Lehigh Valley officials discuss climate change, food supply - The Morning Call

Lehigh Valley officials discuss climate change, food supply

Even though it was overcast Thursday morning, the air was hot and muggy around the Allentown Farmers Market as customers filed in and out of the building at the center of the city’s fairgrounds.

The uncomfortable weather didn’t stop residents from making their weekly shopping trip and more than one family walked across the blacktop and out the gate carrying several bags of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Also at the fairgrounds were a group of local government and agriculture officials, who were discussing the connection between Allentown’s residents and the Lehigh Valley’s farmers, and how both groups are affected by climate change. Besides emphasizing the importance of that connection, they all called for federal officials to pass the trillion-dollar farm bill, which is up for reauthorization at the end of September and is being debated in Washington.

Standing in a booth across from a stand of fresh tomatoes in the farmers market, Allentown Council member Ce-Ce Gerlach said the influx of produce from nearby farms is important in the fight against food deserts in the city.
Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk speaks at a Thursday, July 27, 2023, news conference at the Allentown Farmers Market showcasing federal investments in the state’s agriculture industry. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Allentown Councilperson Ce-Ce Gerlach speaks at a Thursday, July 27, 2023, news conference at the Allentown Farmers Market showcasing federal investments in the state’s agriculture industry. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

“Fact is, it’s easier in my neighborhood to get a bag of chips and a honey bun than it is to get a fresh tomato and blueberries,” she said. “In fact, in the Lehigh Valley there are, according to the United Way, eight food deserts and there are even more neighborhoods in which you have to walk more than half a mile to get to a grocery store with fresh food.”

While a half-mile may not seem like much for those who have access to a car, it can seem like a marathon to those who have to carry those groceries home with kids in tow, Gerlach said.

“Supporting local farming is a matter of food justice,” she said. “It’s a matter of knowing that all of our communities in the Lehigh Valley are connected. Allentown is connected to the farms that surround us. We rely on those farms. When our local farmers are strong and they’re able to be innovative, Allentown is strong and we are healthy.”

Beverly Gruber, chairperson and CEO of the Allentown Fair and a member of the Lehigh Valley Agricultural Society, said climate change is affecting the 550 farms in the Valley, no matter if they raise crops or livestock. Programs on conservation and climate smart agriculture “are of the utmost importance,” and why the farm bill is vital, she said.

“We know family farms operate on narrow margins,” Gruber said, noting that many are smaller than 50 acres. “We need to give them all the support that we can get. We need to encourage Congress to pass the upcoming farm bill so it continues to fund the programs and support our rural communities.”

David Pryor, director of communications for the Rodale Institute, said his organization has been working with a $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to work with farmers in the southeast to promote climate smart farming practices.

“Over the next five years, we will study the differences in greenhouse gas emissions, health benefits, economic benefits and social barriers of adoption for using cover crops and fields,” Pryor said.

He said Rodale found organic practices bring 30% higher yields during extreme weather such as droughts and floods.

State Rep. Josh Siegel, D-Lehigh, added that issues that might seem to be urban exclusive, such as funding public transportation, can still help cut down on carbon emissions and benefit everyone.

“We know that those local farmers are integral not just to our local economy,” he said, “but making sure that our food systems function. I think this moment speaks to the need for our state representatives, our congressional body, our senators, our mayors and our council people to work together with our county officials to have a holistic, comprehensive climate action plan because we know that the climate crisis doesn’t respect or regard municipal borders.”