Food is traditionally obtained through farming, ranching, and fishing, with hunting, foraging and other methods of subsistence locally important. More recently, there has been a growing trend towards more sustainable agricultural practices. This approach, which is partly fueled by consumer demand, encourages biodiversity, local self-reliance and organic farming methods.

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Heritage and Heirloom Foods:

Traditionally, farmers throughout the world have raised thousands of different animal breeds and plant varieties. However, since today's industrial farms rely upon only a few specialized types of livestock and crops, thousands of non-commercial animal breeds and crop varieties have disappeared, along with the valuable genetic diversity they possessed. Fortunately, a growing number of sustainable farmers are preserving agricultural variety and protecting biodiversity by raising “heritage” or “heirloom” animal breeds and crops.

• American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
  This nonprofit organization works to protect endangered livestock breeds from extinction. Their website includes a list of rare and endangered breeds along with numerous links to additional sources of information.
  
• Breeds of Livestock
  Created by the Department of Science at Oklahoma State University, this site includes an extensive listing of domestic animal breeds, complete with background information and photographs.
• New England Heritage Breeds Conservancy
  This organization works to preserve heritage breeds as part of America’s livestock legacy.
• Seed Savers Exchange
  This nonprofit organization is dedicated to preserving and sharing heirloom seed varieties. Their site includes information about heirloom plant varieties and an extensive catalog of heirloom seeds.

Read More in Sustainable Table ("The Issues: Heritage and Heirloom Foods") »  

Slow Food USA Ark of Taste - Saving Cherished Foods, One Product at a Time

The US Ark of Taste is a catalog of over 200 delicious foods in danger of extinction. By promoting and eating Ark products we help ensure they remain in production and on our plates.

The Ark is an international catalog of foods that are threatened by industrial standardization, the regulations of large-scale distribution and environmental damage. In an effort to cultivate consumer demand—key to agricultural conservation—only the best tasting endangered foods make it onto the Ark. Since 1996, more than 800 products from over 50 countries have been added to the international Ark of Taste. The US Ark of Taste profiles over 200 rare regional foods, and is a tool that helps farmers, ranchers, fishers, chefs, retail grocers, educators and consumers celebrate our country's diverse biological, cultural and culinary heritage.

Read More in Slow Food USA ("Ark of Taste") »