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From Farm to Fork: Understanding Where Your Food Comes From
Getting food to the grocery store is a complex and labor-intensive process involving several systems that begins with agricultural production and ends with food distribution. In the simplest terms, it involves four steps: production, processing, distribution, and consumer market.
The first step is producing or growing the food — that is, growing plants to feed animals producing meat, and growing grains, fruits, and vegetables for human food. Food production relies on growers, including farmers and ranchers, workers, and critical inputs (soil, sun, natural resources, and water). After harvest, plant or animal products must be stored properly and at proper temperatures, all the way through the process from storage to distribution centers to grocers (usually within only a few days) and then to homes.
When a seed is planted, it can take anywhere from three to six weeks to water and fertilize the crop and ensure that there are no issues with pests. When a fruit or vegetable crop is ready for harvest, it must be picked at the right stage of ripeness and the right time of day. Fruits and vegetables are examined for regularity in size and appearance. Fruits or vegetables that are less than perfect often get used for juices or other foods such as canned soups or fruit. Unfortunately, some imperfect produce will be left in the field too, mostly because consumers expect only “perfect” produce to be on supermarket shelves.