FUEL FOR THOUGHT
Food Security = National Security:
A Lesson in Resilience
Meaghen Brown
Adam Melonas
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November 21, 2024
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8 Min Read
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Design
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed many vulnerabilities in our global supply chains. At the height of the crisis, countries scrambled to secure personal protective equipment (P.P.E.), medical supplies, and microchips, only to realize that their overreliance on imports had put them at risk. The disruptions we witnessed extend beyond technology or healthcare—they also affect food, arguably the most critical commodity for human survival. If the pandemic was a wake-up call, the message is clear: Food security is national security.
Globalization's Impact on Food Systems
While outsourcing certain products is necessary and efficient, it becomes dangerous when entire industries and vital resources, like food, are tied to foreign suppliers. The pandemic showed us that food shortages can occur when supply chains falter. This is especially troubling when 11% of the U.S. food supply—valued at over $212 billion—is imported annually. Most of these imports consist of seafood, fruits, and out-of-season produce that arrive via air freight, a choice that increases costs and has severe environmental impacts.
The energy-intensive air transport of fragile foods produces 4.5 tons of CO2 emissions per ton of product—a stark contrast to ocean shipping, which emits just 0.25 tons per ton of goods. Perishable items are particularly waste-prone, with a significant portion expiring before they ever reach consumers. Food waste in the U.S. alone stands at 30-40% of the total supply each year, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and further straining ecosystems. A more sustainable food system demands localized production to cut emissions and build resilience against future crises.
Why Food Security Is a Defense Issue
Beyond the immediate economic and environmental consequences, food security is directly tied to national security in ways many overlook. Poor nutrition has already impacted the U.S. military's recruitment efforts. Over the years, the Department of Defense (DoD) has had to lower fitness standards to accommodate recruits with higher B.M.I.s, as poor food choices and unhealthy diets among Americans have limited the pool of eligible candidates. This shift affects military readiness and reflects how food policy decisions trickle down to critical areas like defense.
Meanwhile, chronic healthcare expenses stemming from poor diets and food-related illnesses are on the rise, now accounting for $900 billion of the total U.S. medical spending (forecasted to hit $1.4 trillion by 2030). This is now 18.7% of the U.S. G.D.P., approximately $4.5 trillion annually, growing at 4% annually. Reducing reliance on imported, highly processed foods and improving the nutritional quality of domestic offerings would benefit individual health and national security.
Looking ahead, experts predict that future conflicts will not center around land or power but over resources like food and water. When the global supply chain breaks down, nations dependent on imports will face unrest and hardship, underscoring the importance of food sovereignty.
The Hidden Costs of Imports: A Focus on Quality
The reliance on imports comes with risks beyond logistical disruptions. Many products are harvested long before they are ripe to withstand long journeys across the globe. Although technologies such as ethylene gas are used to ripen produce during artificial shipping, the nutrient content of these foods is often significantly lower than that of freshly harvested produce that has ripened with full and prolonged access to sun and soil, as well as locally grown produce. In other words, the food on our supermarket shelves is less nutritious than we assume.
More alarming is that many imported foods contain chemical residues that are banned in the U.S. but permitted in other countries. These contaminants enter our supply chains and end up on dinner tables, threatening public health.
For example:
Chlorpyrifos: A neurotoxic insecticide banned in the U.S. but often detected in imported fruits like strawberries, peppers, and pears.
Endosulfan: A pesticide similar to D.D.T., considered a possible carcinogen, remains in use outside the U.S.
Captan: A probable human carcinogen, banned on several crops domestically but found on imports.
Acephate is an organophosphate insecticide banned in U.S.A. green beans but still in imported versions.
Relaxed regulations abroad put American consumers at risk, and while it is essential to enforce stricter import policies, the more extensive solution lies in boosting domestic food production. Building a self-reliant system reduces exposure to harmful chemicals and ensures greater control over food quality.
This is extra reading on Pesticides in the U.S. Pay special attention to the last part, which addresses sheer quantity!
A Case Study in Fragility: Fresh-Cut Flowers
While flowers are not food, they illustrate the vulnerabilities created by over-reliance on imports. Over 91% of the fresh-cut flowers sold in the U.S.A. are imported, mainly from Colombia, with millions of blooms flown daily to Miami during peak seasons; these U.S. bound deliveries can amount to over 35 fully loaded cargo planes from Bogota to Miami daily, which then get trucked all over the nation, Colombia imports are only 37% of imports. The environmental toll is immense: flowers travel 1,500 to 4,000 miles in refrigerated cargo planes, generating carbon emissions and exposing workers in countries like Colombia to up to 127 dangerous pesticides—many of which are banned in the U.S.
Europe faces similar challenges, with 40% of its flowers coming from Kenya. Meanwhile, in India, 8 million tons of flowers discarded annually from temples are discarded in rivers, which in turn end up polluting the same rivers with pesticide runoff. These examples underscore the unintended consequences of globalized industries, highlighting the environmental and human health risks.
Extra Reading on this Rabbit-hole: https://atmos.earth/cut-flowers-environmental-carbon-cost-facts/
Addressing the Global Food Waste Problem
Food waste is one of the most critical—and solvable—issues in the food system. Globally, food waste accounts for 8-10% of all greenhouse gas emissions, primarily driven by farming, transportation, retail, and household consumption inefficiencies. Wasted food represents wasted resources: water, energy, Soil nutrients, labor, and land. Yet despite these costs, the problem persists at alarming levels.
In the U.S., consumers, retailers, and producers throw away nearly 40% of all food annually, which amounts to over $160 billion in losses. Much of this waste occurs because products spoil before they are sold or consumed—a direct result of the inefficiencies built into global supply chains.
A more sustainable model would reduce waste at every level, from production to consumption. Solutions include:
Localized agriculture shortens the supply chain and reduces spoilage.
Better forecasting technologies to match supply with demand.
Public awareness campaigns to encourage responsible consumption.
Redistribution programs to channel excess food to those in need.
Rethinking Policy: Building for the Future
As nations struggle to balance efficiency with resilience, food systems will play a pivotal role in determining long-term security. Governments must enact policies encouraging local production and regenerative agriculture, prioritizing sustainability and health. This is not just about meeting the demands of the present but also about future-proofing food systems for coming generations.
The global food industry has been built around short-term gains, focusing on profits and quarterly results. However, the real test of a sustainable food system lies in its ability to endure disruptions and promote health and well-being over the long term. Policymakers must move beyond the immediate election cycle and focus on strategies that will benefit future generations.
Conclusion: Every Action Has a Reaction
We tell our children that every action reacts, yet as adults, we often fail to apply this wisdom to managing critical systems like food production. For too long, the focus has been on efficiency, convenience, and profit without accounting for the environmental, health, and security risks these priorities create.
As we move forward, we must reframe our understanding of food security as a matter of national security. This means shifting from global dependency to local resilience, reducing waste, enforcing stricter quality controls, and ensuring our food promotes health and sustainability.
The question is not whether we can afford to make these changes but whether we can afford not to. Our legacy depends on our choices today, not just for ourselves but future generations. A secure food system is not just about feeding the present—it's about nourishing the future.
