funding methods and issues of racial inequality and classism. The article “We can draw school zones to make classrooms less segregated” by (Chang 2018) however, is direct in stating that school zones are drawn to maintain and advance inequality.  Wealthy white people with political power are the main deciders of school zones, as they are with voting districts. They draw the school zone lines in order to keep kids from wealthy white neighborhoods in schools with people just like them, and less wealthy white children and people of color out of these school districts as much as possible (Chang 2018). Public school funding comes from both the state and national resources. However, each state is in control of the percent of taxes that can go towards school funding, where as federal resources stay the same across the board (Howell and Miller 1997) (Augenblick and Myers 1997). These two articles above both touch on state and national forms of funding. Over decades of American history the source, and amount of money allowed to public schools has changed. My mother is a teacher and from this, as well as listening to the news I am aware that our national budget for schools has decreased in recent years, on top of being an already fairly small portion of the United States total budget. After Brown v Board, which was a legal trial that argued the question, “Does the segregation of public education based solely on race violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment” (Ozey 1954)? This cause was argued after many complaints and issues of segregated schools accumulated throughout Southern states. It was ruled that separate but equal schools were in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, and thus segregation of schools was dismantled (Ozey 1954). This case ruling began the integration of school, and thus the percent of black students who attended schools with a student body of at least 50% white children rose substantially. This number has been dropping since the beginning of the 90’s, and by 2011 was back to the same level of diversity as it was in the early 70s (Chang 2018). One of the main reason this is an issue, is due to segregated housing/neighborhoods. This article by Alvin Chang had the option to look up different school districts in all the states, which I think was fascinating, but the percentages only included black and Hispanic students. This left me wondering what percent of students falling into other demographics were in the zones with seemingly 0% black and Hispanic students? Another issue I had with this article was the comments made about gerrymandering. America has issues with voting districts being gerrymandered, which is a method of manipulating voter districts to favor a certain political party often done by wealth people with power. Gerrymandering of voting districts is an issue just as it is with public school zones being gerrymandered. Chang insinuates that gerrymandering can be used to break this cycle of racial, economic, and political segregation. I think that gerrymandering should not be used in any way, because this gives too much power to the party changing the lines. I believe that their needs to be a fair way to make sure that public school zones do not have 100% or close to only one demographic, but this would be hard to determine especially since cities are always changing and adding new housing. From my research thus far, I believe that finical and social historical factors greatly impact southern schools today. From diversity is southern cities, and communities, food security in the South, and historical economic issues have shaped the way our schools function and so much more. It is important to take in to consideration all aspects of history in the South, and each of the articles I have read and drawn information from connect, because they all point to a different aspect and factors of Southern history that continue to affect the South today. It is important to learn from the past so that we can build off of Southern history to move towards a more fair and stable South for people of all different gender, race, class, and religions.

Discussion Section

            Children need food security and good nutrition to be developmentally and academically successful. The most food deserts in America are located in the Southern United States, as well as the largest number of childhood obesity cases, and high school dropout rates. One of best ways to ensure food security in the Southern United States is through school food programs, and updated school zones and funding.

Based on my literature analysis I have concluded that advanced federal funding to public schools is necessary to help close the gap on food security, and academic and later life success for children, especially in the Southern United States. Historically, the Southern United States has struggled with issues of equality in many aspects, but especially with food security. Access to food is a right that no one should have to live without, particularly in a country that has a high population of obesity.

The budget for schools nation wide is very low, so the money the United States government allows to other sectors must be analyzed and redistributed to better support schools. With a larger budget going to schools, lunch programs can provide healthier, and more options to support the nutritional needs children may not be able to receive at home. Also, with more federal support, programs like the “Let’s Move” initiative can, and should be designed to teach children healthy eating habits and the importance of exercise and nutrition. Programs that teach children of all ages these healthy habits will allow them to make better choices about their health when they are on their own at school, helping a parent grocery shop, and later in life.

Inequality within neighborhoods, public, and affordable housing must also be addressed to help ensure better quality of life for people living in the Southern United States. Available, and affordable house will help to diversify school zones, and provide more local amenities, including grocery stores. Once the housing crisis is addressed State-by-State school funding and school zoning would be more diverse in race and class.  In addition to new implementations in housing, public transportation or lack there of, is also an issue that causes food insecurity and further division of resources between rich and poor. Part of the reason so many people in the Southern United States live within food desserts, is because the closest grocery store is too far for them to walk, and they have no means of getting there other wise. Public transportation not only helps low income families travel around the city and where they need to go for a cheap annual price, but public transit is also great for the environment.

This research makes a big difference, because these findings highlight the importance of food security and how impactful nutritional health is on a child’s physical, mental health. This paper explains the necessity of food security, which can best be accomplished through raising school funding, and the implantation food and health programs in schools. In addition to this, the planning of neighborhoods, and availability to affordable housing must be addressed. People should be able to find and afford a home that is close enough to a grocery store, or has public transit available to them that they don’t have to compromise the price of rent, or living in a good neighborhood.

This is important, because as a country we should want all people to have access to, and the means for goods a services that many people take for granted on a daily basis. Also, food security within schools, as well as at home will allow children to have a happier and healthier childhood. In addition to this, children who have access to quality foods on a consistent basis are more likely to be academically successful. The success of children now is extremely important, because they are the future, so supporting them during school, and while they are home through secure, and quality foods is essential for their individual success, and a successful future of the Unites States.

After reading my paper I hope that people can see how big of an issue food security is in the Southern United States, especially the impact it has on children. Food security is essential, and some of the best ways to achieve this is through school funding, school lunch and health programs, diversification, affordability, and availability of housing, and access to public transportation. I also want people to understand that this is an issue rooted in the history of the Southern United States. Therefore, we must study, acknowledge, and learn from the mistakes of the past, and how we came to have these issues today so that the main issues can be cured at the source.

            On the whole, nutrition and food security are essential to a child’s academic and other success. Currently there are many things getting in the way of complete success, happiness, and security for many Southern American families. One of the biggest issues if with food security, and one of the best and easiest ways to ensure children are being cared for and getting the sustenance they need is through schools. Schools are a system that are supposed to protect and support children to give them the best future possible, but how can that happen when a percentage of school children are going hungry.  If Americans want a profitable, higher quality future, then they need to support the children that future relies on, and start demanding better food rights and availability to all communities, southern schools, and across the entire nation.

Bibliography

Augenblick, John G., and John L Myers. “Equity and Adequacy in School Funding .” The Future of Children Journal (Princeton Unviersity ) 7, no. 3 (1997): 63-78.

Centers for Diesase Control and Prevention . Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps . September 21, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html (accessed November 20, 2020).

Chang, Alvin. We can draw school zones to make classrooms less segregated. This is how well your district does. August 27, 2018. https://www.vox.com/2018/1/8/16822374/school-segregation-gerrymander-map (accessed Septermber 17, 2020).

Eschmeyer, Debra. Let’s Move. January 4, 2017. https://letsmove.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/ (accessed September 10, 2020).

Ferris, Marcie Cohen. Agricultural Reform Comes Home. The University of North Carolina Press, 2014.

Howell, Penny L., and Barbara B Miller. “Sources of School Funding.” The Future of Children Journal (Princeton University ) 7, no. 3 (1997): 39-50.

Ivanovic, Daniza M., and Cristian G. Larrain. “Head size and intelligence, learning, nutritional status and brain development.” Neuropsychologia (Elsevier), 2004: 1118-1131.

John Hopkins Medicine . Nutrition During Pregnancy . 2020. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/nutrition-during-pregnancy (accessed December 1, 2020).

Ladea, Maria. “Nutrition and depression at the forefront of progress.” Journal of Medicine and Life , 2012: 414-419.

Opie, Frederick Douglass. “Adding To My Bread and Greens .” In Hog & hominy , by Frederick Douglass Opie, 17-30. New York: Columbia University Press, 1893.

Ozey . Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka . 1954. https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/347us483 (accessed October 20, 2020).

Tulane University . Food Deserts in America. May 10, 2018. https://socialwork.tulane.edu/blog/food-deserts-in-america (accessed September 20, 2020).

U.S. Department of Agriculture . National School Lunch Program . March 20, 2019. https://www.fns.usda.gov/nslp (accessed December 1, 2020).

Wikipeda . Neurotransmitter . November 29, 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurotransmitter (accessed December 1, 2020).

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African American Culture Reclaiming Veganism in the American South

By Brenna Creamer

The American South has been heavily influenced by other cultures, especially cultures of West African descent. Many elements of modern food in the American South are the borrowings from traditionally plant-based African cuisine; this has led to veganism gaining popularity in the South today. Veganism, as defined by The Vegan Society, is “a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practical, all forms of exploitation of and cruelty to animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose” (The Vegan Society, 2020). While defining the role vegainism plays as a lifestyle and its key tenants, this explanation fails to delve into the cultural reasonings behind this popular food trend.

Veganism is a cultural phenomenon that is gaining traction in the American South as traditional Southern dishes have taken on a trendy, vegan twist. Exploring regional cooking allows for long standing traditions and recipes to be analyzed through a multitude of lenses. Looking to the rise in vegan substitutes in traditional soul recipes, this paper considers the influence of historical context to present understandings of modern food identity. There are many explanations as to why veganism is gaining popularity within African American communities but a critical reason is the rejection of  the current conception of soul food as unhealthy and reverting  their culture to be a reflection of their traditional plant-based African roots.

Southern Culture Influenced by Agriculture

During the antebellum years, wealthy Southern planters formed an elite master class that wielded most of the economic and political power over the region. The Edible South explains the importance of food and agriculture in the development of the Southern economy and culture through the analysis of the structure and roles of plantation families: “White slaveholding wives fell in step below their husbands, with daughters below sons, but the mistress also recognized her authority as overseer of the household- the central location of production and reproduction in the antebellum South” (Ferris 2014, 23). The structure of the plantation demonstrates the power dynamics within a family and their relationships with enslaved people. This power dynamic justifies the use of slave labor as it created racialized work patterns that fueled the development of Southern economy and culture.

Wealthy, white plantation owners dominated the sphere of the social elite, while enslaved people were forced into abusive labor. Researchers have explained how slave labor on plantations drove development of Southern colonies, as cash crops flourished and were sold to British markets. Property owners in the southern colonies began establishing plantation farms for cash crops like rice, tobacco and sugar cane—enterprises that required increasing amounts of labor. To meet the need, wealthy planters turned to traders, who imported ever more human chattel to the colonies (Timmons 2020). As the need for goods grew, so did the need for free laborers on plantations. British American plantations increased the number of forced African laborers to yield more cash crops to fuel the Southern economy which in turn  enabled them to buy more people (Knight 1). Southern communities and economic power became rooted in providing for the British Empire with the cultivation of crops by exploiting African slaves. In fact, from the beginning of the 18th century and into the 19th century, the black population outnumbered the white population in South Carolina (Knight 3). Food geographers and historians agree that slavery provided economic growth in Southern colonies; the domination of plantation culture shaped the way in which the South developed out of its dependence on agriculture and free labor (Covey & Eisnach, 2009). The examination of food and food culture in the South exposes the truths behind Southern culture and the impacts of slavery.

As plantation owners gained wealth by profiting off enslaved labor, their lifestyles became more lavish as they enjoyed their “Southern hospitality” on the backs of their enslaved people.  Laborers were forced to grow, cook, and prepare food for extravagant dinner parties for wealthy plantation owners and social elitists, while not being allowed to enjoy the food themselves. The Edible South points out the irony that those who prepared such abundances for their masters had “rarely tasted flesh” (Ferris 18). The power dynamics around food created social barriers that were prominent in the agricultural south. Boundaries between master and slave emphasised the master’s power. These dominating structures have affected the development of Southern Colonies and helped to shape Southern culture as agriculture spread widely throughout the South.

Power dynamics between the enslaved and the masters shaped the development of the American South through agriculture. African and early American cultures became intertwined through food preparation as African Americans worked in the homes of whites, first as house slaves and later as domestic servants such as maids, cooks and caterers, traditional African recipes found their way onto the plates of Southern white Americans, becoming a foundational component to “Southern” cuisine (Harris 2017). This is important to understand the roles of power dynamics and the impact that they have on the development of southern food culture. As enslaved Africans were forced into plantation labor, this had a long lasting impact on southern culture as traditional African foods became embedded into Southern foods.

Traditional African Foods are Plant-Based

As enslaved Africans were forced to work on plantations in the American South, they not only provided economic development, but the two cultures intertwined as they introduced their foodways to Southern dishes. When examining traditional Western, Southern, Central, and Eastern African food diets, it is apparent that most meals and recipes are centered around plants. Food historians explain that most indigenous African plant species provide enough nutrients for sustainment. The availability and prevalence of legumes in sub-Saharan Africa became integral to the peoples’ diet and served as primary sources of protein (Ossero-Asare 60). The abundance of plant-based nutrition and the inability of cattle ranching in different climates in African regions created a culture cultivated from plant-based foods. The dry and arid climate of Northern and Southern African regions made it difficult to raise livestock as drought weakens cattle that are more susceptible to disease; in addition, cattle cause soil erosion from overgrazing. One food historian points out due to the proximity to animals and the amount of resources required to sustain the cattle, Kenyan farmers struggled to produce milk necessary for a dairy-rich diet. (Harragin 1994). Because of these environmental and health problems, communities within coastal areas turned to plants like coconut as a way to incorporate milk into dishes. Plant-based diets became the natural way of cooking for many communities because of agricultural restraints and the prevalence of plants for sources of nutrients.

Plant-based alternatives to animal sourced goods were staples to West African diets. Typical African meals include stews and rice dishes that contain contain generous amounts of peanuts, coconuts, corn, shea nuts, sesame, peppers, onions, tomatoes, beans, okra, collards and seeds (Ossero-Asare 97; see also Covey & Eisnach, 2009). Researchers have made the connection that African food cultures include a diet that is high in carbohydrates and low in traditional protein; protein sources are commonly derived from plant-based sources such as chickpeas, kidney beans, red beans, lima beans leafy greens and corn  (Covey & Dwight, 2009, 33). In addition, leafy greens, such as kale, cabbage collard greens, and pumpkin leaves, contain a variety of vitamins and minerals (Ossero-Asare 108). When comparing Southern food cuisine to traditional African cuisine, historians have concluded that there is a strong connection between the two diets. It is not a coincidence that indigenous African produce became popular in Southern colonies, linking foods that Africans would cultivate and the crops that were grown in Southern colonies.

Linking African Recipes into Southern Cuisine

There is a strong correlation between African recipes and Southern Cuisine, studying the impacts of slavery can examine food similarities. By the late 17th century, plantation homes throughout Southern colonies had turned to enslaved laborers, who had been captured from Central and Western Africa, to act as the driving force for production on plantations and in homes. The slaves were forced to grow crops, build structures, and generally remain at the beck and call of white families, “Africans were taken from their homeland and brought to North America. They arrived with their old cultural ways and survival skills learned in transit and soon blended them with what they encountered in the colonies as Europeans were building a new nation” (Covey & Eisnach, 14, 2009). African slaves had to acclimate within Southern colonies, therefore, they infused their culture and cooking styles into Southern plantation homes.

There is an infusion of African inspired dishes in Southern cuisine since enslaved Africans were forced to prepare and cook foods for plantation families.  Black cooks were bound to the kitchens as they baked bread for the mornings, cooked soups for the afternoons, and created divine feasts for the evenings (The Smithsonian Institute, 2018). Turnips, cabbage, eggplant, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and hot peppers were introduced by traders in the sixteenth century to North America. These vegetables thrived in Southern colonies because enslaved Africans planted their own gardens to supplement the meager rations provided by their captors. (Graves  2015; also see the Smithsonian Institute). These plants eventually made their way from the gardens of the enslaved to those of the wealthiest and most prominent people; “African plantation cooks seem to have quickly gained the confidence of their masters’ palate with a menu of essentially African dishes adapted to American raw materials” (Petrick). Planting and cooking foods for plantation families by enslaved Africans resulted in a dependence on agriculture in Southern Colonies. It was the enslaved cooks who are the original masters who created the meals that made the South now known for its culinary fare and hospitable nature. Prepared dishes of the Antebellum South remain present throughout the American South today through the celebration and popularity of Soul Food. Fruits, vegetables, and legumes were staples in traditional African cuisines as they contained necessary nutrients and thrived in different African regions. Some vegetables, okra, collard greens, sweet potatoes, that originated in Western African and are still widely popular in Southern and Soul recipes today.

Birth of Soul Food

The inclusion of indigenous African legumes and vegetables, like the ones mentioned above, became the basis of soul food in the American South. The end of slavery did not bring complete liberation for African Americans as they faced an era of segregation during the Jim Crow South. These social constraints led to a lack of availability of wholesome ingredients as African American were left to develop their soul food culture from inexpensive and low quality foods.

The term soul food became tied to Black pride, which celebrated the creativity, cleverness, and skill of cooks who were able to form a distinctive cuisine despite limited means. Soul food drove social change across the United States and became the center of many meals during the Civil Rights Movement. The end of slavery was just the beginning of a long struggle by African Americans for full rights as U.S. citizens as black communities were immediately subjected to a Jim Crow south (Knight 50). Most African Americans remained incredibly poor and could only afford inexpensive meats but they were rich in cultural heritage–and through this soul food was born. Soul food became an art of taking such humble offerings and resourcefully transforming them into delicious dishes for the whole family (Arcadia Publishing 2020). Black culture and community transformed the American South as food became a way to fight for social equality. Food became a driving force when fighting for equal opportunities during the Civil Rights Movement. Prominent figures during this time, like Georgia Gilmore, made soul food a defining identity for African Americans as her home became an executive dining room for the civil rights movement (Edge 23). Social activism bloomed from her kitchen as Gilmore baked Southern comfort foods of mac and cheese, hot chicken, and pies. The Civil Rights Movement developed Black pride in soul food as it became a driving force of social change in the United States.

Questioning the Identity of Soul Food

There have been huge shifts in the African American community about the ideals of soul food. This is happening because many food activists are questioning why their food culture has evolved into unhealthy, fried foods when their heritage roots are mainly sourced from wholesome plant-based dishes.

The food inaccessibility has impacted the development of soul foods as staple dishes are the result of making delicious food from scarce resources. Soul food has been developed by skillful African American cooks who have taken low quality and inexpensive ingredients and created an entire food culture that has been celebrated for decades. However, many food activists do not want their culture to be defined by unhealthy and overly processed food ingredients. Vegans in the Black community are speaking out to change common ingredients of soul food to better align with African plant-based origins. An article from the New York Times quotes, “‘For a lot of Black people, it’s also social justice and food access. The food we have been eating for decades and decades has been killing us’”. Food culture is tied to social injustices as low income areas do not have access to healthier food options; typically lower income communities face the struggles of living within a food desert and do not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Invisible Vegan argues that healthy foods have become a privilege instead of a right in the United States, therefore, the inaccessibility to wholesome ingredients have created a Black food culture around unhealthy foods.

Due to food access inequalities, African American food culture became heavily sourced from inexpensive and overly processed foods. Traditionally, soul food has been prepared using high amounts of meat, fat, cheese, dairy, sugar and processed foods. In fact, the leading causes of death for African Americans are heart disease, stroke, and cancer (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2020). With better access now to less expensive healthier foods and the knowledge of the complications of high-fat diets and too much sugar and salt, there has been a wave of activists who are changing the identity of soul food. They argue that soul food should be connected back to traditional African recipes that incorporate an abundance of vegetables and are low in fatty-animal products— “‘eating fresh, healthy crops is a part of our legacy… and a part that we should start embracing and reclaiming” (The Invisible Vegan). Food activists are striving to evolve traditional soul food to be healthier while continuing to incorporate common ingredients like yam, collard greens, potato salad and sweet potatoes. Today, there is a new generation of vegan chefs who are transforming traditional soul food dishes and digging deeper into the West African roots of Southern cooking (Steverson 2017). Through these changes, Southern food historians have seen a wave of traditional soul and Southern foods be prepared with a plant-based twist.

Black Community Reclaiming Veganism

Veganism is gaining traction in Southern cuisine because of the increasing amounts of plant-based options in soul foods. This movement has gained popularity as African Americans are reshaping their food culture by recreating traditional soul food. Historically, African American communities did not have the means to prepare healthy foods as food inaccessibility was a major challenge for marginalized groups. However, this is changing as veganism is growing increasingly popular throughout the African American community. One activist from Black Owned Eateries Spicing Up Southern Cuisine explains, “‘I think veganism catapulted a lot of Black-owned businesses, because we understand the culture. We understand what we like to eat… And we also understand that if it doesn’t taste like mama made it or grandma made it, they’re probably not going to eat it’”. The redefinition of food culture is what sets this plant-based trend apart from other food preparation methods in the American South. As soul foods have been celebrated throughout the African American community, Black pride is what is growing this food trend today.

Before this new plant-based movement, many African Americans did not identify with the term ‘veganism’ as it was not originally marketed to their community. Mainstream veganism has been identified as “white veganism”, which is an expensive diet that overlooks people of color (Yazbeck 2018). However, members of the Black community are changing this, “‘initially I considered veganism as a white thing, it was because I didn’t know my history. All I knew was we turned scraps into soul foods and I thought that was our only culinary legacy when in fact it is a diet that is centered around plants’” (The Invisible Vegan). This identity change has grown veganism throughout the American South as the identity of vegan is being redefined throughout soul food.

The growth of this movement within the African American community has resulted in an increase of popularity of Black-owned vegan restaurants and soul food cookbooks throughout the American South. Nu vegan, a fully Southern inspired and Black-owned vegan restaurant chain, has been growing in southern states. It serves a wide selection of traditional soul foods: cheesy grits, collard greens, okra and tomatoes, candied yams, various burgers, and of course, vegan fried chicken and biscuits (Mellon 2018). They are proving that soul food can still include bold flavors, while keeping vegetables as the main focus throughout their dishes. Reinventing veganism through soul food has been the result of African American activists paving the way to a healthier food culture for their communities. Vegan soul food has been the result of African Americans reshaping their food identity and reconnecting back to African roots, with a Southern twist.

Discussion

Plant-Based African Roots:

There is a wave of African American activists rejecting unhealthy soul foods and looking instead for recipe inspirations based on traditional African cuisines. Choosing to reflect a largely plant-based diet and highlight their historical roots, these activists are linking past and present food cultures to redefine current food identities. Traditional African cuisine contained a diversity of legumes, vegetables, and fruits. With the slave trade and resulting diaspora disrupting communities and traditions, these healthy foods were stripped away as resources were scarce and people from different African regions & tribes were pushed together into forced communities. Slavery interfered with food culture and food identity, slowly shifting away from plant focused recipes and instead placing focus on techniques that allowed for fast preparation and consumption, which closely resemble the modern understanding of soul foods. By digging deeper into the West African roots of Southern cooking and exploring the role plant-based diets play in early traditional recipes, the African American community is able to connect veganism with an aspect of reclaiming a historical identity and culture. This is important because it opens up the conversation to explain how critical the role of activism is by encouraging others to reinvent a new narrative of food identity by combining past and present food cultures through veganism within the African American community.

Impact of Agricultural South/ impact on Slavery:

The agricultural development of the American South has negatively impacted the quality of African American cuisine, however, it has led to the prioritization of community in soul food. The relationship between slave and slave master has impacted the development of African American food identity today as enslaved Africans were forced to work on plantations and prepare food for their white families. While plantation owners ate in abundance, only the remains would be given to slaves. Slaves were overworked and underfed and through this, they had to survive on the worst cuts of meat and ate what their masters did not want to. This has shaped the African American food culture today because it is largely unhealthy and unwanted cuts of meat. Enslaved people needed to consume high amounts of calories to sustain themselves while working on plantations. This led to the basis of soul food: frying foods, breading meats and fishes with cornmeal, and mixing meats with vegetables. In addition to this nutritional approach to food, it also was a time for enslaved people to congregate and interact with one another. Food became a way to nourish each other and the community spirit. Community became the basis of soul-foods as they are not only rich in flavors, but are made for large groups of people. Veganism reclaims this identity of community and nourishment for the African American community, but in a healthier way.

Redefining Soul Food:

Soul recipes originated from food ingredients that were accessible to African slaves on southern plantations. From this origin, soul-foods became known for being community oriented as home-cooked meals were created out of inexpensive ingredients. Soul foods are typically unhealthy and overly processed, which have been contributing to fatal health-related diseases among this community for decades. The wave of a reclaimed vegan diet among the African American community has stemmed out of people rejecting this unhealthy cuisine being their communities’ identity. There are significant socioeconomic factors that have made it more difficult for African Americans to eat healthy due to social injustices that have restrained this community for decades. Soul food is the result of creating hearty meals that are derived from inexpensive ingredients that tend to be unhealthy food options. Veganism has become popular in southern soul food as African Americans are redefining what soul food and veganism look like. The notion of “white veganism” has had limiting effects among groups of people who claim this identity. The implications of this are present as veganism has not been historically marketed to the African American community. This is important because not only is veganism redefining soul food and black identity, but this community is also reshaping the current perception of veganism as well.

Conclusion

Many African Americans in the South do not feel that unhealthy soul food should be integral to their food culture, the rise of veganism has sprouted among African American communities. Reclaiming traditional African roots has transformed this community as they are taking pride in their food history. Soul food is transforming as vegan options are becoming more readily available to all members of this community. From the analysis of African recipes, the impacts of the agricultural south and the development of a new soul-food identity, further research is needed to explore the importance of African American activism, the role of community and the definition of veganism to understand how soul-food is being redefined in the American South today.

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Could Southern America sustain themselves on strictly local provisions?

By Madeline Young

Overview:

In September of 2020, the Times Square Metronome, which recorded 24-hour cycles, has changed its digital display to an ecological clock, counting down the time the world has until the effects of global warming are irreversible. This clock was met with controversy from two fronts, those who believe that global warming is a hoax, and those who believe the accuracy of the clock but are mad at the insinuation that individuals can reverse the effects when just 100 global corporations make up 71% of the worlds greenhouse gasses (Moynihan 2020). In the past 20 years, living green and more sustainably has become a common public rhetoric. From making sure you turn off the lights in a room your not in, to turning off the water while you brush your teeth, to the increase in veganism, ordinary people have been finding ways to make their lives more sustainable. An increasingly popular way that people have been decreasing their carbon footprint is to not support the corporations that are responsible for the large quantities of greenhouse gas emissions and instead buying local. From clothes to food, buying local not only supports the local economy but the products do not have to travel as far and use up unnecessary resources to get to the consumer. The United States has long been known to be “the breadbasket of the world”, meaning that it can not only produce enough food for itself but can provide for other countries across the globe, yet it imports 15 percent of all food supply (Newman 2017). About 16 percent of the world population depends on food imports and while that percentage is respectively very low, by 2050, it could grow to 51 percent (Fader 2013). While countries in Northern Africa and the Middle East do have/will have difficulty providing internal food sources based on water scarcity and soil type, America has the physical ability to sustain itself. In 1840, 70% of the American labor force was agricultural and due to technological advancements, globalization, and population growth, less than 2 percent of The United States’ current labor force is agricultural (Newman 2017).

It is important to know how much food is produced and where it is produced in order to study the sustainability of certain regions. The American South has more food desserts and the highest percentages of people on food stamps than any other region of The United States (Klien 2014). The American South also eats less fruits and vegetables than any other region, so why do we think of rural farmlands when we think of the south? When you google “Can the US provide enough food for its population?”, most of the results that come up are US superpower propaganda of qualitative data asking if the US could provide enough food for the world, or what different regions of the US provide which food sources. The search engine continues results of the amount of corn America produces, then how much food production will be needed to increase in order to provide enough food for the growing population. None of googles results try to provide an answer for this domestic question, they all jump to global scope. There are no sources that provide quantitative data on how much food America needs right now, how much it currently provides, and if America can depend on itself with no external imports of food. One can assume this means that the US can provide enough to not need imports, but the fact that there are food deserts and 15% of food is imported contradicts this conclusion. Focusing on the most food starved region of The United states, Could Southern America sustain themselves on strictly local provisions?

In order to analyze this question three questions must be answered. What is the American south? What can be defined as local? What amount of produce and livestock will the south need to produce in order to provide enough food based on the average population age and weight of citizens in southern America?

Methodology

Foodshed and Locality:

In order to determine the ability of local sustainability the scope of locality will need to be defined to be used to define the regions of analysis. The USDA defines local food as needing to be flexible, “flexible localism”(Martinez 2010, 3), that you cannot define local because when you live in a city you are much more likely to stay within a smaller radius than if you were to live in the suburbs or rural areas. In order to achieve flexible localism would have to be smaller or larger buffers of locality depending on the respective population density (Martinez 2010, 3). The 2008 farm act defines “the total distance that a product can be transported and still be eligible for marketing as a “locally or regionally produced agricultural food product” as less than 400 miles from its origin, or the State in which it is produced”( Martinez 2010, 3). The USDA also brings attention to the environmental impact that has affects on the definition of local. For example, if Tysons Chicken processing plant is 20 miles away from your house, would that be considered local? According to the USDA the answer is no, because not all of the chickens are raised there, they are transported. The USDA also defines two separate ways for local food to be consumed, direct-to-consumer and direct-to-retail. This would be farmers markets and farmers selling to local supermarkets, respectively. Direct-to-retail is much more common than direct-to-consumer (Martinez 2010, 8).

The American Planning Association takes a different route to defining local food. Instead of creating a numerical buffer, they define a geographical buffer, “The area of land and waters within a region from which food is produced in order to deliver nutrition to a population base”. Like watersheds, the foodshed would cross any boarders and be regionally distinctive. According to their theoretical framework, foodsheds would be small and at least two foodsheds would be included in a hundred miles radius. To define local food in a foodshed instead of a buffer, it would require extensive knowledge of local farms, their products and where their food is sold (Peyton 2012).

For the purpose of this research, local will have to be defined as the entire state, due to the available data on food production (to be explained in Crops and Livestock Data section).

Population and Dietary guidelines:

The eleven states that I will consider the American south are Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Each state will have differing population data that will be used to create an average dietary guideline (United States Census Bureau 2019)  that will need to be fulfilled in order to determine if the state can sustain themselves on locally grown food. The data needed the average age and sex of the population (United States Census Bureau 2019), and the average weight of the citizen would also be used (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2016). For Virginia, the average citizen is female and 55 to 59 years old. For West Virginia, the average citizen is female and between 60-64 years old. For North Carolina, the average citizen is female and 55 to 59 years old. In South Carolina, the average citizen is female and 55 to 59 years old. In Tennessee, the average citizen is female and 55 to 59 years old. In Kentucky, the average citizen is female and 55 to 59 years old. In Georgia, the average citizen is female between the ages for 45 to 49. In Mississippi, the average citizen is female between the ages of 55-59 years old. In Alabama, the average citizen is female and 55 to 59 years old. In Louisiana, the average citizen is female from the ages 25-29. In Arkansas, the average citizen is female and 55 to 59 years old. All of this data suggests that the average citizen in the south is a female between the ages of 55 and 59 years old. The average weight of a female in America is 170 pounds.

For a woman between the ages 51 to 70 these are the recommended intakes for all of the necessary food groups. 2-3 cups of vegetables, 1.5-2 cups of fruits, 5-7 cups of grains, 2.9-3.2 cups of dairy, and 5-6 cups of protein. The average of all categories will be used in order to get exact measurements of what will be needed to feed the population. However, these recommended intakes are only theoretical based on the fact that Americans do not eat enough fruits, vegetables and dairy, and over eats grain and proteins (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture 2020).

Crops and Livestock Data:

In order to determine whether the states produce enough food, there will need to be an analysis of each food type, and the number of cups of each food type that the state produces. The USDA has the most available data for the number of crops yielded in each state in the south. It is not realistic to obtain data by town or country for each crop each state produces. The USDA complies State Agricultural Reviews (U.S. Department of Agriculture). These reviews include livestock inventory, acreage and yield of agriculture, and market value of crops. Each state has different data that they provide to the USDA. However, each state has their own agricultural department. Some of these departments provide their own state bulletin report with more specific data. For states that do not have data on each food category, the National Integrated Pest Management Database has data on every major crop for each state, so the yields will be calculated that way (Southern Integrated Pest Management Center 2001-2018).  Yields are calculated into cups and divided by 365 to show the amounts needed per day. Data from the USDA is either given in pounds, Bushels per acre, Hundredweight, or in the case of livestock, heads. Sometimes states do not record the amount of fruit they have cultivated, only the acreage of each fruit, so the acreage and yield per acre must be multiplied in order to count the number of apples cultivated. For crops, the data is then converted into pounds, then cups. For livestock data, the type of livestock is multiplied by the average pounds of meat acquired from a single animal. Beef is 430 pounds (Oklahoma Department of Agriculture), goats is 50 pounds (GOAT), hogs are 144 pounds(Oklahoma Department of Agriculture), chickens are 2.5 pounds (Pixabay 2017), and turkeys are 8 pounds(Hoffman 2012).  This data is relevant because the USDA provides the production numbers per state based on the number of animals slaughtered, not on the pound amount of meat they receive from each animal.  Therefore, the number of animals slaughtered must be multiplied by the pound amount of meat acquired, then into a cup value. In the same way, the amount of fruits cultivated will need to be converted into cup value, so for example from a single apple, an average of ¾ cup of fruit is received.

Food Waste

When analyzing the amount of food produced, it is important to consider that not all food is consumed and is thrown out for different reasons. According to the USDA 30-40% of all for supply in The United States is wasted (U.S. Department of Agriculture 2015).  That would be 218 pounds of food waste per person, including the non-edible waste such as banana peels and eggshells. Food Waste can be caused by spoiled, blemished, buying too much, damage from insects, damage from transport, etc. In order to correctly analyze the yield data collected, 35% of the yield must be subtracted to represent the actual amount of food that the US is eating. The USDA believes it would be realistic to cut the food waste by 50% by the year 2030, this would be 17% waste. Therefore, three different values with be produced, yield with no waste, yield with 35% waste (65% of yield), and 17% waste (83% of yield). The state must produce enough food with the waste accounted for in order to comfortably determine that the state can sustain themselves.

Results

In order to determine whether there is enough food produced in each category, the amount yielded needs to be greater than the amount needed. Not all states can sustain themselves on their food produced, but as a whole, based off the data above without accounting for waste, the 11 states of the south can sustain themselves. However, due to food waste and the fact that the southern states also provide food to the rest of the country, it is not feasible for the south to completely sustain themselves locally.

Grains-

According to the original yield data, every state can provide enough cups of grains to sustain their population averages. Even with the 35% waste and the goal 17% waste, there would be enough grains for each state to provide for themselves.

Vegetables-

Every state besides South Carolina and West Virginia could sustain them selves on their states production of vegetables. Therefore, those states would definitely not be able to provide for themselves with the 35% or 17% waste values. However, all of the other states can provide for themselves with the 35% waste added.

Fruits-

Mississippi is the only state that could not sustain themselves in their current production of fruit with no waste values accounted for. However, with the 35% or 17% percent waste, none of the states can provide enough fruit for themselves.

Protein-

All of the states could provide themselves enough protein with no waste values accounted for. However, just like with fruit, when the 35% and 17% waste is subtracted, none of the states can provide for themselves is any waste is accounted for.

Dairy-

All of the states could provide themselves enough dairy with no waste accounted for. But just like protein and fruit, no states can provide for themselves if any dairy is wasted.

According to the data, only 3 states out of 11 cannot internally sustain themselves in all food categories, with no waste accounted for. These states are Mississippi, South Carolina, and West Virginia. Based on the differences of the yielded food and needed food however, in theory, the south as a whole could provide for it’s citizens, the states with excess would have enough to cover the amount needed in Mississippi, South Carolina and West Virginia. However, that analysis is counting on there being no food wasted in the south. With those levels of food waste, it is hard to comfortably determine that these states are sustainably providing enough food.

Discussion

At the current level of production, waste habits, and consumption recommendations, the American south cannot provide enough food to sustain themselves. Even though there are some concerned with whether the U.S. could provide enough food for the entire world, it doesn’t seem feasible that it can even provide enough domestically, without making changes on how food is consumed. This research is based on the average weight and gender, but also the recommended amount of food that the average person should eat, however, most people do not eat the recommended amounts. In the theoretical yield with no waste, all of the states could provide enough grains and proteins with the recommended amounts, but most people eat over their recommended amounts in those categories. Then when you add any level of waste on top of that, there would not be enough protein to cover the recommended amounts let only provide enough for people to overeat protein. It makes sense though that people do not get enough fruit, dairy, and vegetables though, due to some states not being able to provide enough food before waste is even accounted for. This would mean that either enough food is produced outside of the south, in different parts of the U.S., to provide for all of the regions, or there is not sufficient or correct data provided on the amount of food yielded in each state.

It is not surprising that similar research is not easily found because multiple resources had to be consulted in order to find the amount of food yielded in each category of each state. Multiple calculations had to take place for every fruit and vegetable to be counted and converted into cup values. Likewise, with protein being counted in heads, converted into average weight and the average amount of actual meat yield from each animal, which could lead to inaccurate calculation in the protein category. For all of these categories the yield amount could be over or under reported. Then adding on that it is possible that the USDA has an inaccurate count of all categories and could be a generalized guesstimate of yield amounts, or very well could not be counting small farm production,  it is very hard to get an accurate amount of food produced in America. Another problem with the data available is that it assumes that all of the food yields are static year around. Where this might be true for some food types, fruits and vegetables have seasonality, where, for example citrus is harvested in the spring. This data does not take seasonality into account and therefore could be misleading in the way that some states might have enough food in the winter instead and not enough in the summer.  In order for America to become better about eating locally, and also plan for the future growth of the population there needs to be a better system of collecting food data, for example, where the food is coming from, what type of food it is and how many people the food can provide for.

Conclusion

This research found that the American south could be self-sustainable if there was no food waste, and food production data is hard to find and difficult to analyze. As the world population grows, it is important to study the amount of food available in order to successfully provide enough, but to also study where the food is coming from and therefore adjust accordingly. Only three out of the eleven states in the south could sustain themselves theoretically with food produced in their state and adding in any amount of waste means that no states can provide enough food for their populations. This either means that the US is drastically under producing food, or that food data is not recorded enough or accurately.  The United States’ Department of Agriculture needs to create a better way of collecting food data so that they can make recommendations on where and what type of foods need more supply. If an entire region of a country cannot provide enough food based on the USDA recommendations, then there must be a larger issue of food deserts and inequality than what meets the eye. Another dataset that could be influential for the USDA to create is public data access to locations of farms and what they produce. This could be influential because if data like this were available, people of the south could find local food to buy while reducing their carbon footprint and helping local economies. This data would also be helpful for those who live in a food desert and /provide information on where they can buy healthy food. This research shows that the food supply in the American South is inadequate and needs to be improved to not only help the environment, but to make sure that the country will be able to support the current and future population growth.

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