2017 Hot Food Trends a Good Fit for County Farmers
Author: Gillian Pomplun
Crawford County farmers could score big wins in growing the farm economy, protecting the unique and fragile ecosystem, and mitigating public safety threats from flooding, by taking steps on their farms to cash in on growing trends in the food industry.
Anti-inflammatory foods, regenerative grazing, and purple foods are among the top food trends for 2017 listed by food industry leaders. In addition, continued growth in demand for organic foods is creating growing demand for organic hay, which commands a premium price.
While 2015 and 2016 food trends focused on “antioxidants,” consumer awareness has evolved to an understanding that antioxidant-rich foods are part of a larger dietary focus of reducing inflammation.
Chronic inflammation is linked as an underlying cause of many chronic health conditions such as heart disease, obesity, autoimmune disorders like arthritis and lupus, cancer, and more. Increasingly health practitioners see dietary changes as a key way to combat chronic inflammation, and prevent or slow development of these conditions.
Regenerative production methods such as grassfed, pastured and free-range meat, grassfed dairy, and organic meat and dairy have been increasing trends with consumers for years.
The most passionate advocates of these farming and food production systems will tell you that they have encapsulated the concept of “regenerative” all along, and for the most part that is true.
What has shifted is less in the world of farming and more in the world of consuming. The trend of “regenerative agriculture” is an indication that consumers are increasingly concerned about not only “is it good for me,” but also about “is it good for the environment?”