Part 1/5:
The Struggle to Grow Diverse Crops in America
As Americans, we've grown accustomed to having year-round access to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. From tomatoes and strawberries to avocados, our grocery stores and markets offer an abundance of produce. However, the reality is that not everything can be grown in every region, and this comes at a cost.
The number of farms and the diversity of crops they produce for human consumption have been on a steady decline in the U.S. over the past few decades. Instead, the focus has shifted to growing large-scale commodity crops like corn and soybeans, which are primarily used for livestock feed, ethanol, and as cheap ingredients in highly processed foods.