Food is central to our lives – not only for the plate in front of us, but in the systems that surround us. We are increasingly concerned about the interrelationships between food and health, the environment and the economy.
Ray Goldberg attributes this evolution to the contribution of “food citizens” in the private, public and social sectors who have helped to propel today’s food movements. Goldberg is Professor Emeritus of Agriculture and Business at Harvard Business School and author of Food Citizenship. In our interview he spoke about the changes he has seen in food systems over six decades and reflected on the role of science and technology in meeting our current challenges.
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Lorin Fries: You created the term “agribusiness” in 1955. What significant changes have you seen in food systems in the decades since?
Ray Goldberg: There have been major revolutions since that time, and they seem to be occurring more rapidly than ever. We went from the mechanical revolution to the genetic revolution, to bacteria, to microbes. That affected the environment, land and water use, the quality of the crops and nutrients produced – and in turn the wellbeing of animals, human beings and the planet itself.
Fries: You just completed a book on Food Citizenship. Why is this topic important?
Goldberg: I published Food Citizenship to highlight the changemakers trying to solve our problems in the food system. I think of that system as a quasi-public utility: unless you get it right, you don’t improve the environment and the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s an enormous responsibility. Consumers have finally understood this, and they reward companies not just for their output, but for their ability to produce in a way that improves the environment and health. If today’s firms don’t look at society’s needs and an efficient way of meeting them, they’ll be in trouble. That’s reinforced by the kinds of firms that are successful.
Fries: You taught at Harvard for over six decades. What do you hope your students learned from you?
Goldberg: I taught through the case method to enable students to develop their own priority system and unique ability to consider problems. Increasingly, people have recognized that they are part of a system and their actions not only affect their particular position, but the full system – and, conversely, that system affects them. In realizing this, students begin to understand that it’s not just about tactics like bargaining between a buyer and a seller, but rather about figuring out what a consumer needs – and ultimately, what society needs.
Fries: One of the revolutions of recent years has occurred in the technology sector, and there have also been major recent advancements in science. Have you seen resulting positive impacts in food systems?
Goldberg: One area I’m watching is labor-saving technologies. Harsh conditions and treatment in the fields have prompted the development of robots for harvesting and other tasks. Robotics will increasingly supersede difficult labor.
The medical community is learning how to better diagnose patients through blood samples, relating their health more closely to what and how they eat, and matching that with recommendations on food.
Climate change is forcing people to look recycling manure and other waste from cattle, turning it into energy so it doesn’t pollute the environment. This will become even more important.
We’re learning more about microbes and bacteria. People have discovered that if you take bacteria away from the environment of plants, the plants are not as productive; returning it can increase yield and prompt the roots to grow deeper and access more water. Or, as another example, consider taking a single cell away from a pest like a tick so it cannot give you lyme disease. Research in these areas is very exciting.
Fries: Where have technology or science had negative effects in food systems?
Goldberg: Bacteria and germs have a resilience that forces us to constantly evolve our actions. Sometimes we over-attack a problem and exacerbate it. We see this in hospitals, where antibiotics are less effective now, and in fields, where chemicals don’t work anymore – and in fact can make things worse. We haven’t learned enough about how to constantly improve the safeguards of the science that we’re creating. Our greatest danger is knowing how to use our weapons against problems, without creating more problems.
Fries: Do you have concerns about the current use of science and technology in food systems?
Goldberg: I’m concerned that people are not focused enough about the safety versus the opportunity of the science. The scientists themselves are worried. George Church speaks strongly about this problem, and I agree with him.
We need to do a better job of educating the public and our representatives in the public sector. People have finally discovered that food is more important than pills, but who are the gatekeepers to tell us about this? The medical community hasn’t been trained in this way. I worry about the development of men and women who can engage the public on the question of how we use scientific advancements judiciously, and how to protect ourselves if we’re wrong.
Fries: Do you have additional reflections about the innovation needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals?
Goldberg: The world is full of promise. Our greatest challenges are to strengthen safeguards and to address income inequality. But I am hopeful: over the decades of my career, people have moved from a commodity orientation to a win-win perspective. For example, people now realize that nutrition in food is more important to health than popping pills. And since we have new discoveries like CRISPR and other technologies, people realize that certain diseases can be cured by food – not just by medicine.
I think that millennials understand everything that I’ve just said far better than any other generation I’ve taught. So, as far as I’m concerned, I’ll be leaving this world a very optimistic man.
This interview is part of a series on how technology and innovation are transforming food and ecological systems – and how to get it right for people and planet. The conversation has been edited for clarity and length.