*80/20 by 2020* Since 2006, Maine food policy has set an ambitious goal of getting Maine to produce 80% of its calories within Maine - leaving 20% needing to be imported from outside of Maine. Currently, Maine only produces 20% of its calories within Maine - leaving 80% needing to be imported. Some scoff at this goal calling it impossible.  However, whether we achieve 80/20 by 2020 or 50/50 by 2050, this is the direction we need to take for our environment, our economy, and for our health. This policy recognizes that it is aiming very high and that new infrastructure, new farmland, new processing facilities, new distribution systems, and new labor systems will be needed. ( www.maine.gov/agriculture/mpd/information/*foodpolicydraft*.pdf<http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/mpd/information/foodpolicydraft.pdf) *NEW SYSTEMS & OLD SYSTEMS* This is not a situation where we have a sound basic old system which just needs a little expansion with a tweak here and a new part there. This is a situation where we have to create a whole new system ready to grow quickly and sustainably. Normally, with a basically sound system, occasional innovations happen which can just be incorporated little by little. However, sometimes systems cannot evolve beyond a certain point because of their basic design limitations. Take computers, for instance.  They were first engineered during the mass global centralized industrial era.  They were room-sized slow behemoths which quickly became extinct.  Along came the internet, microchips, and desktop computers and, finally, the technology is starting to catch up with society in the local decentralized human era.  As the mass of humanity begins to take command of its own systems - systems of the people, by the people, and for the people, our systems are beginning to reflect natural systems. * Nature is a self-organizing, stable, dynamic chaos.*  - GARRISON (Intro to Oceanography) A self-organizing, stable, dynamic chaos is different from pure chaos.  Pure chaos - paradoxically - would become static, stagnant, and dead.  However, a dynamic living chaos that is stable enough to organize itself and impose just enough order of just the right kind at just the right time and just the right place to maintain harmony - that is nature ... healthy, organic nature. *THE BABBAGE DIFFERENCE ENGINE - A CAUTIONARY TALE* The computers of today trace their origins to the Babbage Difference Engine - a steam-powered system of _meta_l gears - in 1822 .  However, the Babbage machine was never built - UNTIL 1991!  When it was built, it was determined that it would have worked better than average pocket calculators of today! Clearly, Babbage was far ahead of his time.  It was an amazing accomplishment, especially, given the limitations of the science & engineering systems of the time.

HYPER_link_ http://www.msu.edu/%7Ehowardp/organicindustry.html http://www.msu.edu/%7Eho wardp/organicindustry.html Check out this _link_ for additional reasons why it is so critical to engage in the “common cause of asserting our humanity in the systems in which we live.” Best, Andrea    _____   From: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it [mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ] On Behalf Of Ed Democracy Sent: Sunday, March 22, 2009 1:24 PM To: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Subject: [mainefoodsystem] Sustainable Change for Our Maine Food System 80/20 by 2020 Since 2006, Maine food policy has set an ambitious goal of getting Maine to produce 80% of its calories within Maine - leaving 20% needing to be imported from outside of Maine.   Currently, Maine only produces 20% of its calories within Maine - leaving 80% needing to be imported. Some scoff at this goal calling it impossible.  However, whether we achieve 80/20 by 2020 or 50/50 by 2050, this is the direction we need to take for our environment, our economy, and for our health. This policy recognizes that it is aiming very high and that new infrastructure, new farmland, new processing facilities, new distribution systems, and new labor systems will be needed. ( HYPER_link_ http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/mpd/information/foodpolicydraft.pdf www.ma ine.gov/agriculture/mpd/information/foodpolicydraft.pdf ) NEW SYSTEMS & OLD SYSTEMS This is not a situation where we have a sound basic old system which just needs a little expansion with a tweak here and a new part there. This is a situation where we have to create a whole new system ready to grow quickly and sustainably.   Normally, with a basically sound system, occasional innovations happen which can just be incorporated little by little.   However, sometimes systems cannot evolve beyond a certain point because of their basic design limitations. Take computers, for instance.  They were first engineered during the mass global centralized industrial era.  They were room-sized slow behemoths which quickly became extinct.  Along came the internet, microchips, and desktop computers and, finally, the technology is starting to catch up with society in the local decentralized human era.  As the mass of humanity begins to take command of its own systems - systems of the people, by the people, and for the people, our systems are beginning to reflect natural systems.    Nature is a self-organizing, stable, dynamic chaos.  - GARRISON (Intro to Oceanography) A self-organizing, stable, dynamic chaos is different from pure chaos.  Pure chaos - paradoxically - would become static, stagnant, and dead.  However, a dynamic living chaos that is stable enough to organize itself and impose just enough order of just the right kind at just the right time and just the right place to maintain harmony - that is nature ... healthy, organic nature. THE BABBAGE DIFFERENCE ENGINE - A CAUTIONARY TALE The computers of today trace their origins to the Babbage Difference Engine - a steam-powered system of _meta_l gears - in 1822 .  However, the Babbage machine was never built - UNTIL 1991!  When it was built, it was determined that it would have worked better than average pocket calculators of today! Clearly, Babbage was far ahead of his time.  It was an amazing accomplishment, especially, given the limitations of the science & engineering systems of the time.  

Hey, Ed.....got any money...lets start an aquisitions company......yeah, right!!!!!! Thanks, Andrea, for finding this great work. John Harker ________________________________ From: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it on behalf of Ed Democracy Sent: Mon 3/23/2009 10:58 AM To: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Subject: [mainefoodsystem] Re: Sustainable Change for Our Maine Food System Holy smokes!!!  Thanks!  Yikes! 2009/3/23 Andrea Perry < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it         http://www.msu.edu/%7Ehowardp/organicindustry.html <http://www.msu.edu/~howardp/organicindustry.html         Check out this _link_ for additional reasons why it is so critical to engage in the common cause of asserting our humanity in the systems in which we live.         Best,         Andrea ________________________________         From: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it [mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ] On Behalf Of Ed Democracy         Sent: Sunday, March 22, 2009 1:24 PM         To: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it         Subject: [mainefoodsystem] Sustainable Change for Our Maine Food System         80/20 by 2020         Since 2006, Maine food policy has set an ambitious goal of getting Maine to produce 80% of its calories within Maine - leaving 20% needing to be imported from outside of Maine.           Currently, Maine only produces 20% of its calories within Maine - leaving 80% needing to be imported.         Some scoff at this goal calling it impossible.  However, whether we achieve 80/20 by 2020 or 50/50 by 2050, this is the direction we need to take for our environment, our economy, and for our health.         This policy recognizes that it is aiming very high and that new infrastructure, new farmland, new processing facilities, new distribution systems, and new labor systems will be needed.         ( www.maine.gov/agriculture/mpd/information/foodpolicydraft.pdf <http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/mpd/information/foodpolicydraft.pdf  )         NEW SYSTEMS & OLD SYSTEMS         This is not a situation where we have a sound basic old system which just needs a little expansion with a tweak here and a new part there.         This is a situation where we have to create a whole new system ready to grow quickly and sustainably.           Normally, with a basically sound system, occasional innovations happen which can just be incorporated little by little.           However, sometimes systems cannot evolve beyond a certain point because of their basic design limitations.         Take computers, for instance.  They were first engineered during the mass global centralized industrial era.  They were room-sized slow behemoths which quickly became extinct.  Along came the internet, microchips, and desktop computers and, finally, the technology is starting to catch up with society in the local decentralized human era.  As the mass of humanity begins to take command of its own systems - systems of the people, by the people, and for the people, our systems are beginning to reflect natural systems.                    Nature is a self-organizing, stable, dynamic chaos.  - GARRISON (Intro to Oceanography)         A self-organizing, stable, dynamic chaos is different from pure chaos.  Pure chaos - paradoxically - would become static, stagnant, and dead.  However, a dynamic living chaos that is stable enough to organize itself and impose just enough order of just the right kind at just the right time and just the right place to maintain harmony - that is nature ... healthy, organic nature.         THE BABBAGE DIFFERENCE ENGINE - A CAUTIONARY TALE         The computers of today trace their origins to the Babbage Difference Engine - a steam-powered system of _meta_l gears - in 1822 .  However, the Babbage machine was never built - UNTIL 1991!  When it was built, it was determined that it would have worked better than average pocket calculators of today!  Clearly, Babbage was far ahead of his time.  It was an amazing accomplishment, especially, given the limitations of the science & engineering systems of the time.